Ride Concepts is a new mountain bike focused company out of Southern California who recently unveiled a full line of riding shoes. While there’s no shortage of kick ass options for those that prefer to clip-in, the viable choices in the flats market remain limited. Ride Concepts is poised to change that, having recently debuted 5 flat pedal models and 3 different highly engineered sticky rubber compounds. For the record, there is also a clipless compatible model, but just one. And that right there was all I needed to hear to know that these guys are serious about flat pedal performance. So, when a pair of their Hellions showed up at my doorstep last fall, I wasted no time finding out how they perform. Taking a closer look at the Hellions reveals synthetic uppers, full wrap rubber toe caps, loads of ventilation, lace keepers and gusseted tongue. The grey color way is sharp but understated and should match most any kit. If there’s anything missing it’s that Ride Concepts are offering only full sizes, no half sizes for the time being. My foot is a solid size 10, high volume, and a bit on the wide side. My test set of size 10 Hellions wrap around my feet just slightly to the comfy side of a precision fit, but not at all sloppy or loose, with a little extra room in the toe box. Digging deeper, there’s some cool tech inside that will appeal to anyone who has ever bruised a heel. Ride Concepts has included D3O insoles in the Hellion to protect against heel bruises on hard landings. Ride Concepts has worked with Rubber Kinetics to introduce three rubber compounds for their outsoles. Two of the compounds, High Grip and Max Grip, are employed in their flat pedal shoes. The Hellion uses the High Grip formula with the Max Grip being available only on the upcoming TNT model. The Max Grip rubber is organized into a pattern of hexagons ostensibly to achieve excellent grip both on pedal pins or hike-a-biking over loose surfaces. My ride time on the Hellions started with chilly and muddy PNW fall conditions. Cooler temps means rubber is a bit harder than it is in the heat of July. Add a slick coating of mud and it’s a great time to test the merit of some fresh rubber. Out of the box, the shoes had a bit of float on my Chromag Scarab pedals and the uppers were a bit stiff. Fast forward a couple rides and the rubber started to break-in and really stick. The feel of the Hellions on my pedal pins isn’t quite what I’d describe as “locked in” but they’re not slippery either. I found that I could reposition my feet almost any time but rarely lost my footing. I’d say the grip is just about right for all-around riding and maybe not quite enough for racing or fast bike park riding. For those of you looking for that shoe, Ride Concepts will have the TNT available with their Max Grip rubber in the spring. In terms of power transfer, the Hellions are fairly stiff and there’s little sense of power loss grinding out long climbs. I’ve knocked out several 2 and 3 hour rides in the Hellions and have found few faults along the way. Overall, I’ve really been impressed with the Hellions. They’re a little boot like out of the box but once broken in, they’re all day comfortable. I generally tend to feel like more grip is better, but the Hellions have more than enough for the riding that I do most. With over 3 months of ride time, they are wearing well with no signs of durability issues. The soles still look new and I feel like these will easily handle a full season of hard riding, maybe more. From a value perspective, the Hellion comes in $20 cheaper than their closest competitor and I have a suspicion that they might last quite a bit longer. If you’re in the market for a new pair of flat pedal shoes, definitely give these a look. Details On the web: rideconcepts.com Model: Hellion Sizes: Mens 7-13, Womens 5-10 Colors: Mens Charcoal/lime and Black/black, Womens Dark Purple/Purple and Charcoal/Mid Grey MSRP: $130 USD

Stefano Migliorini started riding bikes at a young age. He rode to emulate his older brother, a motocross racer. He started loving jumps and hills, and soon after, got into BMX racing. He was good at it, winning 10 Italian championships, 3 World Cups and 3 European championships. A brief stint in the military halted his career, but he picked up his two-wheeled passion once again as a downhill racer. He was one of the first Europeans to find a spot on an American team roster (GT Bicycles), and he competed against such downhill legends as John Tomac, Nicholas Vouilloz and Brian Lopes. His career highlight was a third overall in the 1993 Downhill World Cup. When his career ended due to an injury, he stayed in the dirt world, consulting for many facets of the industry. One of his close friends was the former manager of Honda’s MotoGP team Livio Suppo, who first introduced Migliorini to e-bikes, and it was then that the idea that became Thok was born. The dream was to offer riders of different levels and abilities to ride together. Thok