Pinkbike Product Picks
Mavic Alpine XL Shoe
The Alpine XL is what Mavic describes as their "full on trail shoe with bombproof construction." Cut higher on the ankle and with big, chunky tread on the sole, you can tell from first glance that this isn't an XC race shoe. While they may look similar to the 2012 version of the shoe, for 2013 the Alpine XL has been extensively re-worked after feedback from their riders, like Jerome Clementz, Fabien Barel and Anne-Caroline Chausson. The construction at the front of the shoe has been toughened to offer more protection, the top strap has been moved to stop it from rubbing against the crank, the tongue allows more airflow and the fit is slightly larger than before. Inside is an Ortholite insole provided by Mavic's sister company, Salomon, to support your foot. Each shoe weighs in at 410g. MSRP: $129.00 www.mavic.com
![The Alpine XLs have a neoprene upper that sits on your ankle stopping bits of dirt and debris getting inside your shoes. The sole is pretty serious business if it weren t for the cleat you could mistake them for proper mountain shoes. The quick lace system is protected by a flap to stop water and moisture getting into your shoes.]()
Pinkbike's Take:
Bliss ARG Kneepads
ARG is Bliss' active protective material, much like D3O it is soft and flexible most of the time, but hardens on impact to absorb the force of the blow. These kneepads are a lightweight offering, aimed at trail riders and enduro racers, rather than downhillers. Most of the protection comes from the large pad at the front with good coverage both above and below your kneecap. Unlike many trail kneepads they also include protection for the side of your knee. The main body is a simple tube, with straps at the top and bottom to hold the pad in place and a hole at the back of the knee to let some air in. MSRP: $89.90 www.blisscamp.com
![At the front is a big pad covering your kneecap and it is held in place by the straps at the top and bottom. From the side you can just make out the side protection. On the back is a cutaway designed to help air circulate around your knee.]()
Pinkbike's Take:
Madison Flux Jersey
For this year, UK distributor Madison have expanded their in-house clothing line. One of their flagship new products is the Flux jersey, a lightweight top, packed full of features at a very reasonable price. It took us a good five minutes to find all the pockets and hidey holes on this top. At the back there is one pocket for your riding glasses, another for your iPod, complete with port, a glasses wipe inside the front of the top and a little pouch by the collar to tuck your headphones into when you don't need them. Under the armpits, at the collar and behind the neck are mesh panels to allow airflow and the zip at the front is long enough to let air in on a hot day. It also comes with a limited lifetime warranty, which is an interesting idea for riding gear. MSRP £29.99 www.madison.cc
![The fit of the Flux jersey is not baggy but not so tight you feel self-conscious in it. The front zip is a good length and you can see the mesh panels running either side of the chest and underneath the arms to help airflow. At the back there is the glasses pouch and the iod pocket.]()
Pinkbike's Take:
The Alpine XL is what Mavic describes as their "full on trail shoe with bombproof construction." Cut higher on the ankle and with big, chunky tread on the sole, you can tell from first glance that this isn't an XC race shoe. While they may look similar to the 2012 version of the shoe, for 2013 the Alpine XL has been extensively re-worked after feedback from their riders, like Jerome Clementz, Fabien Barel and Anne-Caroline Chausson. The construction at the front of the shoe has been toughened to offer more protection, the top strap has been moved to stop it from rubbing against the crank, the tongue allows more airflow and the fit is slightly larger than before. Inside is an Ortholite insole provided by Mavic's sister company, Salomon, to support your foot. Each shoe weighs in at 410g. MSRP: $129.00 www.mavic.com
The Alpine XLs have a neoprene upper that sits on your ankle, stopping bits of dirt and debris from getting inside your shoes. The sole is pretty serious business; if it weren't for the cleat you could mistake them for proper mountain shoes. The quick lace system is protected by a flap to help keep out water and moisture.
