Canyon gets into titanium, plus the rest of the week's tech news from SRAM, DT Swiss, Kask, Silca, and loads more

We’ve got a bumper Tech of the Week lined up for you, including new wheels from DT Swiss and Swiss Side, a helmet that’s said to “push the boundaries of aerodynamics”, and a bunch of gravel-specific clothing, but we’re starting with news that Canyon is moving into titanium…

Canyon gets into titanium: bike brand makes prototypes from recycled ti

Canyon has started working with US company IperionX “to develop a more sustainable titanium supply chain through the production of bicycle components using 100% recycled and low-carbon titanium”. Canyon isn’t confirming the exact nature of how and where it will use titanium at this stage, but it has been careful not to rule out the possibility of 3D-printed titanium frames.

3D-printed titanium parts have been around for a few years – we covered Charge’s 3D-printed titanium dropouts way back in 2013, for example – and this manufacturing method is becoming increasingly popular in the world of bikes.

Check out this Angel Cycle Works Heaven bike, for instance, and we know that there are other 3D-printed titanium frames in the works from other brands. It’s certainly possible that Canyon is exploring the potential.

IperionX produces titanium metal powders from scrap and Canyon is initially working with it to prototype parts.

Canyon says, “IperionX is working closely with our product development and ESG (environmental, social and governance) teams to produce bicycle components using IperionX’s low-carbon, recycled titanium metal powders via additive manufacturing [3D-printing] methods.”

Titanium has a reputation for producing strong and lightweight frames and components. It’s also extremely resistant to corrosion, removing the need for paint. On the downside, it’s expensive and the Kroll process currently used for making titanium is said to have a high carbon footprint. Using recycled titanium would help from an environmental point of view.

Could we see one of the world’s most high-tech bike brands making a move back towards metal bikes, then? What do you think?

Want a Verve Cycling InfoCrank 3D-printed titanium power meter? Yours for just £4,400

Sticking with 3D-printed titanium – it must be the week for it – Verve Cycling collaborated with designer Dimitris Katsanis to introduce the InfoCrank 3D Ti power meter in 2021, and now the device is available to the public upon request. If you want one, though, you’re looking at €5,000 (around £4,400).

Katsanis and his Metron Additive Engineering company are well known for partnering with the Great Britain Cycling Team and Team Ineos (former Team Sky), among other big names in cycling.

The InfoCrank 3D Ti is 3D printed in 6Al/4V titanium and it’s polished to a mirror finish.

“The first cranks were developed specifically for British Cycling’s world-leading track sprinters, so strength was paramount,” says Verve. “The outcome of this new project is a power meter with an unparalleled strength-to-weight ratio.”

> Read our review of the Verve Cycling Infocrank Classic

The InfoCrank 3D Ti measures torque and cadence from within the crank arms to determine power output, calculating the right and left legs individually. Verve claims it is able to provide data with an error of less than 1%, and there’s no need to recalibrate or regularly re-zero the system.

The InfoCrank 3D Ti works identically to other InfoCrank power meters and connects to all common head units via ANT+.

Find out more here

Kask’s new Utopia Y helmet “pushes the boundaries of aerodynamics and ventilation”

Kask has updated its Utopia aero helmet, saying that the new Utopia Y “pushes the boundaries of aerodynamics and ventilation”. 

“The Utopia Y also delivers improved comfort due to its Resistex Carbon padding – a breathable material that allows the dissipation of moisture to the outer shell,” says Kask. “This feature has now been added to the front of the helmet to provide an optimal fit.”

The Utopia Y uses Kask’s Octofit+ adjustment system which is found in existing helmets like the Protone Icon.

> Read our review of the Kask Protone Icon here 

The Utopia Y is built to Kask’s own WG11 safety standards and weighs a claimed 260g (size medium).

> Find out all about Kask WG11 here 

The Kask Utopia Y retails for £245.

Find out more here 

SRAM requests new trial in patent dispute with Princeton

The SRAM versus Princeton Carbon Works patent dispute looked to be done and dusted last month... but it's back already. 

A jury in Florida last month ruled that Princeton’s aero wheel design — namely the undulating rim shape that is said to reduce aerodynamic drag and side force — does not infringe SRAM patents, but Bicycle Retailer and Industry News reports that SRAM now argues that Princeton's attorneys used an “improper ensnarement defence”.

