Bicycle Shorts Get New Formula

The sports sector is growing rapidly in Germany, with more people than ever cycling on the streets. Whether powered by electricity or not, moving around on two wheels is popular. In the 2020 Fahrrad-Monitor survey, 85% of participants cited fitness as their reason for cycling, while more than two-thirds emphasize the importance of nature conservation.

  At the same time, there is growing demand for high-quality equipment that will have a positive impact on the cycling experience. Cycling shorts top the list. The garment must be stylish, made from functional material, and most importantly, intelligently padded. Whether for long tours or races, Munich-based SQlab chose Supersoft TPE for its new shorts padding to prevent cycling tours from becoming an ordeal. The result is exceptionally high-quality, ergonomic and durable cycling shorts. This way you can focus solely on enjoying the ride. SQlab's top priorities in product development are ergonomics and health while cycling. These are the objectives that continuously drive the company's research and development efforts to the highest level. The team was looking for a very soft thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) to take quality to the next level. The focus was also on shear forces, the main factor in cycling comfort. A high-quality TPE distributes forces homogeneously and thus reduces the pressure that builds up during demanding or long cycling tours. Other criteria include very good processing properties throughout the product's service life, skin tolerance, and superior quality. While these requirements could be met individually using established TPEs, the challenge was finding a single solution for all factors.   [caption id="attachment_126720" align="aligncenter"] Finding the right combination, as in cycling shorts produced by SQlab, takes you further. Premium fabric, extremely dense foam plastic and TPE gel pads make the difference. (Image: © 2021 SQlab)[/caption]   KRAIBURG TPE's new generation Supersoft TPE covers a hardness range of 30 to 50 Shore 00 or 45 to 70 VLRH (Very Low Rubber Hardness) and provides good mechanical properties at room temperature and excellent compression set.

Unlike other solutions with comparable values, this solution stands out because wearing comfort remains excellent even under extreme stress. Additionally, the materials can be processed using both injection molding and 3D printing. The materials have also been tested according to ISO 10993-10 (skin irritation), have received further approvals, and comply with additional standards:

• EN 71
• Color customizable
• REACH and RoHS compliant

  Lukas Bucht from the Research Test and Technology department at SQlab said: "The collaboration with KRAIBURG TPE contributed to the project's success. We received excellent support and advice from planning through testing and fine-tuning the final product. However, the result is certainly visually appealing and wearable. In the padding of our ONE10 and ONE11 SQ shorts, we use reliable TPE that we believe in and that our customers will be able to enjoy for a long time." KRAIBURG TPE offers various Supersoft TPEs in series to provide optimal solutions for different needs. The series is now available worldwide.