Nautilus, Inc. has agreed to sell Pearl iZumi, it's cycling apparel and footwear subsidiary to Shimano American Corporation, which is a division of cycling and fishing equipment maker Shimano, Inc.

“The acquisition brings together two companies started by Japanese families who share a passion for cycling,” said Pfeiffer. “Both have strong research and development backgrounds, offer industry leading innovations, and share an obsession with quality and performance. We’ll continue to build the respective brands and remain dedicated to the healthy independent dealer networks we’ve both enjoyed.”

Shimano buys Pearl Izumi [via BikeRadar.com]

Aqua Sphere’s newest innovation provides a sleeker profile, greater durability and panoramic views

Vista, CA (October, 2007) - Aqua Sphere, the leader in high-end, innovative swim products, revolutionizes aquatic eyewear with the Vista Cross-Swim Goggle ™ – a brand-new hybrid product offering the wide views, comfort and fit of the company’s popular Seal and Seal XP products, with the performance of a competitive swimming goggle.

“The design of the Seal and Seal XP were based off of SCUBA masks, which naturally offer a wider field of vision, provide a better seal and are more universal than traditional swim goggles when it comes to fitting face shapes. We’ve taken that technology and applied it to our goggle development process to come up with a completely new Cross-Swim Goggle ™, the VISTA” says Olivier Laguette, director of marketing for Aqua Sphere.

Designed with leisure and serious fitness and open-water swimmers in mind, the streamlined Vista virtually eliminates drag with its low-profile and hard, contoured frame. “Vista is geared toward fitness swimmers and triathletes who know that proper fit and comfort matter during a workout or in a race,” says Laguette.

Here are a couple of products to help you stay hydrated this summer while it's hot out during your training or longer distance races. These triathlon related products are unique in the sense that they offer dual chambers for you to store a mix of products.

Swigz Dual-Chamber Sports Bottle

Here is a new 24oz dual-chamber water bottle just released. The Swigz Dual-Chamber Sports Bottle features two independent 12oz intertwined chambers with corresponding dual color coded sport tops. You can use it to store any combination of drinks, for example water on one side and your favorite electrolyte replacement drink on the other side or a pre-workout drink on one side and your recovery drink on the other. No matter what combination you mix, you'll have what you need to stay out on the road. The Swigz sport bottles are made from durable and recyclable materials, and are designed to fit all standard bike bottle cages. Get your SWIGZ Endurance Dual Hydration Sports Bottle (MSRP: $14.95) at Amazon.com or GoldsGear.com.


PodiumQuest Hydration System

If you you need more than 24oz of fluid to stay hydrated on your ride then you might want to check out the PodiumQuest Hydration System. This 50oz water bottle unit is designed to slide on to your aero bars. It's a double chamber water bottle unit that has a 23oz upper chamber and a 27oz lower chamber which is the equivalent of 2 normal sized water bottles. Like the Swigz water bottle, this unit allows you to have your favorite mixture of fluids on your bike whether it's a training or race day. Each fluid compartment has a separate straw that extends for drinking. The unit is translucent so you can see your fluid levels at all times. You can buy this product directly from CEE GEES (MSRP: $46.95).

Vista, CA (June 14, 2007) - Zoot Sports, a global leader in premium multisport apparel and wetsuits, introduces the first triathlon specific footwear line – the ULTRA Footwear Collection. Zoot Sports has a long tradition of creating innovative products for multisport athletes. This tradition began in 1983 when Christal Nylin created the first triathlon specific product - the Zoot Racesuit. In staying true to Zoot’s philosophy of “Finding Product Solutions for Multisport Athletes,” the Zoot Product Team reacted to consistent feedback from athletes about the problems with running footwear for triathlons.