was born of this collaboration with Suppo, along with a handful of other friends and associates, including 22-time world trials champion Tony Bou. The e-bike line they’ve brought out is currently named MIG, short for “Migliorini.” The models range from the basic MIG-ST (short-travel 29er) up to the MIG-R and MIG Anniversary. What we’re looking at here is the original MIG with 140mm of rear travel and 150mm in front. THE BIKE The MIG is set up as an all-mountain bike, not set up as something more specific like an enduro ride (that would be the MIG-R). It uses a quadrilateral linkage layout with a Horst Link. The rocker arms are robust, and they use a four-bar system with a yoke-driven shock. The whole design is called TPS, or “Thok Progressive System.” Thanks to this design, the chassis torsions under load aren’t transferred to the shock, which helps with responsiveness and durability. The hydroformed aluminum frame utilizes large tubing for strength, possibly at the cost of slightly higher weight. The bike was designed to have a lower center of gravity and a wheelbase that makes it very agile. That agility is controlled by immense 780mm-wide bars. “The bike is so agile and dynamic, the suspension so plush and forgiving, it begs you to have fun!” It features full suspension from RockShox with a Yari fork and a Deluxe R rear shock. Brakes are Shimano Deore with 203mm rotors. In a very interesting departure, with all the Shimano components down to the motor and brakes, Thok spec’d the bike with a SRAM NX drivetrain. Everything is clean, with most of the cables routed internally. It’s a matte-charcoal-colored bike with an optional accent color for the protective rubber and plastic battery cover. The stock battery cover is black, and this red one is included. Guess which one we liked better? THE MOTOR Thok decided on Shimano for the powerplant, owing to the proven supply and reliability, as well as the tiny display and the mechanical “shifting” between power levels. The E8000 motor is one of the smallest and lightest in the industry, with a narrow Q-factor and 70 N/m of torque; it’s capable of flattening most hills. We especially like it because it’s tunable by the rider via an app. That’s a very good thing, because on most all bikes running the factory settings, Eco is fine, but Trail mode is set too low, followed by a massive jump to Boost, which really should only be needed for the steepest of grades. Our favorite thing is to hit the e-Tube app and push up Trail’s power to around the middle for most bikes. The MIG was no exception. The cockpit is really clean, thanks in part to the tiny STEPS display. It’s great the way they designed the mount to protect it. The mechanical shifter to change modes is one of our favorite features. Since most bikes these days run a 1x system, you can now have a shifter on the left side of your bars to match the right, where it would’ve been previously controlling a front derailleur. The 504-Wh battery is mounted underneath the down tube. This helps lower the center of gravity, stiffens the frame and frees up space in the front triangle for a water bottle. Thok has affixed a protective cage that surrounds the battery to help protect it, and you get two with the bike—a black one and a red one. Charging can be done on or off the bike. A proven Shimano STEPS E8000 motor provides 70 N/m of torque in a tiny, light package. Note that with the battery placement on the underside of the downtube, there’s room for a bottle cage. WHO IT’S MADE FOR The MIG is aimed squarely at serious, all-mountain riders who like something unique-looking and want something that won’t break the bank. THE RIDE Steep climbs are a breeze, because the seat angle is so steep that it allows for better weight over the front wheel. We hit a few sections that are really steep on a local trail that sometimes causes bikes to loop out, and the MIG scampered up them in short order, and the saddle position made it much easier to keep our body forward and the front end down. Conversely, descending is a blast. The bike is so agile and dynamic, the suspension so plush and forgiving, it begs you to have fun! The 66-degree head angle feels perfect. It eats up the trail, making drop-offs seem like mere bumps, going right over roots, even making rock gardens seem like a pile of pebbles. Big 203mm rotors, front and rear, provide plenty of stopping power and good modulation. The 780mm bars are wide, but there were a couple of trails where we’d have preferred to shave them down a bit. This is, of course, rider preference. Better to start with ’em too wide than not wide enough. Good choice of tires, with a Maxxis 2.8-inch Minion in the front and a Rekon in the rear mated with 40mm-wide rims that give it grip for days. With plus-sized tires, the right air pressure is key for grip, and you can run lower pressure than you would with a narrower tire/wheel combo for tremendous grip. We were cornering like we were on rails. E-MTBs