Pinkbike Product Picks by mattwragg

Ion Avid Shorts

Ion's Avid shorts are their translation of their surf heritage into a mountain bike short. They are made of a 4-way flex material, the same kind of fabric outdoor brands like Mammut and Salewa use for the high-end offerings for climbing and trekking. As such they are both lightweight and flexible and, to show their lineage, they close with a laces, rather than a traditional fastener. There is a large velcro adjuster on either side of the waist to help you get the fit dialled in. Ion say that the material is a double weave construction that should help the fabric repel water and mud without sacrificing breathability. At the back there is a panel just below the waistline that Ion have treated with the Sanitized biocidal formula to prevent bacteria growth where your shorts get sweatiest. The seams are lasercut for precision and then glued to give a smoother finish - a step we rarely see in mountain bike clothing. On the front there is a zip pocket on either side and in the right hand pocket there is a neoprene phone liner built into the pocket. MSRP: €139.00 (Ion is not available in the US yet) www.ion-products.com

We suspect it is a love/hate thing with the swim-influenced styling and details on these shorts - what do you think? We can't argue with how well-made and thought out they are.

Pinkbike's Take:

Like the Ion Bike Tee we tested recently, the Avid shorts are wonderfully produced. The material feels great to the touch and, looking inside, the stitching is top quality. We also love the way Ion pays attention to the details - the hip adjusters are some of the nicest we have seen on any shorts and the neoprene phone pocket is perfect for an iPhone 5 and a wonderful idea. Maybe it is us being stuck in our ways, but we never felt comfortable with the lace fastener on the waist. And then there is the styling. It is a love/hate thing, and we didn't fall on the love side. They are just too much for us and we can't imagine anybody outside Germany going for this kind of colour combination. We also think they need to be a bit longer and there is something about the ventilation holes in the crotch that just didn't feel right. If Ion made a pair of these in black with a popper to fasten the waist and an inch longer in the leg, these would be some of the nicest bike shorts we have seen. We cannot overstate how much we appreciate the quality and attention to detail, but as things stand we'll be saving these shorts for the beach, not the bike. - Matt Wragg

Madison Isoler Merino Long Sleeve Baselayer

Madison's Isoler baselayer is utterly simple - a close-fitting, long sleeve t-shirt made from merino wool. If you're not familiar with merino, it is a super-fine wool from a particular type of sheep. It used in sports clothing because it helps you regulate your temperature, wicks moisture away from the skin and, unlike cotton, when it gets wet it retains warmth so you don't compromise your body temperature. Merino also resists odour better than anything else, if you don't have a chance to get your kit washed for extended periods of time, it is the best material without a question. MSRP £44.99 (only available in the UK as things stand) www.madison.cc

Simple. Effective. We only really need those two words to sum up the Isoler base layer.

Pinkbike's Take:

There isn't much we need to say about the Isoler baselayer. It is everything we would expect from a merino top and, as such, utterly brilliant. Like the rest of Madisons clothing line, it is well-made and well-priced. Yes, you can get synthetic baselayers for less than this, but in our experience there is nothing that compares to merino for a base layer and while the cost may be higher, we think the value is too. There is no need to add anything more complicated to a piece of clothing like this as it is the fabric that you're paying for and you don't need additional features on a base layer. We did find that our medium top was a shade on the small size, but that isn't a bad thing with a baselayer. - Matt Wragg

Hope Retainer Ring

We first showcased Hope's prototype Retainer Ring at Core Bike this year and they haven't hung around getting them to market. They are machined in the UK from 7075-T6 aluminium and hard anodised for longevity. Like other chainrings of this type it uses an alternating narrow/wide pattern on the teeth which, when paired with a clutch-equipped derailleur, helps keep your chain on without any addition retaining device. It is available in 30t, 32t and 34t for 104BCD cranks and will work with 9, 10 or 11 speed drivetrains. Our 32t test ring weighed in at XXXg. MSRP $XXXX www.hopetech.com

We know a lot of people have been waiting for this and it doesn't disappoint - the machining is everything we could have wanted from Hope and it doesn't disappoint out on the trail either.

Pinkbike's Take:

In the last few years Hope have massively expanded their product range and it's great to see the UK manufacturer flourishing like this because we always have a soft spot for small engineering companies producing bike parts. The Retainer Ring is everything you could hope it would be - the quality of machining looks to be top notch and we love the understated, laser-etched graphics. Out on the trail it simply works, in our time with it we had zero problems with dropped chains and quickly forgot about it completely, which is always a good sign. We reckon that making a 30t option is a good call to, because many riders still seem reluctant to make the jump to 1x drivetrains, but paired with their 40t cassette extender, we think even the most timid of riders should have a wide enough spread of gears to ditch that front derailleur. - Matt Wragg

Author Info:

mattwragg

Member since Oct 29, 2006
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