Project Bike Bioconnect: A saddle-pant system for triathlon
Where pants and saddle meet, things rarely run smoothly. With the "Bike Bioconnect System" project, science and manufacturers want to better coordinate equipment in triathlon.
A triathlon can hurt. If you push yourself to the limit during swimming, cycling and running, you won't reach the finish line without pain. This is not only caused by exhausted muscles, but also by problems with the equipment. According to research by the German Sport University in Cologne, only 15 percent of triathletes are free of complaints during cycling. And most of the time, the problems start where the saddle and seat meat meet. Friction leads to irritation of the periosteum, and an incorrect seating position puts strain on the spine.
"Previous solutions for seat discomfort have focused in isolation either on the triathlon shorts, which are fitted with a cushioning insert, or on the saddle, which is supposed to become more comfortable via shape and material properties. Because the two components are not coordinated, however, the discomfort is not optimally reduced," says Prof. Dr. Martin Bonnet of the Institute for Materials Application at TH Köln in a media release. The logical consequence: what is as close as saddle and pants in sports should also be developed together. The TH Köln, the German Sport University Cologne and the manufacturers Ergon and Ryzon are working on this. In the "Bike Bioconnect System" project, a saddle-pant system is to be designed that not only meets the requirements of top-level and competitive sports, but also brings relief to popular sports bottoms.
More padding in the saddle, less in the pants
Specialist Ergon wants to shift the main load to the sit bones with a new saddle shape. In addition, much of the padding is to move from the pants into the seat. This allows Ryzon to keep the pads thin in the triathlon shorts designed to fit them, so they don't cause problems during swimming and running. Of course, the whole thing is not just a matter of thick and thin, but also of material.
"Due to the sometimes high temperatures at triathlon competitions and the almost exclusive riding with saddle contact, the material used must have a high thermal conductivity. To this end, new formulations with particularly conductive additives are to be tested," Professor Bonnet is quoted as saying. Friction must be minimized where there is a risk of chafing. At other points, adhesion is required to be able to hold the position. The saddle and shorts will be matched accordingly before the Department of Clinical and Technological Biomechanics at the German Sport University Cologne examines whether the interaction brings any advantages: it will analyze the system in terms of various parameters such as comfort, functionality and injury prevention.
Titelbild: The Pug Father/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
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