After years of studying triathletes and further reinforced by athlete focus groups, Zoot Sports identified four inherent footwear problems specific to triathletes:

Speed of Entry - The need to get in and out of T2 as quickly as possible
Sockless Wear - Triathletes don’t want to take the time to put socks on
Water Retention - Studies have shown that traditional running shoes can gain an additional 30% of their weight during a race
Biomechanics - Athletes run differently after racing a bike

The solution to these problems is the ULTRA Line of Footwear. The initial ULTRA line of Zoot Footwear includes four models in both men’s and women’s styles: the ULTRA Race, an 8.4 ounce neutral racing shoe; the ULTRA TT, a 9.2 ounce neutral lightweight trainer; the ULTRA Tempo+, a 9.5 oz. dual-density midsole stability shoe; and the ULTRA Recovery Sandal, a fully customizable and cushioned sandal that helps reduce swelling and promotes a speedy recovery.

Starting today, get a $50 rebate by mail when you purchase a Forerunner 205 or Forerunner 305 by May 15, 2007.   Forerunner Rebate

Here is a cool item to have for triathlon training. The Garmin Forerunner 205 is designed for athletes of all levels and is perfect as a personal running / biking training device. The Forerunner 205 tracks your every move with a super-sensitive GPS. It continuously monitors your speed, distance, pace and calories burned so you can train smarter, more effectively. It has a Virtual Partner option that lets you train against a digital person for specified time, distance or pace goals. You can transfer the data from Forerunner to your PC with the software provided for a detailed analysis of your workout and the GPS data will plot your workout on a map and let you see the specific details. The Garmin Forerunner 305 has all of the features of the 205 but it also includes a wireless heart rate monitoring and it can also be connected to Garmin's wireless bicycle speed and cadence sensor.   Suggested Retail Price for the Forerunner 205: $267.84   Suggested Retail Price for the Forerunner 305: $376.91   You might be able to find them online for less than MSRP, just look around.

• Amazon.com Garmin Forerunner 205 Review
• Amazon.com Garmin Forerunner 305 Review

Triathlon training outdoors in the winter can be a challenge for those of us who have to deal with snow and ice. It would be much easier for us to stay home and hibernate or make it to gym and use a treadmill, but that's no fun. Outdoor winter running can be refreshing, exhilarating, scenic and peaceful under most circumstances. The problem is we have many excuses not run outside in the winter besides the "it's too cold" excuse, like "the trails are snow packed but my feet are getting wet" to "the sidewalks are like an ice skating rink". Depending on the conditions, it can turn out to be a short run if you don't have the proper equipment to stay warm, dry and accident free. Here are a few options to look at for winter running shoes.

Brooks Adrenaline ASR IV [MSRP: $90.00]
This water resistant trail shoe features an aggressive outsole for rugged runs. A perfect fit for snowy or slushy conditions. The nylon upper fabric is treated with a durable water repellent that provides outstanding weather protection. The silicon-based cushioning system dynamically dampens the shock and stabilizes the foot. The outsole is made from a high-density carbon rubber for increased traction and durability. The shoes are lightweight, only 10.1 ounces for the women's version while the men's version weighs 11.9 ounces. Men's and Women's styles are available in a wide range of sizes.
http://www.brooksrunning.com/

adidas Winter Trainer [$110.00]
This is an exclusive item in the Sahalie catalog, an all-season outdoor retailer. These unisex water resistant trainers by adidas have several features that make it perfect for outdoor winter training. They are described in the catalog as a high performance, mid-cut running shoe with a water resistant, winterized gaiter made of waterproof material on the outside and a specialized sole made for the cold. The only shoe of it's kind, with deep traction grooves and rubber teeth that actually increase in grip the colder it gets. You'll be able to dig in and push off just as you would running on a clear summer day. Each shoe weighs 17.9 ounces and they come in 3 different colors: Blue, Merlot, Terra Cotta
http://www.sahalie.com/

The North Face Ultra 103 XCR Trail-Running Shoes [MSRP: $110]
These lightweight and waterproof trail running shoes are perfect for all weather conditions. The Gore-Tex XCR waterproof, breathable membrane uppers keep the water out while the shock absorbing cushioning in the heel and the forefoot offer the ultimate in foot and joint protection. The UltraTAC Rubber Outsole traction system grips in wet and dry conditions. They offer a Men's and Women's style and they come in various sizes.
http://www.thenorthface.com/