Padded rectangular area which protects the Achilles Tendon zone, increasing comfort and longevity of the product. This feature has been designed to compensate for the severity of the grip in the tighter rear heel construction of the new generation of stiffer-soled cycling shoes.
The chamois pads of high performance cycling bib shorts of the last 10 years have been characterised by the use of two different technologies: the first is the sewn flexible pad pioneered by Assos and Cytech with invention of the Elastic Interface® in 2000.
The second is the use thermo moulded foam pads. Each have their distinctive advantages: the sewn pad is more flexible and elastic while the thermo moulded pad is able to use a much denser grade of foam and thus offer more support and padding.
In 2013 Q36.5 produced, after an intense period of experimentation and research, the first chamois pad in the world to fuse both technologies into a single design. Multi-layer and multi-density open cell foam, calibrated for different levels and kinds of support (eg. the perineal, ischiatic, genital and gluteal zones) is used throughout the chamois area.
In the front part of the chamois, where flexibility, breathability and softness are most appreciated the foam’s elastic covering fabric is cut and sewn. In the rear part of the chamois, where flexibility is at less of a premium, compared to support and padding, the foam is thermo-moulded in order to achieve a superior density. The perineal area is also taken into specific consideration with two parallel lengthwise foam pads positioned in the appropriate area in function of the rider’s good health (this unique feature will be particularly appreciated by riders with a sensitive prostate area). The pad cover, a proprietary atypical ‘double-heart shape of generous proportions, has been designed to better cup the gluteal and genital areas.
This complex and labour intensive method of construction provides the rider with a feeling of solid and substantial padding across the entire area of the pad, from more upright ‘amateur rider’ and climbing positions to the ‘road riding’ position which places pressure on the perineal area all the way to the extreme angles of a Time Trial position in which the rider is much further forward and benefits from the frontal padding. We consider the Techno Fusion Chamois System to be the most outstanding all-round chamois. Every last minute detail of the design is governed by the exclusive consideration of support and comfort.
The rider will immediately note the distinctively new feeling of substantial support of the chamois.
Powered by Elastic Interface® CyTech Italy
After the intense experimentation which led to the development our FUSION Chamois (used on Salopette L1 Essential) which combines sewn and thermo moulded components into a single chamois, Q36.5 used the fruits of its research to develop a new chamois produced exclusively with thermo moulding techniques.
This new pad, the Super Moulded (SM), has the same dimensions as the FUSION and its foam padding has been calibrated according to the same scheme of variable densities and thicknesses in the perineal, ischiatic, genital and gluteal zones for an extremely sophisticated tuning of rider comfort. The chamois, as with rear part of the FUSION, uses a unique moulding technique to present smooth variations in thickness of padding (unlike the more common striated multi-thickness thermo moulded pads on the market), markedly improving the contact with the rider’s skin.
The SM is, like the FUSION, an extremely high-performing chamois designed for a solid and substantial feel and all-round riding support: from more upright ‘amateur rider’ and climbing positions to the ‘road riding’ position which places pressure on the perineal area all the way to the extreme angles of a Time Trial position.
Powered by Elastic Interface® CyTech Italy
An Ergogenic Pattern garment has been designed in such a way as that all panels and fabrics are tuned to support specific musculature groups during sporting activity. Garments designed with Ergogenic Patterns will be distinguished by their extremely snug but not constrictive feel and increased stability during the pedalling motion, as the fabric, cut and panel alignment support a balanced position and accordingly reduce muscular fatigue on longer or more intense rides.
A second collar found on the internal side of the first collar. This second collar is a soft and elastic fleece cut to easily rest directly against the neck much like the elasticated tape used underneath a cape by barbers. This second internal collar hermetically seals the body from cold air which can often enter from the rear part of the neck during activity, offering superior protection to that provided by the traditional single collar found on other cycling jackets.
The ‘honey-comb’ pattern of the knit is deployed in various different densities, along with open-mesh sections, mapping the thermal requirements and regional sweat rates of an athlete’s body. Not only does this allow for the best rider comfort and protection, it also allows for the volume of the product to be significantly reduced where possible.
Unique pocket patch design which does away with clumsy extra panel of fabric used in all other jerseys, instead integrating the containers into the jersey pattern itself. 3 equally large pockets plus 1 extra zip pocket. This feature accentuates the essentialism and minimalist aesthetic of Q36.5 jersey and jacket designs and offers a minor aerodynamic advantage.
Single thread construction using microfilaments with 200-needle knit which produces an extremely dense but soft peau d’ange fabric. All products which employ this construction technique are characterised by noticeably lower volume fabric and superior longevity.