Pinkbike's Take:
 | The Mavic Alpine XLs strike a very fine balance. They are stiff enough so we felt like we were getting plenty of power to the pedals and that our feet were supported on long descents, but not so stiff we couldn't walk around in them off the bike. Off the bike, they are surprisingly good - combined with the chunky tread, the cleat is inset into the shoe far enough to make walking on tricky ground fairly steady, but not so far in that they created problems clipping in. The Alpine XL's high sides and reinforced ends really do work in keeping your foot protected. Fastening is a little bit of a fiddle as the quick lace system sits directly beneath the top strap, so access to it is not perfect, but on the whole they are quick and easy to get on and off. Walking around in wet grass at the Val D'Isere Enduro World Series, we were impressed with how well they behaved when they got wet - they took a good while to let water in and didn't feel sodden and horrible when they did. Our only real gripe with them is that the UK 9 sizing came in at a Euro 43, which is a little bit on the small size, a 44 would have been more comfortable. They aren't cheap, but the quality is good and we would say they more than justify their pricetag. - Matt Wragg |
Bliss ARG Kneepads
ARG is Bliss' active protective material, much like D3O it is soft and flexible most of the time, but hardens on impact to absorb the force of the blow. These kneepads are a lightweight offering, aimed at trail riders and enduro racers, rather than downhillers. Most of the protection comes from the large pad at the front with good coverage both above and below your kneecap. Unlike many trail kneepads they also include protection for the side of your knee. The main body is a simple tube, with straps at the top and bottom to hold the pad in place and a hole at the back of the knee to let some air in. MSRP: $89.90 www.blisscamp.com
At the front is a big pad covering your kneecap and it is held in place by the straps at the top and bottom. There is extra protection on the sides, and on the back a cutaway is designed to help air circulate around your knee.
Pinkbike's Take:
| It's interesting how quickly the world can move on. A few years ago we would have been getting very excited about such a light kneepad, but as it stands today, they feel a bit out of date. The straps at the top and the bottom don't hold the pad in place well enough when you pedal, meaning it moves as you go. While the opening at the back may seem like a good idea, when combined with the movement from pedaling, it becomes a big, circular seam rubbing constantly on the back of your leg. While we do like the big main pad and appreciate that they have included side protection, the sides aren't particularly effective, with large gaps between the pads for rocks to sneak through. It's a shame, the ARG polymer seems to be a very interesting material if it lives up to the shock absorption and longevity claims that Bliss make, but the package it is contained in here doesn't make the grade. - Matt Wragg |
Madison Flux Jersey
For this year, UK distributor Madison have expanded their in-house clothing line. One of their flagship new products is the Flux jersey, a lightweight top, packed full of features at a very reasonable price. It took us a good five minutes to find all the pockets and hidey holes on this top. At the back there is one pocket for your riding glasses, another for your iPod, complete with port, a glasses wipe inside the front of the top and a little pouch by the collar to tuck your headphones into when you don't need them. Under the armpits, at the collar and behind the neck are mesh panels to allow airflow and the zip at the front is long enough to let air in on a hot day. It also comes with a limited lifetime warranty, which is an interesting idea for riding gear. MSRP £29.99 www.madison.cc
The fit of the Flux jersey is not baggy, but not so tight you feel self-conscious in it. The front zip is a good length and you can see the mesh panels running either side of the chest and underneath the arms to help airflow. At the back there is a glasses pouch and an iPod pocket.
Pinkbike's Take:
| It's hard not to be impressed with the Flux jersey. The material feels good, like a top that costs considerably more than this retails for. We can't think of many tops that have had as much thought go into them either, with the array of little touches to try and make it as useful as possible. On hot days it was spot-on, keeping enough air flowing around your body to stop you feeling like you were cooking as you pedalled. Overall, this is a great, full-featured top for a very reasonable price. - Matt Wragg |
Author Info:
Member since Oct 29, 2006
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
I'm just putting in regular thin laces. If anyone is thinking of buying laces before the original one goes, 24"/60cm ones are a tad short...
Any thoughts?
But what a harder substance does better than a softer one, is to resist penetration better. Not all impacts are pointloads, so how much hardening does this material offer under impact to prevent most penetrative loads while not materially transferring the force of the load to the point it negates it's protective function against general impact?
then again, my elbow is sore. can't brain today..