TrueKinetix TrueTrainer 6.2
€1,299 (approx £1,100), truekinetix.com
TrueKinetix was founded in 2018, after triathlete Bas van Rens sought a more effective way to train indoors. ‘I missed qualification for Ironman Hawaii because I had trained in the wrong way,’ says Van Rens. He isn’t talking bad planning or incorrect programming, though. In his opinion, normal indoor trainers don’t properly replicate the demands of riding outside, so he had trained his muscles in the wrong way. TrueKinetix’s TrueTrainer is Van Rens’ attempt to replicate the muscle activation patterns of an outdoor pedal stroke, indoors.
‘Instead of a flywheel, the TrueTrainer uses a computer to calculate and apply resistance in a way that we know resembles the forces the rider experiences outdoors,’ says Van Rens. ‘The beauty of it is that it’s configurable – riders can use virtual gears instead of their bike’s own gearing or even replicate the biomechanics of oval chainrings.’
Innovative resistance technology aside, the TrueTrainer is an advanced trainer in other areas too. It has built-in fore-aft and lateral tilt so the bike moves as it does outside, as well as HDMI and Wi-Fi connectivity, 2,600-watt max resistance and +/-0.5% power measurement accuracy.
Megmeister Drynamo base layer
£70, megmeister.com
This grey base layer might look unassuming, but Megmeister says its attributes are pretty special thanks to its construction. Dubbed Drynamo, the fabric is predominantly made from a merino/polyamide hybrid yarn that is recycled and in turn biodegradable, but Megmeister says its eco credentials don’t limit the base layer’s on-bike performance.
The garment is seamless, having been woven in a single piece to ensure comfort, and by changing the weave pattern, mesh sections have been included to boost breathability. The merino component wicks sweat away and provides insulation, while Megmeister says the polyamide makes the garment robust to wear and tear.
Miche Kleos RD 62 wheels
£1,699, chickencyclekit.co.uk
Despite Miche being in the business of bike parts for over a century, it has had limited presence at the cutting edge of the wheel market. Until there was the Kleos.
The Kleos RD 62 wheelset is the deepest of three new designs, all of which have spent time in the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub wind-tunnel to ensure not just their rims but also their spokes and hubs minimise drag. As a result, the wheels’ front hub uses a fairing on its left flan
