Further Innovation in Textile Aerodynamics - the AERO Socks for road and time trial cyclists
These UCI legal socks are a continuation of the highly successful AERO CALF Sleeve development project for triathletes, launched by Swiss Side in June 2023.
For both road cyclists and triathletes, minimising aerodynamic drag is of utmost importance for performance. The AERO CALF Sleeve project was already done with the intention of developing a UCI legal sock version. The clear target again being to deliver a robust and significant aerodynamic performance benefit for athletes, regardless of their leg size, riding speed, or the wind conditions in which they ride.
The development of the AERO Socks involved further research and testing in Swiss Side’s in-house wind tunnel facility, with special functionality dedicated to sports textiles R&D. This was followed with testing in the full-scale GST wind tunnel facility with mannequins and athletes. The extensive research and results can be found in the transparent white paper.
Results
The performance of the Swiss Side AERO Socks was compared to the already extensively tested and proven AERO CALF Sleeves as the benchmark. For UCI conformity, the AERO Socks are limited in their maximum height to half the distance between the ankle and knee. Despite this, the AERO Socks delivered between 60% - 80% of the drag reduction of the AERO CALF Sleeves, with drag savings between 3W – 6.5W measured at 45km/h.
Jean-Paul Ballard, Swiss Side co-founder, and CEO comments: “We are positively surprised to see such strong drag reduction with the AERO Socks. As this product is further development from the thoroughly proven and now also world record breaking AERO CALF Sleeves, we know that these AERO Socks will deliver strong performance improvements for road and time-trial cyclists.”
The product
The Swiss Side AERO Socks use a special fabric and orientation to generate the maximum aerodynamic drag reduction. Breathable and high-cooling base fabrics are used, to facilitate optimal ventilation and temperature regulation, enabling athletes to perform at their highest level in all conditions. Wondering why the AERO Socks don't have fancy colors or designs? Again this is indeed a performance-driven decision, as the fabric sublimation process negatively impacts both the aerodynamic performance and breathability of the fabric.
