CyclistIn the Drops:PocAmidal helmet, 100% Korbin sunglasses,PrologoChoice saddle and Roval Terra CLX Aero wheelsThe mens Tour de France might now be done and dusted (though many would argue it was sewn up long before 26th July, eh Tadej) but Tour fever endures thanks to the ongoing Tour de France Femmes, which is far more open than the mens race.As such, we heard from its main protagonists, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, Demi Vollering, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney and Paula Blasi before the race. Weve kept the tech side of things ticking over despite the post-Tour lull in new gear releases with an update to our titanium bikes guide and fresh look at the UCIs weight limit rules.A truly enlightening article about carbon bike repair that was first published in issue 177 of Cyclist magazine was also uploaded and is worth checking out.Finally, as ever, we round-out the week with a look at the latest gear to arrive with us in a new edition of In the Drops. Poc Amidal helmetSam ChallisPoc now has one of the most expansive helmet collections on the market, due to the brands penchant for creating designs to fulfil particular niches: aerodynamic efficiency, light weight, high ventilation, and so on. The Amidal marks a slight departure, being a more generalist design that Poc says suits a wide range of riding conditions.It can be used for racing, but works just as well for long social rides and on the commute as well, says Magnus Gustafsson, Pocs hard goods director. Thats where the light comes in.Sam ChallisPoc has partnered with light brand Knog to produce a strap-on light that is designed to nestle neatly in between the Amidals exhaust arrangement, though customers will need to buy the light separately at a cost of 40.Thanks to the horizontal bar running across the back of the Amidal, we made a clean and secure mounting point for the light, says Gustafsson. The light itself was developed specifically for use on a helmet. It was optimised for size, weight, and beam quality. Safety is paramount for Poc in our helmets, so we wanted a way to augment that protection. Increasing visibility is one of the best ways to do that.The distinctive exhausts either side of the light support this aim as well. They are made from a hard plastic to provide extra reinforcement at a common point of impact. Gustafsson says that because they are also made from different materials, on some colour options Poc products the Amidal in they work as a contrast area, which also helps with visibility.To find out more about Pocs Amidal helmet, visit poc.com100% Korbin sunglassesSam Challis100%s new Korbin models are the brands second cycling glasses to adopt a 3DPlane Molded Lens, and do so to a greater degree than the Aerocrafts that debuted the feature. Its a trend in lens design explored in the last Cyclist issue, whereby the lens is compression moulded to flare at the edges. This is an attempt to provide the unrestricted field of view of frameless designs with the rigidity of frames.Sam ChallisThe Korbins extend the feature to the lower span of their lens as well as the top edge used on the Aerocrafts, to make the lens more resistant to flexing. Vents built into the nose bridge encourage airflow behind the lens to prevent fogging.To find out more about 100%s Korbin sunglasses, visit silverfish-uk.comPrologo Choice PAS 140 NACK saddleSam ChallisPrologos first ever saddle was released in 2007 and dubbed Choice. Now the brand has reintroduced the name for a bold new saddle design that claims to improve aerodynamic efficiency. The rail-to-shell vertical distance is lower than conventional saddles some 7mm lower than Prologos Nago R4, for example which Prologo says has allowed it to shroud the rails with CFD-designed wings.Sam ChallisHiding the rails and seat post clamp apparently smoothes the airflow to reduce wake drag better, which is the low-pressure spot behind an object that effectively tries to pull it backwards. The snub-nose design has already seen action in the WorldTour under Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard and despite the aero touches, is still light at a claimed 162g.To find out more about Prologos Choice saddle, visit chickencyclekit.co.ukRoval Terra Aero CLX wheelsSam ChallisThere were hints, if you knew where to look, that Specializeds recent update of its Crux gravel race bike was going to centre around improved aerodynamics. One such bit of foreshadowing was the release of the Roval Terra Aero CLX wheels, which came out a few weeks before and are used in every top-end new Crux build to help make it fast, though the brand says the Terra Aero CLXs design will make any gravel race bike faster.Over our Terra CLX II wheels, the Terra Aeros are 5.83 watts faster with our Tracer 45mm tyre at 40kmh, says Lionello Bardina, Rovals aerodynamics R&D engineer.Sam ChallisBardina credits plenty of this advantage to the wheels Chopped Aero rim profile. The rims are deep 50mm front, 45mm rear but the front is curiously flat at the nipple bed, as if a full aerofoil profile has had its nose chopped off. The shape apparently delivers the aero performance of a 70mm depth, but with the handling and weight saving advantages of a shallower rim. Spoke specialist Arris has supplied proprietary composite aero spokes to help in that regard as well, saving 100g in that area alone and contributing to a claimed weight of 1,340g.The Chopped Aero profile was the result of us testing the whole system in a gravel-specific environment, so that means how tyre tread alters airflow, common gravel speeds and wind angles thats 5-12, by the way plus how a rough surface affected speed as well, says Bardina.Sam ChallisA 27mm internal width spaces the tyre beads widely for carcass support at low pressure, while a 38.5mm external width helps smooth the transition with tyres ranging from 35-60mm in width. It also provides the width for Roval to use wide rim hooks, which help prevent pinch flatting by spreading the pressure of a rock strike over a larger surface area.To find out more about Rovals Terra CLX Aero wheels, visit specialized.comThe post In the Drops:PocAmidal helmet, 100% Korbin sunglasses,PrologoChoice saddle and Roval Terra CLX Aero wheels appeared first on Cyclist.