Triathlon technology continues apace with a whole swathe of products claiming to have you training smarter and racing faster.
Some of those claims will be supported by science and athlete input; some will be more spurious and based more on marketing than the empirical.
But how do you know when something has the potential to take your performance to the next level rather than falling into a moneypit?
There’s no hard-and-fast rule but our major one is the hyperbolic study that suggests using this wonder product saves you X% or more in energy or time. You look for the study and either can’t find it or it’s clearly lacking independence.
Apply introspection, too, when researching for your purchase. If you’re the sort of athlete whose power meter’s gathering dust in the garage, do you really need that training tool whose feature list stretches to three figures?
With all that in mind, we’ve rounded up the technology and products that we feel will stick. Some launched at the end of last year; some are set to roll out this year; some have been around for a few years but, in our opinion, we predict will take off in 2023...
The top triathlon tech for 2023
Wahoo Kickr Bike
- £3,499.99
If you’re serious about your e-training and e-racing, Wahoo’s recently launched next-gen Kickr Bike could be for you – albeit with a price tag that’s kissing three-and-a-half grand.
The most significant upgrade is the addition of WiFi connectivity, Wahoo claiming that this “helps solve most drop-out issues and delivers your onscreen stats over 65% faster than before”. This, says Wahoo, makes them the only smart trainer to support WiFi.
Integrated tilt for gradient changes, real-life ride feel and plenty more should keep you progressing at home.
Cadex Tri
- £6,499
If it’s good enough for Kristian… Yes, this is the bike that Mr Blummenfelt powered to victory upon in May’s Ironman World Champs.
And now you can own the production model for the princely sum of £6,499. Well, the frameset. You’ll have to pay extra to accompany it with minor extras like wheels and groupset!
Looking at the bike from the front, the most striking design element is the fork, which allows air to flow cleanly through and around the long, bladed legs, directing airflow past the rider’s legs toward the streamlined rear end of the bike.
Another key sell is adjustability with Cadex suggesting the bars and seat afford over 1,000 different fit configurations.
The huge downtube, which compensates for a lack of top tube, features a removable bento box for food and drink storage, while practicality comes in the form of a ‘free’ Topeak case to carry the frameset.
Stryd Foot Pod
- £219
Training by power is slowly becoming more popular, so one of the leading proponents, Stryd, hold out great hopes that their latest foot pod will make even greater inroads into the triathlon and running markets.
It’s reportedly five times more responsive than previous incarnations, meaning sharper data.
Sprint accuracy’s also improved, while a new feature entitled ‘Impact Loading Rate’ tracks your lower-body stress to help you dial in your recovery.
An alu mount fixes the pod to your shoe.
Core Sensor
- £227
Okay, the Core Sensor’s been around for a while now (see our review of the Core Sensor here) but 2022 was the year that it gained a foothold in the elite ranks, meaning its presence within the age-group pack will surely grow.
The sensor clamps to your chest via a heart-rate strap or bra strap and works by measuring core temperature via thermal energy transfer. The results are sent to your smartphone or top-end training tool.
With that data, you can discover physiological metrics such as acclimatisation to the heat. Clothing choice, hydration and pacing strategies could be influenced by knowing how hot your inner furnace is.
Still, being a relatively new concept, you’ll have to immerse yourself in all things ‘core’ to maximise its use. The Core website is a good place to start with many useful features.
Race Ranger
- £TBC
Drafting’s a slipstreaming irritant that happens at all Ironman events. Which could be a thing of the past if a team from New Zealand get their way.
Race Ranger is a system comprising two sensors affixed to the bike – one on the front forks, the other on the seatpost.
As the following cyclist approaches the draft zone, a light on the rear sensor ahead flashes red.
Once they enter the draft zone, it turns blue, then every 5secs flashes red again so the passing rider knows how many of the 25secs they have to pass legally have elapsed.
While the triathlete knows when they’re in the zone, so too do the officials, because the race number and any time spent infringing is fed back to a screen the officials view.
It’ll be delivered to race organisers much the same way timing chips are, and there have already been trials of Race Ranger in a competitive setting this year.
V02 Master Analyser
- £5,250 VAT (with calibration kit)
The VO2 Master is another must-use for the Norwegians. It’s marketed as the world’s first portable VO2 monitor and is designed to measure your resting metabolic state, sub-maximal state or all-out VO2 max testing.
That’s why you’re given numerous physiological parameters that are next-level analysis. These include respiratory frequency, tidal volume, ventilation rate, ventilation as a percentage of VO2 and fraction of expired oxygen.
The VO2 Master is a useful piece of kit, especially in the hands of an expert like Dr Garry Palmer, who’s distributing the product in the UK.
That said, with the product costing £6,300, it’s more for coaches to offer another service to their triathletes.
Castelli PR 2 Speed Suit
- £350
Castelli’s PR2 tri-suit hit the shelves this spring after consumers enjoyed a pre-launch glimpse at arguably the world’s largest bike show, Eurobike.
Cam Wurf wore the original suit en route to the then Ironman bike record at Kona in 2018. The update’s taken inspiration from the company’s cycling-specific BTW (Balls to the Wall) range with speed strips on the arms for reduced drag.
Down below sees the greatest advancement with an extremely lightweight fabric – 40% lighter and less material than edition one – reportedly saving six watts at yaw angles of 10-20%.
Body Rocket
- £TBC
On-the-bike aerodynamic feedback’s long been mooted as the drag-reducing equivalent of the power meter. Will 2023 be the year that it hits the mainstream? Body Rocket is certainly hoping so.
The UK-based start-up claims its product is within 2.5% of wind-tunnel accuracy. The device fits onto your bike via sensors on your seatpost, stem and pedals.
Real-time drag-force data’s then beamed wirelessly to your Garmin bike computer (they’re looking for further collaborations as time goes by) so you can assess your CdA. This is the co-efficient of drag of your frontal profile. Experiment with different positions and gear to see if your CdA rises or falls.
The company recently raised half-a-million on CrowdCube and is looking to launch next year.
Ekoi Veloce
- £TBC
Patrick Lange and Anne Haug will look to cut drag and boost speed in 2023 with their head cradled in Ekoi’s new Veloce aero helmet.
There are some seriously impressive-looking – and, more importantly, useful – features including a small screw in the rear exhaust vent that you can wind in or out to change the tilt of the helmet.
The idea is that you can adjust the lid to smoothly, and in bespoke fashion, cut turbulence where the helmet meets your back.
There’s also a visor that you can add or remove via four magnetic ports. You can do similar with a ventilation port at the front of the helmet depending on how hot or cold the race is.
