Following the success of Team LottoNL-Jumbo in the Tour de France stage one time trial it looks like some of the Team Wiggins riders are considering using the Nopinz SpeedPocket
Nopinz's Facebook page cryptically posted a picture of a Team Wiggins skinsuit calling it "suit of the month so far". Rapha (Team Wiggins's kit supplier) have confirmed that replica Team Wiggins skin suits are not commercially available. Therefore, it appears that at least one of the Team Wiggins riders is looking to save watts, and time, when time trialling.
If you take part in time trials it is likely you will have heard of Nopinz. In addition to becoming popular in the domestic time trial scene, Nopinz has recently been making waves in the World Tour.
Wilco Kelderman rider using a Nopinz SpeedPocket in the Tour de France stage one individual time trial
The Nopinz SpeedPocket was first spotted in the World Tour at the Criterium du Dauphine where it was being used by LottoNL-Jumbo riders. LottoNL-Jumbo were so impressed by the results that they commissioned ten skinsuits to have the SpeedPocket fitted in time for stage one of the Tour de France.
>>> Team LottoNL-Jumbo find time trial marginal gains
The Nopinz SpeedPocket is designed to do away with the need to use pins to attach your race number to your skinsuit and at the same time keep the number as flush (and aerodynamic) as possible. In theory this has two benefits, first for the average cyclist there is the added longevity of your skinsuit as it won’t be ruined by a season of attaching and removing pins; secondly, for those looking to save watts and time a SpeedPocket is claimed to save you at least 3.5 watts compared to a normal pinned on number and as much as 10 watts if the number is pinned on poorly or a pin comes loose (as it did for Alberto Contador in the stage nine team trial of this year’s Tour de France).
Bob Jungels with a poorly pinned on number (Photo: Watson)
(Image credit: Watson)
We carried out some testing to find out how much faster a Nopinz SpeedPocket is compared to a normal pinned on number.
Since Bradley Wiggins is the current road time trial World Champion, unless this is his track suit (without any relevant previous track world titles acknowledged on the sleeves), he would need to have a SpeedPocket integrated into his rainbow band decorated skin suit. So, the real question is which of the Team Wiggins riders is considering using NoPinz?
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