Bont launches new cycling shoe > your opinion

[DAOTEC]

What do you think about it and who is on Bont cycling these days ?

Picture Click here

Can it make a difference for say in upcoming TdF > TT ?

 

[Milessio]

Looks interesting & every bit helps, but they've not integrated the pedal or cleat, so the chrono shoe will have a not very aerodynamic pedal sitting under it

Pro Tour teams get paid to use equipment, so (I assume) Bont cannot afford to compete with the likes of Sidi etc, however good the Bont shoe might be. Also in a TT most riders use covers, so shoes are almost completely hidden, making marketing difficult.

They could help the Australians catch up with Team GB at the next Olymipcs though

 

[DAOTEC]

BONT LAUNCHES new TIME TRIAL cycling shoe

http://bontskates.yuku.com/topic/1375/t/Bont-Launches-TT-Shoe.html

Milessio these guys Hoy & Kenny you mean in Lodon 2012

 

[Modiss]

I've checked the Bont's out and they're a well made light piece of kit.

Michael Rogers currently rides Bont's.

 

[Istvan]

Bont TT Shoe

Just a couple of things.
If you look carefully, the TT shoe is designed to minimise the affect the cleats will have on its aerodynamics, plus its also designed to be at its most aerodynamic form at the fastest part of the pedal stroke at which point the cleats have the least factor.

In terms of shoe covers, it doesnt need it as it also has a textured surface to further increase its aerodynamics.

 

[DL9999]

Has the "textured" surface been proven to "increase the aerodynamics"?

 

[Istvan]

Everyone is working with textured surfaces these days, from clothing manufacturers, helmet companies to wheel builders. Just think of Zipp wheels, the classic example of textured surfaces which in effect the dimples are.

 

[DL9999]

I think the classic example of a dimpled surface being used to reduce form drag is that of a golf ball.

The fact that dimples work with a golf ball doesn't necessarily mean that any rough surface will always reduce drag for any object though.

 

[DAOTEC]

New Bont Cycling Shoe Website and Blog

http://bontskates.yuku.com/topic/1394/t/New-Bont-Cycling-Shoe-Website-and-Blog.com

Bont cycling Michael Albasini team Columbia

 

[ambrose]

I think the classic example of a dimpled surface being used to reduce form drag is that of a golf ball.

The fact that dimples work with a golf ball doesn't necessarily mean that any rough surface will always reduce drag for any object though.

This is slightly different, the dimples are more about control then reducing drag. they help make the ball spin correctly and create more lift (part of the backspin). granted they do help reduce wake turbulance, but this is a secondary benefit.

 

[DL9999]

As far as I remember, everything I have ever read on the subject mentioned reduction in drag as the main purpose of the dimples on a golf ball.

I can't see how dimples would make the ball spin correctly. Spin is imparted as the ball is struck.

 

[bladerunner]

Bont - Bardley Wiggins wore them at the Tour

Recent pictures of Bradley Wiggins show that he was wearing Bont shoes at the Tour - although the Bont logos were masked out. So, it must mean that he liked the shoes a lot more than the ones his sponsor [Adidas??] could supply!

 

[runninboy]

As far as I remember, everything I have ever read on the subject mentioned reduction in drag as the main purpose of the dimples on a golf ball.

I can't see how dimples would make the ball spin correctly. Spin is imparted as the ball is struck.

At the moment of impact the ball is not spinning it is stationary, spin will occur after the impact, some of it due to the ball encountering wind resistance. Think of a baseball, not all of the action of a pitch is imparted solely by the pitcher, some is dues to the irregular surface(seams) encountering resistance(air)

the dimples have a stabilising effect i believe to minimize the amplification that happens as the ball travels away from the point of impact.

Baseball pitchers desire maximum movement, golfers minimum deviation

And on the subject of shoes,
Someone other than Sidi makes cycling shoes?

))

 

[Milessio]

Recent pictures of Bradley Wiggins show that he was wearing Bont shoes at the Tour - although the Bont logos were masked out. So, it must mean that he liked the shoes a lot more than the ones his sponsor [Adidas??] could supply!

From the CN photos of him riding both the ITTs & the TTT in Le Tour, the shoes he is wearing are completely covered by Pearl Izumi covers.

I would suggest that long sleeves on TT suits & shoe covers that finish high up, have very little to do with aerodynamics & much more to do with having more space for team sponsors' logos.

 

[bladerunner]

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/imageBank/w/WIGGINS-LANCE1.jpg

This picture shows Wiggins in Bont [with the logos masked out]

 

[DL9999]

At the moment of impact the ball is not spinning it is stationary, spin will occur after the impact, some of it due to the ball encountering wind resistance.

Once a golf ball is in the air, the only only forces acting on it are gravity and aerodynamic forces, and I can't see that they are going to make it spin.

