Gear Break: PRUNGO FluxGo Red Light Therapy, Shimano Women’s Race + Gravity Shoes, Parlee Z-Zero GT, Personalized Saddles from fizik, Cinelli Speciale Gravel Bike, Zwift Virtual Shifting for Tacx NEO Trainers

Gear Break: PRUNGO FluxGo | Red Light Therapy Module, Shimano MTB Shoes, All-New Parlee Z-Zero GT, fizik One-to-One Personalized Saddles, Cinelli Speciale Gravel Bike, Expanded Zwift Integration for Tacx NEO 2T and 3M Trainers

PRUNGO FluxGo | Red Light Therapy Module – $399

PRUNGO sez:  A Red Light Therapy Device specifically designed for effective pain management, PRUNGO Fluxgo integrates multiple advanced technologies to maximize the therapeutic potential of red light in physical therapy. Its lightweight, modular design allows for flexible configurations, providing customized therapy across different areas of the body and making it easily portable and adaptable to various usage scenarios. In every aspect, PRUNGO is dedicated to delivering a non-invasive, portable therapeutic solution accessible to everyone.

PRUNGO combines 650nm LED red light and 850nm infrared laser technology to deliver precise, joint-level penetration therapy. By mimicking natural light, red light therapy offers a safe, gentle alternative to pharmaceuticals and invasive procedures, providing you with an effective solution for health, pain management, and overall wellness.

Chuck Peña PEZ sez:  Let me start by saying that I have no way to test or validate the efficacy or science of red light therapy (RLT). Meaning, I’m not here to say whether it works or not. I’m not a doctor and I don’t play one on TV. So if you have any questions or concerns about RLT, it’s always a good idea to consult with your doctor. According to the Cleveland Clinic, RLT is still an emerging therapy but holds a lot of promise.

If you want to learn more about red light therapy, here’s a good WebMD (considered a reliable source for general health information) article. According to WebMD:

• Red light therapy is a treatment that may help skin, muscle tissue, and other parts of your body heal. It uses low levels of red light to target your skin and cells. It is thought to work by increasing the production of mitochondria, your cells’ energy sources. This may improve cell function and repair.
• In red light therapy, you expose your skin to a lamp, device, or laser with a red light. It uses an LED (light-emitting diode) that emits the correct spectrum of light. Red LED light travels deeper into the skin than blue LED light, which is sometimes used to treat skin surface conditions such as acne. When the light enters your skin, your mitochondria soak it up and make more energy, which helps cells repair themselves.

1 – power button, 2 – mode selection button, 3 – 650nm red light, 4 – 850nm infrared polarized light

Of particular interest to cyclists:

• Research shows that red light therapy may be useful for relieving some types of pain, particularly pain due to inflammation (irritation and swelling of body tissues). A review of 11 studies looking at the effect of red light therapy on pain found mostly positive results, though the authors said that more studies are needed.
• A review of 17 clinical trials studying the impact of red light on treating tendinopathy [basically pain, swelling, and impaired function of tendons, often caused by repetitive strain … sounds a lot like a cycling injury, doesn’t it?] found low-to-moderate quality evidence indicating that red light can help relieve pain or improve function.

If you’re still reading, it means your curiosity is piqued by red light therapy and the PRUNGO FluxGo as something worth learning more about.

1 – Main unit modules, 2 – connecting bands, 3 – charging cords

The first thing you need to do is charge the main unit modules. NOTE: PRUNGO recommends fully charging the charging case and then charging the main unit modules without the charging case connected to a power source.

It’s both a storage and charging case (via USB-C to USB-A cable). PRUNGO says 4 hours to charge all three main unit modules.

You can also charge a single main unit module via a proprietary magnetic connector to USB-A charging cable. PRUNGO says 3-1/2 hours to charge a single main unit module.

To use the PRUNGO FluxGo:

• First determine what part of your body you want to apply red light therapy to and how many main unit modules you need

• If you only need one main unit module, connect the short belt with buckle to one side and the appropriate length long belt to the other, and tighten around the body area.
• If you need two or three main unit modules, connect them together with a connecting band(s), and tighten around the body area using the short belt with buckle and appropriate length long belt (with extension band, if needed).

