If you've already read any of our write-ups on X-Bionic, you'll be keenly aware that we love the kit for its proven technical capabilities, versatility and comfort. It is, quite simply, brilliant; and while the styling may not be to everyone's taste it exists as a function of the complexity of its design: if you don't use it simply because you don't like the way it looks, then you are limiting your performance!
With years of technical fabric development that began with ski and motorbike socks, and with countless design awards and hundreds of patents across many sports; X-Bionic are at the forefront of technical cycling apparel. You may or may not have heard of them, though if you have it is probably through their famous X-Socks.
The Swiss company were founded by German scientist, Dr Lambertz and are focused on producing apparel that gives a real and quantifiable performance advantage. This is evident from the moment you pick up a product. For starters the box of each item has more technical information on it than most websites and once liberated from the packaging the distinctive feel and look of each piece screams R&D, from the humble sock through to jackets designed in conjunction with Lamborghini.
Much of X-Bionic's focus is to do with minimising the body's wasted energy and this is most evident in products such as The Trick and TWYCE jersey and bib shorts. The focus of these products - in contrast to almost every other analagous offering on the market - is not so much on the immediate removal of sweat from the body and jersey (high wicking often being touted as the be-all and end-all) but to the use of that sweat in the natural thermoregulation of our body. In other words, the best way to mimic the body's own cooling and temperature stabilisation methods in a way that leads to a quantifiable performance advantage.
During exercise, as much as 97% of our energy expenditure is directly involved in Thermo-regulation (the regulation and maintenance of our biologically optimal operating temperature of 36.5oC) and as such, any help we can give ourselves in avoiding excess heat loss or gain will quite obviously lead to big advantages when it comes to exercise: even a 1% energy saving will increase our potential by 25%.
It is to this end that X-Bionic have gone about developing complex, knitted fabrics that assist the body in rapidly reaching and maintaining the optimal temperature and they combine this with differing levels of compression to help stabilise muscles to avoid oscilations that lead to early fatigue and increased recovery times.
X-Bionic is different, of that there is no doubt. Aesthetically it is quite striking and this is mainly due to it's unique knitted construction. X-Bionic clothing is knitted from Polyamide rather than the Polyester used - to all intents and purposes - by everyone else. It is woven on impressive machines in tube form - your jersey or shorts start life as individual fibres that are spun in a specific schedule to create a tube within which are the 3-dimensional structures that lend the garments their technical properties. The sleeves of the jerseys and the legs of the shorts are made in the same way and are then sewn into the bodies of their respective 'tubes'. This results in clothing that has minimal seams and that is consequently more comfortable than anything else. In addition, the polyamide material is more like a brushed-cotton in texture and feels nothing like traditional 'Lycra'.
The key part of the construction process is the creation of the aforementioned 3D Structures, for it is these that give the jerseys and shorts their functionality.
Like the Trick jersey that has been warmly received by all that use it, the TWYCE has a very similar construction. Special insulating structures on the spine trick the body's heat receptors and start to cool the body through perspiration much earlier. Your brain generally decides when your body switches to cooling mode based on signals from the nervous system. The TWYCE simulates warming of the whole body through the spinal column and the body's sensors signal this warmth to the brain, starting sweat production much earlier - long before overheating starts to affect your performance by causing your body to expend energy through cooling.
Unlike the Trick, of which the TWYCE is a natural evolution; the 3D Bionic Sphere structure on the chest and back that is designed to counteract this induced warming and result in a constant, optimal body temperature, has been modified to yield 200% greater surface area for the task. This provides 200% more cooling of the athlete’s body for the greatest possible boost to performance. The patented 3D Bionic Sphere® System is bigger and offers more performance than ever before and is augmented by a complex system of technologies to regulate temperature and optimally transport moisture.
The TWYCE has been designed to optimise and increase the effects of the structures already employed - to great effect - in the company's existing clothing. Many of the comments we receive regarding the clothing focus on the relatively heavy feel of the garments and although it in no way detracts from their performance, the introduction of the TWYCE will be a welcome addition to those riders that tend to generate excessive heat and sweat or for those that ride in hotter, more humid environments. The thinner construction and 200% greater surface area - represented in the hexagonal form of the 3D Bionic Sphere on the chest of the TWYCE jersey - is augmented by the TWYCE Cool Zone; an area of Hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibres that collect excess sweat from the 3D Bionic Sphere System and allow it to evaporate over a broader area to provide extra cooling.
The TWYCE doesn't just cool the body however, but maintains the optimal operating temperature key to maximising performance. The body produces varying amounts of heat over different areas and this is particularly extreme on the chest and back because of the need to protect internal organs. The improved 3D Bionic Sphere System leaves a thin film of moisture on the skin without the body sensing wetness. SweatTraps under the arms draw in excess perspiration, wick them out for evaporation and dispose of them through thermodynamics. What remains is a comfortable, thin, cooling layer of moisture. However, in cooler situations where you may not be sweating, the entire system of channels functions as insulation during both rest and recovery phases. This means you avoid the risk of over-chilling during and after your activity; headwinds don't drive through the material as they would normal lycra therefore protecting your muscles from a chill that would otherwise require additional energy to counter. The Twyce takes this further with 144cm2 more insulation. At the solar plexus, directly under the 12th thoracic vertebrae, important nerve fibres receive signals that influence one’s entire well-being. The Energy Accumulator® EVO protects this sensitive area with special channels. Warm air enclosed there insulates optimally in the cold. The system’s structure processes excess sweat from physical activity and ensures appropriate cooling of the core.
Like the Trick range, the features of the TWYCE are particularly relevant when the temperature can vary considerably over the course of a ride (elevation gain for example) : you will find that the use of the Twyce clothing often eliminates the need for a Gilet and if things really are cold, you may find that you only need to add an X-Bionic base-layer to your wardrobe to dramatically expand the operating temperature range of the jersey - in normal circumstances the Twyce jersey is worn directly against the skin without the use of a base-layer. The only difference between the ranges will be the lower and upper limits of the optimal operating temperatures; the Twyce will likely require a base layer about 3-5oC before the Trick but will keep you cooler above 25-30oC
In addition to the direct thermoregulatory properties of the Twyce clothing, X-Bionic also employ Partial-Compression to offer the benefits of compression but without neglecting the need for cooling. Compression clothing has been around for some time and has definite advantages for performance and recovery. However, it is usual to experience mild overheating as the blood coming to the skin is quickly returned to the heart, reducing the amount of time heat has to dissipate at the skins surface. Heavily compressed muscles suffer greater temperature irregularities which leads to a greater energy expenditure from the body - the antithesis of X-bionic's guiding design principle. Partial compression allows for optimal support, blood-flow and nutrient delivery without having an effect on the thermal output of the body, thus helping to maintain optimal performance.
The TWYCE short sleeve cycling jersey has had some tweaks to optimise its fit on the bike: a revised neck and sleeve design are combined with a reshaped waistband for more anatomic and comfortable fit while in the riding position. The rear pockets are more easily accessible and feature elasticated tops - to stop spillage on rougher terrain - and a stabiliser to help maintain their position and shape. The Twyce goes a little further on safety too, employing more reflective materials and detailing than the Trick.
The Twyce jersey is available in 4 colours : the traditional Black or White and the slightly funkier Green or Blue. Though you may still be in two minds about the look of the kit remember this: function over form first and as long as the outfit matches, it'll look good - this is true of any cycling clothing but is, sadly, observed less than it should be!