A golf ball has a regular, spherical surface. This means that, unless the ball is already spinning, the air flow is going to be pretty much symmetrical around an axis passing through the centre of the ball, parallel to the direction of travel through the air, and the only aerodynamic force will be drag, which won't make the ball spin.

If there is spin on the ball, there will be some circulation in the air flow around the ball, resulting in lift; however, the air flow will cause any spin to decrease over time, not increase.

 

[runninboy]

Once a golf ball is in the air, the only only forces acting on it are gravity and aerodynamic forces, and I can't see that they are going to make it spin.

A golf ball has a regular, spherical surface. This means that, unless the ball is already spinning, the air flow is going to be pretty much symmetrical around an axis passing through the centre of the ball, parallel to the direction of travel through the air, and the only aerodynamic force will be drag, which won't make the ball spin.

If there is spin on the ball, there will be some circulation in the air flow around the ball, resulting in lift; however, the air flow will cause any spin to decrease over time, not increase.

Ok I am sure you know more than me on this subject but the ball starts out stationary, then it is impacted by the club head, the spin that is imparted from the impact is not instantaneous. Several factors involved, force applied, how long the surfaces of the ball & club remain in contact etc etc will determine the speed of the ball & the amount of spin.
I would think in the fraction of a second that the club & ball meet, that the ball is not instantaneously spping at its highest rate.
If it is not, there is an acceleration and deceleration incolced in both the speed of the ball and its spin.
EVENTUALLY the air flow will cause the spin to lessen as the ball is further from impact but initially i believe it would be a contributing factor...

also the force to drive the completly spherical ball is not applied evenly by the club head, it would be anatomically impossible to do so. Hooks & slices are exaggerated examples. An even force would probably result in a knuckleball, but that is not the technique for addressing a golfball

 

[DAOTEC]

"HOLY CANARY" shoes- Me BONT story

http://bontskates.yuku.com/topic/1394/t/New-Bont-Cycling-Shoe-Website-and-Blog.html

Monday May, 25 2009

Two guys came in our shop last Saturday. They looked some really good road shoes. I thought that I show mine one. When I given it for the guys, one of them just told : "Holy $HIT.. WTF?"
I realized in the next moment, that I have this shoes more then 6 months ago and I didn't post on the blog! N.G. (the guy, who is the Bont distributor in the UK) walked in the shop with a pair of Bont shoes nearly 9 months ago. I felt in love with this shoes in the first second... and this love just been stronger when I realized I can order in pink color! I had to wait n
early 3 months, because Pink wasn't in stock and mine one came straight from Australia.
Bont is a small family based company in Sydney since 1975. (You can read the whole story here >http://bont.com/cycling/history/history.htm)
Order is really easy with size vise. You can find a really smart sizing chart on Bont's page. If you know your size, after you have to choose your color (8 colors available), your pedal type (you can order Speedplay or usual type) and your closing mechanism(shoe leeds, straps or combinated). All type are fully heat moldable, basically when you get it, you can personalised for yourself. It is not cheap, costs around £240, but if you have deeper pocket, you can choose full custom model (laser scan tech) which one cost around £600.
I use mine one nearly 4 months ago and I am really happy with it. After I did the heat molding, the first 700km was a hell.... shoes brake my feet everywhere, but after this period they works fine! I use with Speedplay pedals but I ordered the standard cleats fitting type. I could fit the cleats with the Speedplay adapter without any problem.
I used Sidi, Specialized and PI shoes before, but you can't compare these ones with the Bont. Unbelievable stiff and light! I will order one more pair i
n white color and I can't wait when Bont will start to make the off road version! I know, it is not the cheapest option, but if you look something unique design and very high quality products, choose the Bont!

Super Stiff Bont Shoes.

http://bontskates.yuku.com/topic/1394/t/New-Bont-Cycling-Shoe-Website-and-Blog.html

 

[DL9999]

EVENTUALLY the air flow will cause the spin to lessen as the ball is further from impact but initially i believe it would be a contributing factor...

I don't know much about golf, but I do know a little about fluid dynamics, and I am certain that under normal circumstances there is no way that the air flow around a golf ball is going to contribute to spin once the ball has left the club. Also, unless there is a hell of a tail wind (i.e. as fast as or faster than the ball), the linear speed of the ball will start to decrease as soon as the ball leaves the club.

The fact that the ball and club are in contact for a very short time is irrelevant; there are big accelerations involved.

 

[DAOTEC]

Pro Cyclist using Bont tech ... ?

Bonts Kisten Wild hands up with on the left in 2nd place with head down Olympic champ Marianne Vos

?? expert anyone

Double Olympic medal winner Briton Emma Pooley

www.London-2012-Olympics-High-Tech.org

 

[Milessio]

I believe Bont shoes are heat mouldable, hence why they are shown in the mini oven.

Photos of riders using Bont road shoes just proves that some pro riders use their road shoes, but doesn't help with what they think about/if they use the new Bont TT shoe - sorry.

