Riding day or night, cyclists need to make themselves visible as an extra level of protection on the road. Blinking lights front and rear help on the bike, while hi-vis colors, contrasting patterns, and reflective accents all do the trick on your clothing. PEARL iZUMi calls their concept BioViz, and is about to bring it to their top-of-the-line summer road gear with the limited edition BioViz Remix Attack Air line.
The idea behind BioViz is to be seen at all times, day or night, in bright or low light conditions. It’s generally accepted that it takes at least 1o0 meters for a motorist to see and react to a cyclist, so PI’s goal is to make you visible at about six times that distance. During the day, that means hi-viz colors and contrasting patterns; at night, it means reflective accents in three different zones.
For hi-viz colors, this means using true fluorescent colors, and yes, there is a difference. Looking into colors for my team kits with our kit supplier, I learned that there is a special ink that has to be used to get true fluorescent colors. This ink reflects more UV rays and makes it more eye-catching, while also being more expensive.
They also use contrasting patterns to make you more visible. This can be blocks of contrasting color, or even a bright, hi-viz color logo on a black kit. The goal is to make you stand out from the background, the opposite of camo.
PI also uses reflectivity to be more visible. They have broken this down into three types of movement, static, tempo, and flicker. Each movement coincides with a specific region of the body.
Static refers to the lower back and torso. On the back of a jersey or jacket, they include a small reflective strip or logo that generally stays in a static position and reflects light back constantly.
Tempo would be in the hips. This will reflect at a more consistent beat, but not as fast as your feet. You’ll notice on PI bibs and shorts, they include their logo on the corner of the hip so that it will reflect back at a slower flash.
Flicker is for the heels. This can be on the backs of the shoes and shoe covers. These are going to flash at a faster pace with each pedal stroke.
These three zones, along with a rear blinking light will help make you more visible in lower light conditions, and work in tandem with the hi-viz and contrasting patterns.
While PEARL iZUMi has used BioViz on things like rain jackets in the past, they have released a limited edition of their top-of-the-line jersey and bibs using the BioViz concept.
Attack Air Jersey
Available in both men’s and women’s jerseys, the Attack Air uses 82% recycled polyester, which delivers on PI’s commitment to sustainability. It has a sleek fit and is highly breathable, while still maintaining a UPF 50+ rating for protection from the sun. Black might seem like a hot choice for a summer day, but it uses PEARL iZUMi’s In-R-Cool technology to help reduce the sun’s intensity, helping you stay cool. A minimal collar, minimal seams, and longer arms give it a modern, sleek look. On the back, three lay-flat pockets expand to carry things like gels, bottles, or whatever you need, keeping it all locked in place when full. And since this is a limited edition BioViz jersey, it features the PEARL iZUMi logo across the chest and back in multiple fluorescent colors, and a small logo in the lower left on the back.
Attack Air Bibs
The matching Attack Air bibs start with the Attack bibs, and get them ready for the hot days on the bike. They use a polyester/spandex blend that contains 84% recycled polyester. The fabric is light and breathable while using four-way stretch to support your muscles and allow you to move. It uses the ELITE level Levitate chamois pad to provide hours of comfort in the saddle. The leg openings are laser cut with a wide elastic band and printed silicone grippers. The bib straps feature a raw cut that lays flat against your torso, and feature a perforated material at the lower back for breathability. Splashes of color are added through the fluorescent yellow straps and the multicolor logo on the side leg panels. There’s also a small multi-colored logo on the left hip.
Even though they are limited edition pieces, PEARL iZUMi isn’t charging anything extra, making the jersey $120 and the bibs $160, which is actually pretty reasonable for range-topping pieces. They are available now through PEARL iZUMi’s website. A matching t-shirt is also available for $35, along with a water bottle for $15.
Based on the marketing photos provided, we might see some additional colors released in the future, like fluorescent pink, yellow, blue, with matching bib shorts.
Heckling Editor, Image Taker, Crash Test Dummy, and Beard Master at Bikeworldnews.com
~Veggie Powered Athlete~
Location – Lancaster, PA
Current Testing Rigs – 2024 Van Dessel Arch65, 2019 Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie, 2018 Van Dessel Motivus Maximus LTD, 2016 Van Dessel Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 2015 Bianchi Sempre Pro, 1978 Trek TX900
Dream Bike – I’ll tell you when they make it
Discipline – Cyclocross, gravel, road and duathlons (ride/run)
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