> Court rules SRAM patents not infringed by Princeton Carbon Works' aero wheels

SRAM says, “Instead of holistically evaluating the validity of the claims in the context of an equivalents analysis, Princeton improperly argued to the jury that it should only compare these singular features, such as relating the length of segments of purported constant radial distance in Princeton's wheels to the length of theoretical segments.” 

Ekoi adds graphene to clothing to “regulate body temperature and boost performance”

Graphene is already used for a host of things in the cycling industry, from tyres to jerseys to e-bike batteries and now Ekoi has introduced a graphene-infused cycling clothing collection. 

Part of the reason for this “smart fibre’s” increasing popularity in active clothing lies in its thermoregulation capabilities. Ekoi is utilising it in the new Graphene jerseys with horizontal graphene threads arranged on the front and back of the jersey, from the hottest to the coldest points, with the aim of helping endurance efforts. 

Developing the new jerseys, Ekoi carried out a study with a panel of experienced cyclists over several months and found that in a hot thermal environment (30°C), the use of the Graphene jersey generated a temperature reduction on the textile surface by 2.6°C. It concluded that based on sensory feedback and compared to a classic jersey, the graphene jersey offers 32% better heat distribution. 

The designs of the new Ekoi Graphene collections are inspired by the graphene's physical structure: a layer of single carbon atoms forming a hexagonal mesh. There are two ranges available, the Graphene Design and Graphene Kamo - only in men's fits, though. 

The jerseys retail for £137.39 and can be paired with bibs that'll set you back £295.91, although all of the Graphene kit prices are down by 35 per cent at the moment.

Find out more here

DT Swiss debuts CRC 1400 Spline wheels developed with Swiss Side

DT Swiss has unveiled new cyclocross-specific CRC 1400 Spline wheels featuring aero-optimised rims developed with Swiss Side.

The wheels are available in 35mm and 45mm rim depths for different conditions, and they’re hooked. Why hooked?

“It ensures safe tyre seating, ideal for harsh cyclocross riding conditions [and] it supports the choice of a broader range of tyre types, sizes, systems and manufacturers,” says DT Swiss.

“At the heart of the wheel, the Ratchet EXP freehub system of the 240 Spline hub will reliably transmit your watts into efficient acceleration."

Whichever rim depth you opt for, the DT Swiss CRC 1400 Spline wheels are £779.99 (front) and £1,084.99 (rear).

Find out more here 

A gravel skinsuit? Nopinz has got you covered

You can get a gravel-specific version of virtually everything in cycling these days, but a gravel skinsuit is a new one for us.

Nopinz first became known for their SpeedPocket – a way to attach your race number with no safety pins – and now the British company has extended its aero-expertise to the gravel sector. 

> Gravel bikes — do we actually need them?

The new Pro-1 Gravel skinsuit features crash-resistant material on the hips, aero-optimised materials over the torso and of – because it’s gravel – cargo pockets on the thighs. 

> The 11 gravel-specific products you never knew you needed - bar tape, shoes, helmets and more

We are hoping to test one of these suits over the next few months so we’ll report back on how many watts it saves you. Our sibling site off-road.cc covered the story in more depth, so check the full details over there. 

Find out more here

Stolen Goat announces new Gravel collection

More gravel clothing! Britain's Stolen Goat has just introduced a new range of gravel jerseys in both men’s and women’s cuts to join its existing shorts.

“Made from lightweight, technical fabric with a YKK half-zip neckline, our new gravel jerseys offer a casual look without compromising on comfort,” says Stolen Goat.

“These jerseys are fast-drying and feature anti-odour and anti-bacterial material, meaning they can be worn multiple times without working up a stink. This makes them an ideal option for cycle commuters and for bikepacking trips.”

The Stolen Goat Gravel jerseys are £50.

Stolen Goat has also expanded its road and mountain bike spring ranges with new designs.

The Women’s Arcadia Ibex Bodyline Jersey is £80, for example. 

Find out more here 

Restrap releases Tool Pouch 

Restrap has introduced a new Tool Pouch that’s designed for storing ride essentials.

“Made with hardwearing 1000D textured nylon and a nylon lining, this pouch is tough against grit and grime,” says Restrap. “The foam cushioning helps protect your tools and an internal storage sleeve is perfect for smaller items.”       

The Tool Pouch has a 0.6L capacity, comes with a Velcro flap and reflective detailing, and is available in black, olive and orange.    

