A couple of months ago one of our favorite bloggers, Ray Maker (a.k.a, DC Rainmaker), posted an in-depth review of the Switch Aero System. We felt incredibly honored that he chose to review the Switch Aero System because he mainly focuses on triathlon and endurance sports related technology (think GPS watches, heart-rate monitors, and the like) and doesn't frequently review non-tech components. He had followed our Kickstarter campaign and decided that the products were interesting enough to warrant an in-depth look.
"Every once in a while an endurance sports product comes out that piques my interest, even if itâs not directly a sports technology item ... So why the interest here? Well, the Redshift Aero system essentially allows you to convert your road bike into a triathlon bike. That in and of itself isnât unique â there are tons of products on the market that do that. What is unique though is that you can instantly do so (in a few seconds), and convert it back to a traditional road bike configuration in a few seconds as well."
For those of you who haven't visited his blog before: prepare yourself - his reviews are incredibly detailed and thorough. You can read the entire review by following the link below, and we've also quoted a few of our favorite lines from the review!
DC Rainmaker: Redshift Sports Aero System In-Depth Review
Photo courtesy of DC Rainmaker
Ray's take on the Quick-Release Aerobars, ...
"When it comes to the Redshift system, I personally find the aerobars the coolest component of the set. Mostly because of the engineering that clearly went into designing such a system thatâs so easy to use, yet knowingly so complex to get designed right."
"So with that overview â how about stability? ... Iâm pretty sure I could have actually sat on my aerobars and it would have stayed put. I was very happy there."
"Did bumps in the road cause any jostling of the aerobars? And was there any play in the armpad area? Again, a clear ânoâ. I took it up and down, and all around through the cobbled streets of Paris, including up and down the famed Champs-ĂlysĂ©es. No vibrations and no unexpected wonkiness."
"From the standpoint of the aerobars, theyâre about as perfect of a clip-on aerobar as I can imagine. Super-easy to remove and put back on, but equally as easy to tweak the configuration if need be."
...the Dual-Position Seatpost, ...
"Installation of the completed seatpost onto your bike is pretty much silly simple. You take the tube, and stick it in the hole. Most adults should be familiar with such a procedure."
"The whole hinge feels almost magnetic in that it wants to lock/pull to one side or the other, thereâs no middle ground... In my testing I found it almost perfect..."
If you can grab a water bottle, you can change the seatpost ... And remember, as long as youâre sitting on it, it canât actually go anywhere."
... and the overall Switch Aero SystemÂ
"In general Iâd suggest that if youâre just getting into the sport then a clip-on system is the best way to go. It allows you to take an existing road bike and make it a suitable triathlon bike for certain race lengths. A system like Redshift is at a premium over cheaper clip-on products. That premium is simply because itâs far more convenient to go back and forth between road and tri."
"Overall Iâm really impressed with the Redshift system. It performs exactly as youâd anticipate and does so without any issues. The fit flexibility of the system is on par with most aerobar systems on the market, yet with the significant added benefit of being able to remove the aerobars on demand. Meanwhile, the seatpost is highly unique in the market and fills the gap for folks wanting to be able to maintain a better fit across both road and triathlon positions."
We can't thank Ray enough for the amazing review! If you're interested in triathlon, endurance sports, and specifically sports technology, his blog (DCRainmaker.com) is an encyclopedia of information about pretty much everything endurance sports and triathlon related. Remember, you can support his efforts (he doesn't get paid for his reviews) by purchasing products through the Amazon or Clever Training links on his site.