• Short press the power button to turn on the main unit module(s)
• Use the M (mode selection) button to select the operating mode. There are three operating modes:
  • MILD – 8 minutes – Shortest time and the highest instantaneous energy, generally used for pre-exercise warm-up or to relax muscles, relieve fatigue, or improve athletic performance
  • MID – 15 minutes – Moderate time and gentle energy, suitable for post-exercise relaxation or fatigue relief, reduces muscle soreness reduces discomfort, improves blood circulation
  • STRONG – 20 minutes – The longest time and the highest overall light dose generally suitable for painful areas of muscles and joints, to reduce joint pain, reduce inflammation
• Short press the power button again to activate the RLT. (NOTE: If you’re using more than one main unit module, the above steps need to be done for each module).
• You can turn the main unit module(s) off manually, but it/they will automatically turn off after the mode is completed.

Red light therapy for my lower back

I said at the start that I’m not in a position to prove whether red light therapy works (or doesn’t work). But here’s what I can report:

• First of all, it’s not massage or TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) so I didn’t feel any physical muscle stimulation.
• What I did feel was mild heat.
• I generally don’t experience any back issues riding my bike, but playing golf can definitely put a strain on my back. So I put the PRUNGO FluxGo to good use on my lower back before and after a golf outing with my daughter.
  • STRONG twice the day before (PRUNGO recommends no more than twice a day)
  • MILD in the morning before playing golf
  • MID in the afternoon after playing golf
  • STRONG twice the day after
• I can’t say there was a night and day difference, but my back definitely felt better, i.e., minimal pain/strain, than usual after 18 holes.

This is what I have to put up with playing golf with my daughter and why my back needs all the help it can get

Again, I’m not a doctor and I don’t play one on TV, but if you need something more than what you currently have to help manage pain/inflammation, the PRUNGO FluxGo may be the ‘droids you’re looking for.

• For more information, go to prungo.com.

Shimano MTB Shoes – S-PHYRE XC903W Women’s Race + New Gravity Line

Shimano has introduced the new S-PHYRE XC903W women’s-specific race shoe, while simultaneously sharing a reinvigorated lineup of value-packed performance and entry-level MTB shoes. A new assortment of XC shoes delivers ultimate comfort and capability by bringing hallmark S-PHYRE technology and style to a new price point. The reimagined lineup features seamless fits and improved construction for durability and control for off-road riding. And with more women’s specific models and sizes at every price point, Shimano delivers stylish performance to every rider.

For gravity-minded riders, Shimano has also unveiled a new assortment of enduro shoes, engineered for the most demanding riders and harshest conditions. Leading the charge is the new GE900HS (Hot Seat), a race-ready shoe built for gravity pros who demand maximum efficiency and control. Shimano also delivers elite-level performance in a women’s-specific design with the GE900W, while the GE900GTX introduces all-weather protection without compromising on-bike control. Rounding out the collection are the GF800 and GF800W, tuned for flat-pedal riders seeking better control with a comfortable and durable design. Each shoe is purpose-built to deliver control, stability, and performance where it matters most.

• For more information, go to shimano.com/footwear.

All-New Parlee Z-Zero GT
The new Z-Zero GT is Parlee’s new top-level road bike, introducing a unique integrated cockpit design that maintains classic looks, a lighter & stiffer frame, bigger tire clearance, and future-forward component compatibility. This is the fastest, lightest, and best road bike that Parlee has ever made (and that’s saying a lot).

Key Highlights of the Z-Zero GT

The post Gear Break: PRUNGO FluxGo Red Light Therapy, Shimano Women’s Race + Gravity Shoes, Parlee Z-Zero GT, Personalized Saddles from fizik, Cinelli Speciale Gravel Bike, Zwift Virtual Shifting for Tacx NEO Trainers appeared first on PezCycling News.