From drool-worthy carbon-fiber bikes to state-of-the-art power meters, the Tour de France is a movable feast of cycling technology.听The best part? Much of this high-end tech trickles down to the consumer level, letting us mortals shave a few seconds off our Gran听Fondo times. Here are five pieces of gear you can buy now that鈥檒l be tearing it up on the French roads next month.
The Bike: BMC Teammachine SLR01鈥擳ejay van Garderen
American cyclist Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) narrowly lost the Criterium du Dauphine to former Tour de France champion Chris Froome (Team Sky), but听as BMC鈥檚 captain, he offers the United States its听best chance at a yellow jersey.
When van Garderen vies for that top spot, he鈥檒l be riding a stock听BMC , which we awarded Gear of the Year in 2014. 鈥淪ome of the components鈥攕tem length听and wheels, for instance鈥攁re customized to his specifications,鈥 says Sean Weide, communications manager at听BMC,听鈥渂ut anyone can purchase the same BMC with all the [same basic] components.鈥
According to BMC, the company tested 34,000 prototypes before settling on the final bike, paying attention to carbon thicknesses at various junctions to create a stiff, responsive frame that鈥檚 both snappy and comfortable. Buy just the frame for $4,999, or go up to $11,999 for the top model.
The Kit: Castelli Aero Race 5.0 Jersey and Free Aero Bibshort鈥擜ndrew Talansky
Castelli, which traces its roots to 19th-century Milanese tailor Vittorio Gianni, has kitted out the world鈥檚 finest bike racers, from Alfredo Binda and Fausto Coppi to Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault.
Look for the Italian suits on U.S. Pro National Road Champion Andrew Talansky and teammate Ryder Hesjedal (both racing for Cannondale-Garmin), as well as on former Tour stage winners Tyler Farrar and Matthew Goss听(racing with Africa鈥檚 MTN Qhubeka). Riders will wear the same and , emblazoned with Castelli鈥檚 distinctive red scorpion, that you can buy in your local bike shop.
Patterned on Castelli鈥檚 record-beating San Remo skinsuit, the kit was wind-tunnel tested for a body-hugging, energy-saving fit. Coming in at just under 3.5 ounces, the jersey is made of fast-wicking polyester.听A听compression band around the pockets keeps accessories organized and stable. Castelli鈥檚 bestselling bibs have been completely reengineered for 2015听and feature a dimpled-texture pattern that allegedly reduces air听resistance.
The Pedals: Look K茅o Blade 2 TI鈥擜lberto Contador
French company Look invented the clipless pedal in 1984. Thirty-one years later, three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador will race on the company鈥檚 鈥攁n ultralight, aerodynamic carbon fiber and titanium pedal鈥攊n the 2015 Tour.
The carbon-spring design allows for extremely quick entrances and exits, and the large surface transmits energy well.
The Helmet: POC Octal Raceday鈥擱yder Hesjedal
Swedish company POC will outfit the Cannondale-Garmin team with its 听helmet. The dramatically oversized vents are eye catching and dump heat in hurry;听they also proved to be aerodynamic in POC鈥檚 wind-tunnel tests. The Octal鈥檚 outer plastic shell wraps underneath the EPS foam liner to provide better protection.听The Coolbest padding system creates听a comfortable fit for most riders and doesn鈥檛 collect sweat. The entire package comes in at 200 grams.
Look for the lids on the heads of Canadian Ryder Hesjedal, who won the 2013 Giro d鈥橧talia, and New Zealand sprinter Jack Bauer.
The Shades: Oakley Prizm Road Jawbreaker鈥擬ark Cavendish
Oakley worked with superstar sprinter Mark Cavendish to develop the Cavendish for July. The interchangeable-lens sunglasses feature听vents along the frame to reduce fogging. They鈥檙e built with Oakley鈥檚 proprietary High Definition Optics Prizm lenses, which boost contrast and color. The grippy nose piece and temples keep the glasses solidly anchored.
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