are heavier than their non-e cousins, which can also help in this department. This bike, with the battery mounted low emphasizing low center of gravity, does this extremely well. Braking is accomplished with Shimano’s XT two-piston brakes. When most everyone is going to four-piston setups in the front, the fact that Thok put the biggest rotors on both ends was to make sure we didn’t want for more. There seemed to be plenty of power and good modulation. THE VERDICT It’s no surprise that this was built by a former racing champion. It definitely rides like one. Even more surprising is that it’s the first bike from a boutique brand. It has a great low center of gravity, supple suspension ad very controllable geometry. Stefano and his cohorts have done very well and at a price that you wouldn’t expect from a small brand. SPECS THOK MIG MSRP: $4825 Motor: Shimano STEPS E8000 Battery: Shimano, 36V, 504 Wh Charge time: 4.5 hours Top speed: 25 kph/15.5 mph (with assist) Range: 35–75 miles Drive: SRAM NX derailleur, 11-42T cassette Brakes: Shimano Deore hydraulic disc brakes, 203mm front/rear Controls: Shimano STePS E8000 Fork: RockShox Yari RC Rear shock: RockShox Deluxe R Custom Frame: 6061 aluminum alloy Tires: Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.80 “3C MaxxTerra EXO TR 980g/Rekon + 2.80” 3C MaxxSpeed EXO TR 780g Weight: 23.3 kg (51.26 lb.) Color choices: black Sizes: S, M, L, XL www.thokbikes.com THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GET ELECTRIC BIKE ACTION In print, from the Apple newsstand, or on your Android device, from Google. Available from the Apple Newsstand for reading on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. Subscribe Here For more subscription information contact (800) 767-0345 Got something on your mind? Let us know at hi-torque.com The post Bike Test: Thok MIG appeared first on Electric Bike Action.

Giant just revealed their newest e-MTB models for model year 2019—the Trance E+ and the Stance E+. We were the only American journalists invited to the exclusive launch of the bikes in northeastern Italy in the stunning Dolomites. These models are based on Giant’s standard Trance and Stance line of traditional mountain bikes, which makes their line more consistent. The bikes are called the Trance E+ and Stance E+, respectively. There are different levels of each, with the top of the line getting the 0 designation at the end. The Trance SX E+ 0 Pro is at the top, while the 1-, 2- and 3-level bikes have slightly lesser components and correspondingly lower price tags in descending order. HIGHLY CHARGED Giant stepped up their game with the powerplants of their new bike. They use Yamaha motors re-branded as Giant SyncDrive, but designed their own battery to supply the juice. The battery is made up of 40 cells in a combination of series and parallel to maximize capacity of the battery and output voltage, and the cells are 2mm apart (most batteries have only 1mm between cells) to allow better thermal management and ensure cell longevity. The new charger for the proprietary battery is a 6A charger (most chargers output 4A max), and with its on-board diagnostics, it can check the battery life and balance of each cell. We could confidently point the Trance E+ anywhere and it would just go. Flowy trails like this were a blast. This smart charger will jam power into the battery as fast as it can on a new pack with healthy cells, allowing it to charge to 60 percent of the 500 Wh capacity in only 90 minutes and a full charge in about three hours. As the battery ages, especially after it has gone through over 500 charge cycles, the smart charger will slow down the charge to increase the life of the cells. “It’s so good, it takes your confidence up a notch.” The battery pack itself, called the EnergyPak, is built to fit into the downtube and become part of the structure of the bike. It releases through the bottom of the downtube using a key and a secured latch so it can’t just fall out. The bottom of the battery is a molded piece that matches the frame and serves as a protective cover for the battery itself. SIMPLY ENTRANCED The Trance E+ features a coil-over shock mated with their Maestro link suspension. This setup is great for long rides where even a tuned air shock alone wouldn’t be able to provide consistent performance all the way down the mountain. The stock spring is 500 pounds, though heavier riders might want a heavier spring, which can be swapped out at the dealer. Rear travel is 140mm, and front travel with the beefy Fox 36 e-specific fork is 160mm. This bike is definitely aimed at serious enduro and trail riders, and with the higher-end components and suspension, it carries a price tag you’d expect, coming in somewhere in the neighborhood of $6–$7,000, depending on the country you’re buying it in. The Yamaha PW-X-built/Giant Sync Drive Pro-branded motor has custom power settings on five different modes each. Those modes don’t have a name, as they