The lumbar support panel is an x-shaped panel that can be found above the rear part of the chamois on all Q36.5 bib shorts. The panel is made from a proprietary fabric that has the greatest woven density (Modulus Force warp 510, weft 620) of any panel in the bib short, its visible ribbing operates as an architectural intervention providing even greater structure to the fabric’s body. This extreme compressiveness (impossible, for example, with the knitted fabrics used by all other bib short brands) creates a zone of support for the lumbar and gluteus musculature, providing the rider with improved stability, orientation, balance and proprioceptivity in this critical zone in which all the principal muscles used in the pedalling action are connected. The Lumbar Support Panel is the ballast of the entire vectorial elasticity concept, the particularly high modulus force of the strategically placed panel’s fabric renders it able to control the ‘tension’ so visible to the eye, and palpable to the body, of the rest of the Salopette L1 Essential. It is another ‘hidden signature’ of the Q36.5 collection.
Larger rectangular padded area which protects the metatarsal area of the foot, increasing comfort and protection.
A pre-shape fit garment is cut to have the least resistance to the athlete’s body when in the position it assumes while riding. Riders will notice that pre-shaped garments will, when hung unworn from a hanger, naturally fall towards a riding position. This means that while the wearer may feel a minor degree of strain or notice small creases in the garment when standing upright and not on the bike he or she will be most comfortable and aerodynamic and have greatest ease of motion when riding.
A gradual compression system for socks designed with a cone shape for greatest compression at the bottom of the foot. Specifically designed for active compression i.e. to be used during activity rather than during the recovery period.
The Aquazip ® is a water-resistant declination of the legendary Storm ® zip which was developed for and showcased by the Alinghi crew in their America’s Cup victory of 2003. Riri are world specialists of high-tech plastic zips (in addition to their fashion zippers, which are used by clients such as Hèrmes); a technical waterproof or resistant jacket using Riri zips is immediately visually striking not just because of the evident high quality of the components but for the very fact that the zipper’s teeth are visible, unlike products from the competition which always include PU-strips or even storm flaps which protect and cover from sight the teeth. Riri’s plastic moulded teeth, injected directly onto the tape create a highly water-resistant seal without the need for further protection. The result is a cleaner and more minimal jacket design as well as a moderate weight saving.
Q36.5 products which use the Riri Aquazip ®:
Vest L1 Essential – 4mm Aquazip ®
La Termica Jacket – 6mm Aquazip ®
Garments constructed with RSR (Regional Sweat Rate) body mapping will be breathable in differing degrees throughout the garment according to scientific research data collected regarding the various regional sweat rates of the athlete’s body. This more strategic use of breathable panels and varying densities allows for the construction of the lowest volume garment as well as the most stable body temperature during activity.
All seamless machines are not equal. Q36.5 has chosen to construct all its seamless garments on Karl Maier machines whose superior technological capabilities allow for us to minimize and in many cases entirely eliminate the use of seams as well as design garments with sophisticated variable density body mapping Karl Maier machines are, in our minds, the height of the expression of seamless technology.
In 2013, when Q36.5 first introduced the use of next-generation high-density WOVEN FABRICS into the world of high-performance cycling clothing with its Salopette L1 the move was a bold one, breaking with the knitted stretch fabrics which have monopolized bib short construction over the last 40 years. In 2016 Q36.5 has further enhanced the character of this unique choice through the introduction of a silver thread into the weft of the fabric used in two different panels of il dottore: the bottom 20 cm of the legs and the lumbar support panel (which supports the gluteus, the largest human muscle). In this case the pure silver thread’s greatest performance advantage is not given by its anti-bacterial or conductive qualities but by it qualities of protection from electrostatic and magnetic interference (the so-called “electrosmog” pollution of electromagnetic radiation resulting from wireless technology and mains electricity). The protection offered by the silver thread from these waves allow the active muscles to operate with less “distractions”, further refining the ergogenic function of Q36.5’s high density woven fabrics.
The tubular brace system is a proprietary design feature of Q36.5 which removes all seams from contact with the body by using a tubular system of construction in which the seams are stitched together in the internal part of the tube which comprises the brace. This very clean construction, which eliminates the need to use any kind of ribbon trim or hem on the sides of the braces, together with the cut and fabric orientation of the braces enables them to work with you when in a riding position. The rider will be struck by how little he or she can feel the braces during activity, without any loss of support.
