We know what you’re thinking.
Who the eff are Elastic Interface and why do I care? This is an excellent thing. Not being heard of has always been Elastic Interface’s goal. They’ve spent more than 20 years creating the world’s best chamois, all in the hope that you never really have to think about them. If you’re thinking about your chamois, something has gone wrong in the process. Usually something painful, red and sore.
Born in the Veneto region of northern Italy, home of the famed Dolomites, cycling is a natural part of Elastic Interface’s DNA. In fact, R&D Manager Denis Bertoldo, after competing for many years, kept riding his bikes around the Prosecco Hills. He now puts his experience and know-how to very good use developing products that support cyclists of all levels.
When you make a living from your saddle, being comfortable becomes as important as race day nutrition or having the lightest wheels for the mountains. Over the years, a bunch of current and former professional riders have come to Elastic Interface to have their team-issued kit “upgraded” with their chamois when they’ve gotten their new clothing at the beginning of the season, and even during the ongoing season.
Which is how they knew they were doing something right. And it’s why brands like MAAP are using them more and more for products like the Team Bib Evo and the Pro Race Mitt, that features a seamless and three- dimensional designed Elastic Interface palm. And it’s not all sweeping views, espresso, tiramisu (it was invented in Veneto in the 60s) and glasses of cheeky Prosecco for Elastic Interface. Their team is ridiculously analytical and data driven. They’re kind of the chamois nerds. So what kind of research has gone into keeping your butt comfortable? First, there are anatomical differences. Yes, men and women are different, so men and women have different requirements in a chamois. So Elastic Interface have studied these differences and developed specific products as a starting point. On top of that, different positions in saddle mean that each cyclist has different needs, so it was necessary to develop paddings that would protect cyclists of all disciplines. And all this was made in their typical chamois nerd style: their long-running collaboration with the University of Padua utilises extensive research on the anthropometric parameters of how cyclists of all levels interact with their bicycles, and the position they keep in saddle. Now, let’s talk materials and technology.
(Strap in, gear nerds). The new MAAP Team Bib Evo uses a proprietary chamois co-developed with MAAP’s product design team, utilising Elastic Interface’s thermomoulded multi-density padding, and ECO X-Tract fabric. This combination provides maximum comfort with three different padding densities, along with supreme moisture management via the channeled top fabric, giving it a 7+ hour rating. And yes, this chamois is 3D and anatomic. So you never have to think about it. Or Elastic Interface. But that’s a good thing, right?
