What influence do pro riders have on the products they use? We meet enduro ace Jerome Clementz at Alpinestars Italian HQ to find Out
There are lots of reasons to be jealous of pro riders, but a big one has to be the seemingly endless supply of free bikes and kit that they get. OK, so in return they have to train like machines and put themselves on the line going scary fast, but we’re still a bit envious. None of that kit is any use if it doesn’t perform as it should, though. The last thing you want midway through a race run is to feel like your shorts are restricting you or your knee pads are about to fall down. A stock product is never going to be perfect – after all, something that fits Richie Rude’s monster calves isn’t going to be much good for the rest of us – so it makes sense to tailor-make kit to a pro’s exact specifications. There aren’t many companies who provide this level of support, but Italian race fanatics Alpinestars are one of the few. With riders like Aaron Gwin and Jerome Clementz on their roster, whatever they’re doing must be working. Curious to learn more, we take a trip to their HQ.
Moto meets MTB
Just a couple of hours’ drive from Venice, we arrive in Casella, a town in the foothills of the Italian Alps. This is a region that’s famous for its textile manufacturing as well as its Prosecco (don’t mind if we do!), and within five minutes we’ve driven past the HQs of several top cycling and climbing brands. Alpinestars actually started out making hiking boots, but quickly diversified into motorbike kit, which is still the core part of their business.
There are many crossovers between moto and mountain biking, not just in the products but also the transferable skills. At our hotel we meet up with Alpinestars-sponsored enduro racer Jerome Clementz, who’s arrived straight from the motocross track, where he’s been putting in some off season training.
Enduro is a relatively new form of racing, so the industry is still working on developing specialised kit for it. Feedback from pro riders is invaluable for this, so Jerome has been closely involved with the designers at Alpinestars since he joined them in 2015. There aren’t many brands who custom-make kit for every one of their sponsored riders, so we’re excited to go behind the closed doors of the Racing R&D Department and see how this works.
Global test ground
For any new rider, the process starts with a visit to the factory, where they first have to put on a rather closefitting Lycra suit and have their measurements taken by a team of women. The numbers are recorded on a chart next to a series of codes, which correspond to every product that a rider uses. These may be stock items altered to suit them or fully custom one-offs. As well as allowing the company to give every racer exactly what they need, this provides them with the ultimate testing ground for new ideas.
By their own admission, the guys at Alpinestars are obsessed with racing, and every bit of gear they make is designed with the goal of winning. A map on the wall, covered in pins, shows every location around the globe where their athletes compete. There’s a team of people dedicated to travelling to these venues, not only to provide race support but also to collect feedback from the riders. If a product fails, the guys back at HQ can use this information to revise the design or generate new ideas for consumer products.
It’s the luxury of having all the facilities in-house that allows Alpinestars to have this approach. With all the materials and component parts to hand, they can prototype and test out new ideas quickly, as well as provide their riders with specialedition kit at short notice.
Action sports heroes
We move through into a room that’s a hive of activity and humming with the sound of sewing machines. This is the place where every custom Alpinestars product is made. When you see a rider wearing their kit, chances are it started out here.
A stroll round is like taking a walk through an action sports hall of fame – on one side you have a guy making a pair of MX boots for James Stewart, on the other is a woman making leathers for MotoGP legend Casey Stoner and behind them is a rack of mountain bike jerseys bearing names like Gwin, Neethling and Hannah. Jerome shows us the jerseys that he wore for the 2016 Enduro World Series. They all feature the signature Cannondale team green but there are special touches for each race location – tartan for Scotland, Ferrari-style graphics for La Thuile, Italy, and a red and white stag for Whistler.
Trail testing
The other luxury Alpinestars have is a playground of trails on their doorstep on which to test products. We’ve heard enough spiel from the company about how good their stuff is, and seen all the stages a piece of kit goes through, but none of that is any good if it doesn’t perform on the trail. With that in mind, we get kitted up and head for the hills, to put their products to the test.
Guilio, our guide, tells us that the company was named after the ‘alpine star’ flower that grows nearby at high altitudes. It was a local tradition to hunt out the first alpine star of the season after the winter snows had retreated, so the name represents the idea of a challenge. It’s winter here now so the taller peaks are inaccessible, but even the foothills offer plenty of scope for riding. Rocky walking trails crisscross through the woods and snake their way around the hillsides. The singletrack is fast, through tight tree gaps and at times scarily close to a precipitous drop.
We have our work cut out following Jerome who, despite riding the trails blind, is hauling! When you first meet him, it’s easy to let his small stature fool you, but on a bike you’re rapidly reminded that this guy is a previous EWS series winner and still a podium regular. After 10 more minutes of ducking and weaving through the trees and trying to rail turns in the now-fading light, the trail bursts out into vineyards, reminding us what else the area is famous for. The sun is starting to set now, so it’s time to get stuck into the other local delicacies – Prosecco and grappa!
Paper to podium to production: How a product is made
Jerome’s influence at Alpinestars is most visible in the Paragon vest – a lightweight, pedalling-friendly back protector that incorporates a hydration bladder and tool storage.
1. Initial idea Dutch racer Anneke Beerten was the first to suggest the idea of integrated back protection and water storage, when she made the switch from 4X to enduro.
2. Design From her request, the designers were presented with a brief of requirements for the product. The starting point was to produce 2D drawings and accompanying specifications. A tactical sheet was then created, showing the exact shapes of the panels, colours and branding.
3. Prototyping CAD software was used to make a pattern and cut out each piece. These were then sewn into a wearable prototype.
4. Lab testing The back protector was impact tested to ensure it conformed to the relevant safety standards and the fabrics were ripped apart and more to ensure they could withstand abuse on the trail.
5. Ride testing Testing by pro riders was a key part of the process. Feedback from Jerome led to several changes, such as moving zips, adding protection from tools and altering the hydration tube routing. Further prototypes were trialled on the race track and new ideas fed into the final product.
6. Refinement New ideas and advances in technology mean the Paragon vest will be constantly revised – the designers’ work is never done!