The R. Shell Protection is constructed from an essentialist proprietary 3-layer fabric: the outer layer is an extremely compact high-density woven polyamide, while the second layer is an avant-garde Japanese hydrophilic membrane with very high-breathability (RET value of 5) and 18.000 mm/l waterproof rating.
Unhemmed finish means that the way in which the fabric has been woven or knitted allows for it to be cut and modified directly by the user with no need to then be hemmed. Please feel free to cut your Unhemmed Finish garment any way you see fit!
The UF Hybrid Shell takes its name from the fabric’s ability to mimic the performance of a laminated shell fabric without the use of a membrane, using high density weaving techniques (an expertise which Q36.5 has been the first – and as yet only brand – to develop in the cycling clothing sector) to produce a natural windbreaker barrier* with extremely low fabric weight and volume (190 g/m²). This allows for jackets to maintain excellent breathability (extremely important in high intensity physical activity such as cycling) and the stretch needed to preserve the ergogenic and compressive fit that is so characteristic of the entire Q36.5 range.
The introduction of the silver thread to the weft of the fabric (subtly visible, in a light ‘pinstriping’ running vertically through the fabric) from AW2014-15 onwards may be understood as a further fine-tuning of the fabric’s original raison d’être in which the extraordinary natural properties of this material are carefully exploited in a performance-wear context. In cold weather the Hybrid Shell fabric benefits from silver’s extremely high rate (95%) of infrared reflection. This means that 95% of the heat emitted by the body is reflected back by the silver onto its source. Furthermore the low emissivity of silver means that the heat not reflected back on the body by the material is stored in the silver thread of the fabric for a much greater than average period of time. This quality is of particularly great benefit during periods of lower exertion (descents, short breaks etc.). When activity becomes intense and the body emits an excess of heat and moisture which must be dealt with through conduction, evaporation and convection, the fabric instead benefits from silver’s high thermal conductivity (the greatest of any element present on earth). Thermal conductivity refers to silver’s ability to distribute heat quickly and evenly across its surface (like the silver spoon in a cup of hot tea), accelerating conduction of the body’s heat to the surface from which it can evaporate. Evaporation itself is then accelerated by silver’s high level of conduction in a humid environment. The anti-static dissipative effects of silver also improve micro-circulation and its anti-bacterial qualities ensure better hygiene and less perspiration odours.
The UF Hybrid Shell fabric has also been treated before being woven (that is to say its threads are treated) for water resistance. Treating the fabric’s threads before they are woven allows for the final fabric to maintain its ‘natural’ structure (most importantly its breathability) in a way in which is not possible with the vast majority of WR treatments which are applied to the finished fabric, often in the form of some kind of resin or coating, modifying its qualities.
*UF Hybrid Shell has a 40 l per cm rate of air passage compared with the 20 l per cm of laminated Windstop shell fabrics. These figures should be compared to the 800 l per cm rate of air passage of the knitted fleece materials predominantly used by the cycling industry for thermal riding jackets.
Unique Fabric L1 is an extremely lightweight (110g per metre) woven microfibre fabric developed for use in summer cycling jerseys. It is characterised by exceptional drying times, textured, almost ‘rough’ surface (which increases the surface area of the fabric and thus its ability to wick away moisture away from the surface of the body) and a softer hand relative to the paper-thin fabrics used in other high-end lightweight jerseys. The elastane content of the fabric is given by, unlike traditional polyester-elastane mix fabrics which simply mix the two threads in the desired proportion, an elastane filament which is then wrapped in polyestermide staples, protecting it entirely from any surface contact and thus guaranteeing exceptional longevity of the fabric’s elasticity. UV +50SBF protection.
Unique Fabric ThermalShell is Q36.5 proprietary low-volume laminated shell fabric specifically developed for the intensity of high performance cycling in cold and extreme cold weather.
The external layer of the shell is an extremely dense and lightweight polyamide-lycra fabric with a water-resistance treatment. The fabric is highly elastic, with 4-way stretch for best ease of movement, constructed for durability and toughness.
The inner layer is made from the finest Italian polyester fleece.
MOST IMPORTANLY the middle layer of this laminated fabric is a Japanese-made hydrophilic 18micron non-porous PU membrane. Q36.5 favours the use of hydrophilic over hydrophobic membranes (such as Goretex™), believing that they best allow for the body to transpire and remain dry at a healthy temperature during intense athletic activity*
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The hydrophilic membrane offers the most suitable combination between thermal insulation, vapour permeability and waterproofness for high intensity cycling in cold and extreme cold weather. The polymer molecules of the membrane have a predetermined activation point at which they ‘open’ and increase permeability (allowing the body to transpire more efficiently at high temperatures) and ‘close’ at lower temperatures allowing for an increase in the insulation properties when the body temperature is lower.
