As a cyclist, the search for newer and better gear is constant — there's always something else out there. Premes, Picks, Promos will highlight both the next big thing and the sleeper deal.
I have a thing with socks. Actually, it's a few things. One is that, with the exception of a couple of pairs of dress socks, I don't own any non-cycling socks. And the last few times I've needed to wear black socks, I just wore black cycling socks anyway.
My other thing with socks is that I like them tall. Not this tall, but more like this — a 12 cm cuff. I have a few socks that are a little taller than that, but not many that are shorter.
And my final deal with socks is that I don't really like wearing them. I wear flip flops far too early when it gets warm and far too late when it gets cold. I wear them around the house in the winter. I look completely ridiculous because of that high sock line. But, thanks to the crazy world we live in, I fit in just fine.
So no, I don't wear socks much, but I'm picky about them when I do. By far the best socks I've come across over the past two seasons are made by Capo. The Strada has a 15 cm cuff and the Avante has a 12 cm cuff. Both are made with Olefin, a synthetic fiber that is lightweight, strong and durable.
I have three pairs of Capo's taller Olefin socks, and each has made 
it through a lot of miles showing minimal wear. I've been told by many that I should check out Swiftwick's Olefin offerings as well. So here we are.
I actually have a pair of tall Swiftwick socks — a pair of Performance Seven socks put out by Trek last season. They're very tall — too tall, really. Spend a lot of time in something that goes mid-calf and you'll look even more ridiculous than me.
Still, though, they're very good socks. So I grabbed a pair of the Performance Four socks and hit the road. The Four means four inches, as in cuff height. That comes out to 10.2 cm, which is slightly shorter than my favored Capo socks.
And that's my only complaint. I wish they were a little bit taller. A 5-inch cuff (just over 13cm) would be perfect. Swiftwick does make a 5-inch sock but only in argyle. I dig argyle, but not that much.
Otherwise, the Swiftwicks are not unlike the Capo Olefin models.(Acutally, they're remarkably similar in construction, which would normally lead me to believe that Swiftwick makes Capo's Olefin socks. However, Capo's socks are made in Italy, Swiftwick's are made in the US.)
The cuff, even if it was slightly shorter than I like, was lightly compressive and comfortable — and it didn't creep down as the miles piled up. Because it's double-layered, it makes sense to think that the cuff might get a little hot, but it isn't at all.
The lighter material on the foot of the socks works well with shoe vents to keep air moving. As with my very tall Swiftwicks, I wondered when I put on the Performance Four socks if the meshy bottom was going to hold up to my big hooves (I wear size 47 shoes). As with previous socks, it was no problem.
That's a testament to good materials and construction. Much like the Capo Olefin socks, I can see the Swiftwicks hanging around for a few seasons. At $13.99, they're a little on the spendy side. But I imagine they'll be a lot like Shimano shoes — you'll get tired of them before they actually wear out.
Speaking of that ...
I've been on Shimano road pedals since I started cycling, so I've 
burned through my share of SH-11 SPD-SL cleats. You know the ones — the black hunks of plastic with yellow rubber wear spots. That design hasn't changed since 2002. When I started riding, a new set of cleats ran $15 retail.
I headed to the shop last night to grab a new pair and saw the price had risen a bit, even from last season — the SH-11 cleats are now $33.99. For two chunks of molded plastic that haven't changed since 2002. Wow.
Shimano makes a lot of great stuff (I'm on board with shoes, pedals and wheels), but its also known for seemingly arbitrary 15% price raises across the board. In the case of these cleats, the price has more than doubled in the last seven years. I have a hard time believing that the manufacturing costs of molded plastic have risen that much. The molds are the same, the packaging has only slightly changed, yet these things are now $34?
Come on, Shimano.
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In addition to being GamJams Tech Editor, Bryan Redemske has managed the Trek Bicycle Store of Omaha, is a professional writer and a Cat 3 racer. He drinks a lot of coffee.
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Sheesh, some of that stuff is expensive. Good thing you get your frames and wheels at Pro Deal pricing. Wait — you don't? You might want to look at November Bicycles. They've got a new racer-specific model designed to strip unnecessary pricing out of the cost of your new bike. It's like a Pro Deal for everyone.
November Bicycles. Race Smart.
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