TeXtreme carbon fibre is being used within the new Giro Prolight Techlace cycling shoe, produced by Giro Sport Design as ‘an industry leading road bike shoe with a weight under 150g’. The Giro Prolight Techlace made its official debut at the 2017 Tour de France.
“By using TeXtreme in the carbon fibre outsole, we were able to achieve substantial weight savings of 22% while still maintaining the required stiffness,” said Simon Fisher, Giro Footwear Product Manager. “We partnered with the engineers at TeXtreme and leaned on their composites expertise to select the proper solution and implement it by providing in-factory support through both the prototyping and production process.”
TeXtreme Technology is said to differ from conventional carbon fiber materials due to its innovative production methods using spread tows instead of yarns to produce a fabric with an optimized fibre structure.
In addition to the use of TeXtreme in the bicycling industry, this innovative technology is widely used in Formula 1, NASCAR and America’s Cup racing, as well as in the manufacture of golf clubs, tennis racquets, hockey sticks, surfboards, rowing shells, skis and snowboards. TeXtreme notes that it is also in high demand for various industrial and advanced aerospace applications.
Founded in Santa Cruz, California, in 1985, Giro Sport Design maintains a strong focus on creating products that enhance the feeling of freedom and independence that are at the core of a rider’s experience. As a leader in the design, fit and engineering of products that complement the body, Giro is the first choice of many riders worldwide.
TeXtreme Spread Tow reinforcements are billed as the ultimate choice for making ultra-light composites. TeXtreme Technology is flexible and tow-size independent, which ‘enables development of optimized reinforcement solutions tailor-made for specific application needs’. Utilization of TeXtreme Spread Tow carbon fabrics and carbon UD tapes by manufacturers of advanced aerospace, industrial and sports products can result in 20-30% lighter composite parts. These can be produced with ‘improved mechanical properties and superior surface smoothness’.
TeXtreme is a registered trademark owned by Oxeon AB. Founded in 2003, Oxeon has established itself as a market leader in spread tow reinforcements with its products marketed under the TeXtreme brand name.
