Cycling’s Silicon Valley lives in the sport’s spiritual homeland

With cooperative innovations, Lotto Soudal’s title sponsors are trying to build cycling's Silicon Valley

Canadian Cycling Magazine May 9, 2016

by Mark Cohen

With the eyes of the cycling world on the Giro d’Italia, Canadian Cycling Magazine continues to examine some of the innovation on display in the pro peloton, testing bikes, kit, group sets and more to share opinions on the gear that will soon be common in most local bike shops.

In Belgium, the title sponsors behind Lotto Soudal are similarly focused on innovation, co-locating within hours of one another to outfit Tim Wellens, Andrei Greipel, Lars Bak and the team’s other Giro riders with bikes, nutrition and kit to compete at the first of the season’s three Grand Tours.

During the Spring Classics, CCM sat down with journalists from around the world to hear from Lotto’s presenting sponsors to understand their approaching to innovation – one that’s more commonly used by Silicon Valley start-ups who co-locate to accelerate insight and hopefully, growth. During the day, we hear again and again it’s an approach that’s working.

“Lotto wanted us on board as their trainer partner and we took the opportunity to get involved because we saw what was happening here,” explains Philipp Schacht, managing director of Revbox, who walked us through the company’s trainer concept at Ridley’s manufacturing facility. Their machine differs significantly from most other indoor trainers on the market. Think Concept 2 rowing machine, only fan-based.

Schacht, along with others who discuss their product and support of Lotto, say feedback from the team and training staff continues to impact product paths. All of the companies who’ve gotten involved hope the inertia happening between Lotto’s sponsors and the area Bike Valley project helps give their brands broader exposure to cycling’s critical European market, but also a faster path to product innovation.

A Bioracer company spokesperson explains the company’s fabric elasticity machine testing.

Flanders Bike Valley sits at the epicentre of the effort which was started by Lazer Helmets, Ridley, Bioracer, a coaching company and a low carbon vehicle start-up. The co-project to date is a wind tunnel which sits adjacent to Ridley’s offices. The proximity to mechanics and riders, yes, that will help, says Ridley’s chief executive, but the scientists and academia that are also involved with Bike Valley could be a real competitive advantage.

“You’re going to see complete development, from helm to shoe, from tire to frame, coming out of this project,” explains Ridley’s CEO, Jochim Aerts who founded the company in 1997. He says what’s happening amongst the team sponsors and project partners is a key component for continued industry investment and development. “The next generation of aero frames, more electronic integration – this is just the beginning.”

Belgium would seem like the perfect backdrop for a tech-like cycling evolution. Belgium takes cycling as seriously as Canadians take hockey; a place many call the spiritual home of cycling. While the benefits of collaboration may not be immediately obvious, in product or rider results, it’s hard to imagine they aren’t imminent. Specialized gained huge notoriety after it built a cycling-specific wind tunnel. Their frames are commonly associated with research and development and their tunnel acts as the ultimate proof point.

Perceived or real, something aside from classics racing is happening here. Time will tell if the insights coming out of Bike Valley prove to materially impact cycling’s future.

Italy’s Gaerne shoes was one of several Lotto sponsors to discuss their team partnership and product development. Their shoes, save for one part, are 100 per cent Italian made.

Mark Cohen has held strong opinions about style and sport since the start of his writing career. This has only worsened over time. He is a contributing writer to various sites currently living in the UK. Connect with him on Instagram or Twitter.