> Read our review of Restrap's Race Frame Bag Large

It's priced at £32.99.

Find out more here 

Rouvy adds La Vuelta course and raises £24,000 for Türkiye and Syria

This headline sounds a bit like the foreign news section of Tech of the Week… And I guess in a way it is. Virtual indoor cycling platform Rouvy has announced its La Vuelta Virtual campaign, an opportunity for riders to experience the Grand Tour from home and win a VIP trip to the final stage of La Vuelta in Madrid. 

> Best indoor cycling apps 2023 — push your fitness to new levels with immersive virtual cycling experiences

As the Vuelta is happening in August-September, the new courses are going to be added over the summer and until then you can ride previous years’ routes. The event is designed to cater to riders of all levels, and you have from 27 March until 23 April 2023 to complete the challenge. 

There are three stages to the Challenge: entrants must complete four La Vuelta routes on Rouvy and the 60 fastest riders will be invited to race in the private virtual Madrid Qualifier Race. The five winners of this race will get flown to Madrid from 16-18 September, where they will compete on-stage on Rouvy for the first prize of the winner's jersey of La Vuelta Virtual Grande Finale.

The next day, they'll ride part of the final stage of La Vuelta before the peloton, then watch the action from the VIP area and meet their cycling heroes. If you’re not in the fastest group, you can still win some jerseys and such! 

In other news, as a response to the devastating earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria in early February, over 8,700 Rouvy athletes have contributed to raising $30,000 (£24,000) for the Red Cross in support of those affected.

The money was gathered by cyclists who completed a virtual ride on Rouvy’s indoor cycling platform, and the amount raised was based on how many cyclists took part. They cycled 76,038 km (47,248 miles) and the final sum also includes a donation by Rouvy and Challenge Family.

 Find out more here

Silca’s bottle cage gets a special ‘Unicorn’ anodised finish

It would not be a week in the tech world without the announcement of at least one new colourway on something. This week, Silca has launched its Sicuro titanium bottle cage in a new Unicorn finish (what is it with all the titanium this week?).

Each cage is made of seamless titanium tubing and weighs 30g. A single bottle cage sets you back 95€ (£83). 

Find out more here

“From waste to waist” - Italian CycledYou transforms your old tyres into belts and accessories

CycledYou is an “upcycling” project where a potential waste product is transformed into an object with a new life: the tyre of each cyclist becomes a unique belt. We all know that tubes and tyres have quite a short lifespan. 

> Best road bike tyres 2023 — ride faster and further with fewer punctures

Italian brothers Luca and Silvio Potente, the founders of Cycled, have set to change this with their Made in Italy brand which creates belts and accessories reusing used cycling tyres. Rather than opting for a tyre or tube recycling scheme, which brands such as Schwalbe offer, CycledYou aims to prolong the lifespan of the tyre - just in another form. 

“With CycledYou we involve each cyclist,” Silvio and Luca explain. “Their tyre will become the belt they want, fully customised, also equipped with an NFC chip which will contain their memories: a race, a trip, a friend, a special moment”.

What do you need to do, then? You ship the tyre(s) to CycledYou, and choose the details of your belt: the length, belt loop and thread colours. Each belt will set you back €69 (about £61). You can also purchase belts and accessories made from other people's tyres from CycledYou’s website.

Find out more here

In case you missed it earlier in the week...

• New Campagnolo patent applications reveal wireless derailleurs
• Tailfin shows off its new top tube pack
• On-the-fly tyre pressure adjustment appears on Dwars door Vlaanderen cobbles
• Forget about folders... the Pop-Cycle's sliding frame aims to revolutionise the compact bike genre
• What’s going on with that seat tube? Specialized unveils radical “Compliance Junction” on new Sirrus Carbon
• Shimano is working on a direct mount derailleur
• Cannondale adds Topstone LAB71 to the premium bike range
• Back to the future? Road bike friction shifters you can mix and match and adjustable SPD-style pedals unveiled by Japanese component manufacturer
• Secret new tech! Garmin set to release solar-powered Edge 540 and 840 bike computers

We’ve got a bumper Tech of the Week lined up for you, including new wheels from DT Swiss and Swiss Side, a helmet that’s said to “push the boundaries of aerodynamics”, and a bunch of gravel-specific clothing, but we’re starting with news that Canyon is moving into titanium…