Shimano S-PHYRE 2017 – expansion from footwear to clothing

Last year Shimano gave us performance cycling footwear and this year the natural expansion is to performance clothing for cycling.

There seem to be some fabled ‘marginal gains’ from saving some energy by reducing friction. These are probably minimal but, hey, the clothing looks nice.

There are probably more serious performance gains from aerodynamic drag reduction eg the seamless S-PHYRE SKINSUIT.

Lots more official images here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7va4jsrp5kf3fmg/AACHi9xnqUAPwIUjBMZYfaGva

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Press release in full:

S-PHYRE CLOTHING IGNITES NEW DIRECTION FOR SHIMANO PERFORMANCE CYCLING APPAREL
In 2016 Shimano announced the S-PHYRE concept for performance footwear. Now in 2017 Shimano expands the S-PHYRE concept to include race clothing, setting a new benchmark in the company´s clothing performance.
S-PHYRE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE LET OUR MINDS RACE
The S-PHYRE concept has one goal: to maximize power transmission by delivering more performance per gram, cheating the air, and using the linkage effect to create efficiencies.
Power generation is hard enough, riders don’t need to lose watts to the physics of aero drag, friction or overheating. S-PHYRE is engineered to limit these losses through technological advancements, applying linkage and movement principles in a complete system between the bike, the body and the motion of its muscles.
Armed with this starting point, together with knowledge from bike fitting and performance studies with professional riders, Shimano has delivered technical cycling wear – jerseys, bib shorts, skinsuits, gloves and socks – that maximize the efficiency at the contact points between clothing and skin, empowering riders to achieve the next level of performance.

Marco Zaja, Shimano Europe Deputy Director Softgoods: “S-PHYRE is the newest expression of our passion for leading, using everything we know about performance to create meticulously engineered cycling apparel. S-PHYRE lives up to everything you expect from Shimano and everything we demand from ourselves. ”

S-PHYRE COMPLETE CONCEPT: Jerseys, bib shorts, skinsuits, gloves, socks and shoes

S-PHYRE JERSEY AND BIB SHORT: The jersey features seamless shoulders with a 3D construction to reduce shoulder wrinkles. Anatomically placed pockets give easy access to stashed items. A full-length zipper aids temperature regulation and discrete logos complete the look. Available in black or yellow. Bib shorts feature a shock-absorbing winged chamois, integrated woven leg grippers to hold the leg more securely and inner-thigh high-thread count weave patterns for a zero-loss interface between the saddle and the garment.

S-PHYRE SKINSUIT: A single-unit construction with exceptionally well fitting, lightweight second-skin fabric with advanced moisture management, and seamless shoulders to straighten airflow, reduce drag and maintain aerodynamic effectiveness in aggressive riding positions. Hard-to-make, easy-to-wear, faster than-fast.

S-PHYRE GLOVE: The spring/summer glove is an aerodynamic extension of the jersey, minimising drag with a pull-on design for less bulk on the wrist. 3D construction offers excellent grip and bike control on the palm whilst compression panels of the back of the hand and the wrist are designed to fit like a second skin offering unity between the hand, glove and lever for ultimate control.

S-PHYRE SOCKS: Released in 2016 along with S-PHYRE footwear, the socks are an extension of the foot, ankle and lower leg, providing cushioning in pressure areas, plus ventilation and slip resistance on the sole and heel. Woven in ankle guides ensure efficient pedaling rotation.
World Tour team LottoNL-Jumbo will race in S-PHYRE custom clothing and footwear from 2017 and will work with Shimano on further product developments.

Shimano S-PHYRE skinsuits, jerseys, bib shorts, gloves and socks will be available at selected S-PHYRE premium stores from mid-February. SHIMANO S-PHYRE footwear is already available in stores.