Desire: Issue 19.1 wrap-up

With three big hitters sending us their disc brake superbikes, clothing from Gore, Prendas and Castelli, helmets from POC and Specialized and topped off with Hydrovision’s custom dipped shades, we had a lot of product jammed into the theatre.

Cannondale’s brand-new SystemSix aero speed weapon, in a jazzy fluoro livery, was made to stand out. Built with Cannondale’s own wheels, Vision finishing kit and Shimano’s excellent DI2, this is a no expense spared bike which – and excuse the cliché – looks rapid standing still. Our favourite part? The super wide rims on those Knot wheels.

3T’s Strada made waves back in 2017 when it was released with a 1x drivetrain for use on the WorldTour. Fast forward to 2019 and 3T have adjusted for the masses – the Strada Due, now a fully geared race bike, cuts a striking silhouette with its dramatic rear wheel cut-out. It was arguably the leading lady on the day, drawing applause from onlookers.

Italian perfection from Colnago, with their Concept painted in the colour of 2018 – ‘quiet grey’ (it’s a thing – we googled it). It was finished with lovely details, like a matching CeramicSpeed oversized pulley system and, unusually, Shimano Dura Ace DI2.

As per their reputation for exceptional kit, Castelli stay classy with their their Rosso Corsa Alpha jacket.

Some would argue that white is the only acceptable colour for cycling shoes, regardless of the season – Sidi oblige with their Wire 2 carbon shoes in a crisp white.

“The helmet that calls for help”. Specialized’s tag-line for their new ANGI equipped line of helmets. ANGI is a safety tracker, designed to send an S.O.S. should the wearer experience a sudden impact, making this S-Works Evade both safe and clever.

Gore’s revolutionary ShakeDry waterproof jacket, released in 2018, sees a winter upgrade with the addition of a thermal lining of Polartec’s Alpha® insulation.

Hydrovision Optics joined us at the 2018 Rouleur Classic in our bespoke boutique area, set aside for the creative and astonishing custom products being brought to market by a set few standout individuals. They also sent us a veritable smorgasbord of custom glasses to accessorise all of our kits on the day. A truly clever and interesting process, hydro dipping involves applying a water-soluble graphic to a 3d object. You can read the full story from our artisans series here. 

Prendas Ciclismo and Santini’s long history of collaboration continues, this time with their Vega winter jacket, again using Polartec’s technological expertise in both fabric waterproofing and insulation.

Designed for usage across multiple disciplines, the POC Omne Air helmet, shown here in pre-production colours, has its sights set on the all-road market.

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