I ride flat pedals on occasion, and Giro's Jacket feels like a racing flat should - with just enough flex in the soles to wrap around the pedals when descending steep chutes, yet stiff enough that pedaling the cranks in circles doesn't feel foolishly squishy. Vibram delivers a sole that feels remarkably sticky and, like Five Ten's Stealth Rubber soles, sometimes I needed to lift and re-center a foot when I placed it at a bad angle on the pedals. The molded insole is a performance plus, as it helps to form a snug heel cup for pedaling. Slim, but effective padding under the tongue and around the ankle makes for just-right comfort. Inside the shoe are elastic bands, similar to Ghetto-style faux sport shoes that are designed to be worn unlaced, and while I am sure that Giro placed them there for a reason, they can be felt rubbing inside the Jacket's otherwise ultra-comfortable inners. Those with feet that fall between popular sizes should know that Giro's sizing is a bit small. I normally ride 42.5 shoes and the Giro 43 was a good fit for me. If the Day-Glow green and gray is a bit much for you, don't let that be a deal breaker. Giro's other two colorways are more in keeping with traditional DH footwear. Tough enough to bang around the boulders on a DH sled and stylish enough to session with the size-six double stretch jeans crowd, the Jacket should become a popular flat-pedal shoe. The asking price is right up there with the dominant DH shoe, but so is the construction and performance. Giro is definitely swinging for the fence. The only thing missing is a mid-ankle Jacket.- RC |
Kenda's Honey Badger tires feels supple at pressures that would turn its Nevegal cousin into a rock-hard wheel of pain, but it seems to perform best around 30psi. At this pressure, the supple casing will absorb and roll over edgy rock and root hits without self destruction in the form of a bruised side-wall. Climbing or braking traction is abundant in straight-line situations and the breakaway point when rolling hard into a turn is smooth and predictable. The Badger's reinforced edging blocks will carve a sharp line, but you'll need to lean the bike over a bit more to reach them compared to a Nevegal or a Minion in the same turn. Once you've found the sweet spot of its edging blocks, the Honey Badger becomes a predictable tire at speed. The suppleness of the Badger is its best and worst trait. It can find traction around corners and on steeps when the surface is gravelly and uneven - which makes it a superior trail tire, because it is trustworthy in almost every situation you'd come across in natural terrain. Without the stiff, unyielding casing and pronounced edging blocks of a Minion or Nevegal type design, however, the Badger gives up some high-speed cornering grip on prepared surfaces like berms and buffed out DH turns. Where it kills all but a few competitors, however, is its fast roll in rowdy dirt, a gear higher in every situation than the aforementioned greats, and the tires that do compare are similar designs, like Schwalbe Rocket Rons and the Specialized Purgatory. Durability should be good in spite of the minimal tread rubber. I have had no flats or cuts (yet) and after skidding down the boulders of the Southern California Batholith region two or three times a week, the blocks are looking pretty strong. Those interested in 650B should put Kenda's Honey Badgers on their short list of trail tires.- RC |
Madison's Flux 88 short is priced competitively, especially considering the complexity of its design and its excellent performance. So many baggies swish-swish-swish along as the material flaps against bike and body for hours in the saddle, but not so with the 88s. Trail rides are quiet and the stretchy fabric returns to the right place after transitioning from a steep descent back to an XC pedaling position. The side pockets are not trustworthy because they use vertical zippers, but they are deep enough to house a smart phone and then pedal unhindered. Zipper pulls at all locations are handy in the cold and with gloved fingers. A great liner is never sensed while it is being worn. To its credit, the Flux 88's liner has grippers on the leg seams - a major plus - and a modern molded moisture-wicking pad design, but it takes a while for the liner to 'find' its proper place around the nether parts. Once the handshake is over, though, the two shorts become one and the ride becomes comfortable. The possible downside of Madison's Flux 8 short is that, while it is actually well suited to DH and Freeride use, it does not seem to be made from strong enough material to survive a yard-sale magnitude crash. To its credit, my Flux 88s have survived three seasons without a rip and they are billed for trail use - but such a versatile short is hard to find, so I yield to the temptation and use them for everything.- RC |
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Are the Giro Jackets made of synthetic materials or leather? Can a Vegetarian get some corporate love too?
Please make the BBG 2.1 UST/DTC in a 650B/27.5.
The BBG is a wicked tire.
Thanks
the deluxe model looks a bit better
they do look like a good short though i'll wait for the price to drop £80 is a lot!