The Le Col x McLaren Project Aero Collection brings wind tunnel testing to your riding reality
McLaren and Le Col collaborate on all-new clothing range(Image credit: Le Col)
Le Col has launched an all-new range of clothing in conjunction with McLaren, describing it as its fastest to date.
In collaboration with some of the world’s best aerodynamicists, the new range will be known as the Le Col x McLaren Project Aero Collection.
Given wind tunnel testing is inherently expensive and complex, Le Col formed a partnership with the Formula One racing constructor and road-car company, home to some of the world’s leading aerodynamicists.
McLaren has a deep understanding of how boundary layers influence aerodynamics and assisted Le Col’s product planners with applying this knowledge to the new range. The result is a collection of four new garments that Le Col boasts will take you "faster and further, for free".
The most notable product within the McLaren Project Aero Collection is a Speedsuit. Constructed with Elite Italian fabrics, this Speedsuit has dimples on its surface area to reduce drag and different material densities over the arm section, to manage leading-edge airflow around body contours.
No specific claims are made regarding the potential time savings or drag reduction offered by the speedsuit. Instead, Le Col simply claims it tests "faster than many WorldTour skinsuits in a wind tunnel environment".
For those Le Col riders who don’t want to be in a speedsuit all of the time, some of the design principles have also been applied to the McLaren Project Aero Collection short sleeve jersey. Le Col claims it to be the brand’s most aerodynamically efficient jersey yet.
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If you need an aero jersey for riding in slightly cooler conditions, there is a long sleeve version, too. It features air tripping lycra in the front and sleeve panels to manage airflow more efficiently.
A new collection from Le Col would not be complete without some matching socks. The fourth part of the Le Col x McLaren Project Aero kit are aero socks with silicone grippers to ensure they remain in place.
Pricing for the new x McLaren Project Aero starts at £35 for the socks, £170 for a short sleeve jersey and £195 for the long sleeve version. The short sleeve Speedsuit retails for £350, with the long sleeve option rounding off Le Col’s x McLaren Project Aero offering at £375.
Lance Branquinho is a Namibian born media professional, with 15-years of experience in technology and engineering journalism covering anything with wheels. Being from Namibia, he knows a good gravel road when he sees one, and he has raced some of Africa’s best-known mountain bike stage races, such as Wines2Wales and Berg&Bush.