*A hydrophobic shell, as the name implies, is constructed in such a way as to want to avoid that the body even begin to transpire. It is thus designed to allow vapour, which has significantly smaller cell size than water, to pass through its layers. Perspiration at the level of liquid, on the other hand, will not pass through the membrane: membranes of this kind can thus be considered ideal for sports in which the athlete may not, for any variety of reasons, produce high rates of transpiration or wear a skin tight garment which can wick moisture directly from the body or baselayer (mountain sports are a good example of sports in which the hydrophobic membrane is ideal). A hydrophilic shell on the other hand, as its name implies, ‘loves’ water, it attracts moisture and absorbs it extremely rapidly, though it may not be as waterproof in certain conditions. Q36.5 believes that a hydrophilic membrane, when used in a tight-fitting garment during intense sporting activity, most effectively keeps the body dry and its temperature stable.
UniqueFabric Ergogenic, an incredibly dense and low volume right-angle woven Italian polyamide 6.6, takes its name from its supportive characteristics. The fabrics is characterised by its exceptional modulus force, stretch and return, (qualities which can immediately be discerned by simply taking the fabric in one’s hand, compressing it: note the ‘crunchiness’ of the fabric, in both sound and feel). Modulus force refers to the “compressive” properties of the fabric, the force with which it compresses, in this case, the athlete’s limbs. The user will note this characteristic in the exceptional snugness of garments made from UF Ergogenic, which have a maximum modulus force of 620 (weft) and 510 (warp). This compressiveness, in conjunction with pattern and variable densities of fabric, allows for a garment to offer considerable support and stability to muscle groups used during exercise. The stretch of the fabric (the percentage of which the fabric’s size can increase relative to its size ‘at rest’) in conjunction with the modulus force, when astutely aligned in the pattern of a garment, creates a VECTORIAL ELASTICITY (please see related entry below) tuned in function of the specific movement of the athlete’s limbs. Return refers to the fabric’s percentage of recovery after maximum stretch. Unlike traditional polyamide-elastane mix fabrics which simply mix the two threads in the desire proportion, the UF Ergogenic thread is composed of an elastane filament which is then wrapped in polyamide staples, protecting it entirely from any surface contact and thus guaranteeing exceptional longevity of the elastic return of the thread. The longevity of the Salopette L1 Essential (which employs the UF Ergogenic in 4 different densities) is, for example, roughly 10x superior to that of high end bib shorts from other brands made from knitted fabrics.
The exceptional density of the construction (130 threads/cm2 for the highest density panels of our garments) also almost entirely eliminates the possibility of any pilling over time.
The UF Ergogenic fabric has been treated before being woven (that is to say its threads are treated) for water resistance. Treating the fabric threads before they are woven allows for them to maintain their ‘natural’ structure (most importantly their breathability’) in a way which is not possible with most waterproofing treatments which occur on the finished fabric and often include some kind of resin or coating which modifies the qualities of the weave or knit.
An extension of the Ergogenic pattern concept Vectorial Elasticity particularly refers to the intelligent alignment of panels so that the ergogenic qualities of the fabric (modulus force, elastic return and stretch) are orientated in function of the direction of the pedalling action, a strategic design feature which can be perceived by sensitive riders during the pedalling action while wearing the Salopette L1 Essential: In the design of the Salopette L1 Essential the elasticity of the panel of fabric used for the thigh area along the vector of the weft englobes the muscles conferring a: stabilization of fibres which may be disturbed by bumps and other irregularities in the road surface; superior circulation thanks to the pump effect of the pressure applied to musculature; improvement in proprioception thanks to the uniform sensation of ‘second skin’ given by the material (in terms of the pedalling action this proprioception could correspond to a better circular motion during the pedalling action or greater ease in maintain a high cadence). The elasticity of the fabric along the warp’s vector is instead orientated to operate with least resistance on the downward motion of the foot and with greatest return during the upward motion of the foot, thus reducing fatigue and guiding an economical pedalling action.
The material has also undergone a treatment before being woven (as opposed to a ‘finish’ employed on the fabric, choice which allow the threads to maintain their natural characteristics) for water resistance and fast drying times.
The Zero-crease fit, achieved by the highly elastic and low-volume construction of the sock, guarantees a snug creaseless fit which can adapt to the different volumes of the foot in different climate conditions, particularly in summer when high temperatures can cause the foot to swell considerably. The elimination of creases from this contact point greatly increases comfort as well as minimizing the possibility of developing blisters and sores.