A new technical textile product set to revolutionise the cycling clothing industry has been developed at the University of Bolton in partnership with a local sportswear company.
Professor Subhash Anand, MBE, Professor of Technical Textiles at the University’s Institute for Materials Research and Innovation, has joined forces with MD and founder of VO2 Sportswear Matt Tomkin to create a new chamois padding for cycling and triathlon.
Their product, called Airide, has been designed to address a host of health issues associated with cycling shorts, which traditionally use polyurethane foam to create chamois pad areas where the body is in contact with the saddle. Professor Anand says health issues associated with traditional cycling shorts pads include the fact that polyurethane foam cannot be washed at high temperatures, so harbours bacteria, it is not a breathable fabric and has no moisture-wicking properties and after short periods of time a foam pad loses thickness and becomes denser and hence uncomfortable.
Research carried out by BBC has shown cycling for more than three hours a week can cause erectile dysfunction due to excessive pressure against the perineal area, impacting on blood flow. In addition to its health and hygiene issues, polyurethane foam cannot be recycled.
The Bolton technical textile product, consisting of a series of three-dimensional (3D) knitted spacer structures, has been developed to overcome the limitations of polyurethane foam, and one face of the product is finished with an antimicrobial and a wicking agent. In contrast to the traditional foam pads, the Bolton solution distributes pressure over a much larger area, giving more support than polyurethane foam and reduces peak pressure in the perineal area for the cyclist.
It is breathable, providing a well-ventilated, comfortable surface, and can be laundered in a washing machine and can be easily recycled, because it is manufactured from one type of fibre only.
Said Professor Anand: ‘We believe there is a huge market for our product – cycling and triathlon are popular sports with massive numbers of amateur as well as professional participants.
‘The product we have created is not a million miles away from my cushion for wheelchair users – in fact it is that research product that brought Matt and I together.’
Matt and Subhash met at a business networking event. ‘I had experience of cycling, practising long distances for a charity event and I really didn’t like it; I just couldn’t get comfortable on the saddle,’ explained Matt. ‘When I met Subhash and heard about his cushion, I could see how we could create a product together for my industry.’
Airide is shortlisted for an innovation award due to be announced at Venturefest on 22 September 2015. Already down to the last four, Matt is hoping success there will power the kickstarter funding project he is putting together to fund initial stock in the product.