 

[DAOTEC]

The Golden shoe Man

Alexander Bont inherited his parents' love of speed skating and was selected for the Australian team to compete at the Nagano Olympics in 1998. A bout of glandular fever forced his withdrawal only weeks before the event. "I think it took me three years to recover from the heartbreak," he recalls.

This bout of glandular fever proved the catalyst for a change of direction in Alexander Bont's career, and cycling is the winner.

Alexander Bont might well be described as the Comeback Kid. This is, after all, a man who swallowed the disappointment of having to pull out of an Australian Olympic team only to carve out a new career as a cobbler to the world's cyclists.

It's a career that has yielded a mother lode of gold - six gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. And as the renown of the company's custom-made, carbon-fibre-soled shoes grows, the demand from the stars of the cycling world is also likely to grow, particularly those with an eye to the London Games in 2012.

But Bont's commercial interests lie well beyond just the professional circuit. The company is now producing shoes for cyclists at all levels, a smart move when you consider that aesthetics and functionality are the key requisites of all riders. And, according to the company, the cycling shoes are the fastest-growing sector in the business.

In some respects, the development of a cycling shoe was a natural progression for a company that started off life as a manufacturer of hand-made speed skates. It began, as companies often do, out of a need.

Long hours of cycling had been one of the elements of his training regimen and as Alexander began to contemplate a life after skating, he considered the design of a cycling shoe that would be as unique as the Bont speed skate.

"There are so many things that make our shoe special," he enthuses. "It is not made in the traditional way. Most manufacturers make the base first, whereas we start from the inside out. Everything is laminated together by the epoxy resin so it forms a one-piece shoe. It's impossible to pull our shoes apart. Our process is a lot more time-consuming and costly but the product is better."

The custom-made shoe costs $549 for the regular one - the A1 - which is available in eight colors and has a 100 per cent carbon sole. This is also available in a semi-custom model for $50 more. There is a cheaper model on the market - the A2 - that is a mix of fibreglass and carbon fibre. Retailing at $399, it has a 4.2 mm high stack (the thickness of the sole where the clete is) compared with the A1's 3.6 mm.

Bont will release a new entry-level shoe - yet to be named but cheaper again - during the second half of the year. All the shoes are all heat-mouldable

??

According to the general manager of Bont Cycling, Steven Nemeth, the stiffness of the shoe is one of its most distinctive qualities. "Aesthetics and functionality are very important to cyclists at all levels and we more than meet those criteria," he says.

Full story and pictures

Making The Shoe at http://www.bontcycling.com

1. THE LAST
Data from 20,000 laser foot scans are used to develop a standard last.

2. THE FOOTBED
This is the first part of the shoe added to the last. It is 65A hardness and only 3mm thick which makes it lightweight and heat-mouldable.

3. THE LINER
It is not only lightweight and strong but it fights odour and is not easily broken down by sweat.

4. MEMORY FOAM
Closed-cell so it will not absorb moisture and is lightweight.

5. ANTI-STRETCH TAPES
These tapes are similar to seatbelt material and ensure the boot does not stretch over time.

6. CARBON FIBRE
Cross-weave 3K 198-gram aircraft-grade carbon is used on the outside and unidirectional carbon on the inside.

7. THE UPPER
Rubber carbon protectors are added front and rear and covered with the final layer of carbon. The lightweight upper is then glued and sewn onto the shoe. Holes are hand-punched through the uppers and the liner for ventilation. Buckles and straps are attached. The location of the straps is such that they pull the foot down and into the back of the shoe.

Dan Lloyd has grown as a rider with Bont, and rode superbly today for silver.

www.London-2012-Olympics-The-Gme-Has-Changed.org

 

[The Executioner]

Not only are the hot in the over, but out on the road as well. There are no vents. Say hello to wet socks and smelly feet.

 

[DAOTEC]

Only hot ... you bet Exterminator ?

BontGiro Donna 2009

Alexander Bont might well be described as the Comeback Kid. This is, after all, a man who swallowed the disappointment of having to pull out of an Australian Olympic team only to carve out a new career as a cobbler to the world's cyclists. "I think it took me three years to recover from the heartbreak," he recalls.

currentMissCycling2008Elena Morali

**Holes are hand-punched through the uppers and the liner for ventilation** Buckles and straps are attached;The Making of at: http://www.bontcycling.com

Are more wearing Bont going to team Sky like wiggo? more--->>>
www.going-2012-the-SKY-is-the-Limit.org

 

[ElChingon]

So anybody else actually riding with these shoes? I'm on the fence and tempted to buy a pair soon. My only remaining issue is cooling, sure they have 40 or so holes for ventilation but there are no holes on the sole like most other cycling shoes. There are some by the arch but air doesn't freely flow in that way.

So anyone riding with these? How are they in the hot days?