Your questions answered: Sleeved Aero Triathlon Suits - The way of the future for Long Course Triathletes

photo credit to slowtwitch.com

Aero triathlon sleeved race suits are become more and more popular at every race with athletes trying to gain that extra ‘aero’ advantage. It seems that these sleeved race suits have taken over the long distance triathlon community with more professional athletes choosing to wear these aero suits over the more traditional tri suit/tri top & pants option. After over 12 months of research and development including wind tunnel testing Scody launched the all-new Scody JP AIR Optimise sleeved race suit. 

The Optimise A.I.R. Tri Suit has been developed with the aspiration of becoming the world’s fastest non-drafting triathlon suit. Standing for “Aerodynamics through Innovation and Research”, the Optimise A.I.R. Tri Suit will create a significant advantage for triathletes in some of the world’s toughest races, such as Ironman Melbourne, Ironman Port Macquarie, and Ironman Cairns.

Developed by the Scody Research and Design Team, the Optimise A.I.R. Tri Suit has a zoned fabric construction to achieve the greatest reduction in drag in specific regions of the body. The dimpled fabric ‘Matrix’ has been used in regions of high wind velocity such as the shoulders and upper arms, whilst ‘X-Opaque’ has been used in those with less wind exposure, such as the torso, to achieve the highest moisture management and breathability. The A.I.R. Tri Suit also features a triathlon specific Italian-made perforated chamois for optimal comfort, Air Flex side panels for even more breathability, and two rear pockets for nutrition storage.

Your Questions Answered:

Many people have asked us questions relating to this relatively new piece of triathlon apparel and so we have tried to answer the most common questions below. If you have any more questions please let us know via facebook or twitter! 

How much faster will the Scody JP AIR Optimise Sleeved Tri Suit make me?

Scody has invested significantly into wind tunnel research and analysis. From the data that was collected, it was proven that the Scody JP AIR Optimise suit gave athletes a 6 watt saving at 30mph over a traditional 2 piece tri suit. 

What this means is that over the course of the 90km cycle leg in a half iron distance triathlon athletes can expect to save around 4 minutes and 30 seconds if they are riding a 2hr30min bike split averaging 230 watts. As you can see from this data this is a massive time-saving! 

Can you wear a sleeved race suit during the swim leg? 

For most races yes, however for many WTC Ironman & Ironman 70.3 races when it is a non-wetsuit swim you are required to have uncovered shoulders. For many athletes, this means rolling down the Scody AIR race suit and wearing it under their swim skin. Once exiting the water the Scody AIR suit is then able to be pulled up and worn for the bike and run. If the swim leg is a wetsuit legal swim then most athletes have just worn the Scody AIR suit as per normal and then just removed their wetsuit in T1. The sleeves have a good amount of stretch to them and so any arm movement restriction is not usually an issue when it comes to swimming in a Scody JP AIR Optmisie sleeved tri suit. 

Does the extra material covering my back and shoulders make me hotter? 

The opposite in fact! Due to the high level of sun protection the suit provides, athletes are essentially more shielded from the suns rays. Many of the athletes who have worn the Scody JP AIR Optimise suit also report feeling cooler due to the evaporative cooling effect with the sleeves. What this means is that because the suit holds a small amount of moisture, during the bike and run if you are sweating or pouring water onto the suit then the evaporation of this moisture helps to reduce your body temperature. The suit also boasts amazing sun protection which is great news for those racing in hot conditions. 

Can I order a custom 1 off Scody AIR tri suit? 

YES! At Scody we have no minimum order amount and have had many athletes design their very own, custom 1 of a kind Scody AIR Optimise Sleeved Tri Suit! 

photo credit to Tourism WA