are merely indicated by LED lights on Giant’s new RideControl One display/control unit. This small unit, sitting next to the left grip on the bike, has two rows of five bright LED lights. The column on the right shows battery life in 20-percent increments. The column on the right shows drive mode—from off to level five. It turns on instantly and can be turned on on-the-fly (while you’re already riding). The power is delivered instantly as well. The torque sensor senses any input and can provide (depending on the power level) up to 360-percent support to the rider’s legs. We also found the off setting handy when stopping to talk, waiting for the rest of the group or just to rest because any pressure on the pedal makes the bike want to go. When we heard about this display in the presentation, we worried it would be too spartan. After all, we’re used to seeing speed indication, percentage of power or range remaining, cadence and more. In theory, geeking out on this info can be fun. In practice, though, we fell in love with the new display. Peripheral vision can be used for at-a-glance confirmation of battery remaining and power mode, then all that’s left is concentrating on enjoying the ride. This new controller has two rows of LEDs as the only display. It’s brilliantly designed, because it’s minimalist but works really well. The LEDs are bright and show you battery level and power level easily, even in bright sunlight.   On a normal PW-X motor, the top-level version (called “EXPW” by Yamaha) bumps the power output to a neck-snapping 80 N/m of torque. This makes it unusable for most trail situations but the steepest of climbs. Giant seems to have figured out a way to make this far more livable with their software tweaks. By the way, in case you wondered if there was an app for riders to customize the power output and such even further, there isn’t. Not yet, but they’ve hinted that it is in the works. The PW-X—or Sync-Drive Pro, either way you call it—has one of the narrowest Q-factors out there, specifically enhanced by a specially designed Praxis crankset and steel front chainring with custom chainguide that keep it as narrow as possible. The drivetrain also features an e-specific SRAM Eagle chain, 12-speed SRAM cassette, SRAM XO derailleur and just beefy components throughout. How was the ride? In a word, sublime. The trails in Italy are rocky and technical on both climbs and descents, with plenty of tree roots and drops running down the trail. There are also some flowy downhill pump tracks with fast, tight berms. With simply setting what we’d consider normal sag on the suspension (about 30 percent), the Trance E+ rolled over every bump like it almost wasn’t there. It’s so good, it takes your confidence up a notch. They’ve worked out a really great suspension system that works incredibly well over any surface, and there was virtually no bump-steer over any rocks, roots, ruts or other objects we chose to roll over. It’s a very plush, supple ride that keeps the Minion tires planted on the ground and pointed where you want to go, even in slippery, dry dust. Tires are 27.5×2.6 inches, but the bike can handle up to 2.8-inch tires. The Shimano XTR Trail brakes with 200mm rotors stopped incredibly well, even on hour-long descents without a break. They never faded and were very easy to modulate. WHAT ABOUT THE STANCE E+? For more of the beginner or intermediate rider, there’s the Stance E+ line. Still based on a frame made with Giant’s proprietary ALUXX SL aluminum, it features a Flexpoint rear suspension with a 120mm of travel in the rear and a 130mm of travel in the front. The price is kept incredibly low by lowering the spec of the components. The drivetrain is all Shimano, with four-piston brakes, an 11-speed cassette, and a KMC e-specific chain. It still features Fox suspension but no coil in the back. It features the SyncDrive Sport motor, aka a Yamaha PW-series SE motor, identical to the previous PW motor but with a higher maximum cadence (120 rpm for those of you who love spinning). It uses the same RideControl One controller and proprietary battery, along with Giant’s own tweaks on performance. We rode this bike on similar trails as the day before. Where the Trance line are high-end bikes with almost no compromises, the Stance line is half the price but certainly not half the performance. There’s a lot of bang for your bike out of the Stance. It was sure-footed and fast through technical terrain, able to climb almost everything we threw at it and just plain fun! We rode in rain and mud on this day, and we can say that the weather-sealing on the bike held up perfectly. SPECS GIANT TRANCE E+ 0 MSRP: $4600 Motor: SyncDrive Pro (Yamaha PW-X) Battery: Giant EnergyPak500, 500Wh Charge time: 1–3 hours Top speed: 15.5 mph (European spec) Range: 30–50 miles Drive: Shimano XTR, 1×12 Brakes: Shimano XTR, 4-piston, 203mm f/r Controls: Giant RideControl One Fork: Fox 36 Factory Rear shock: Fox Float DPS Performance, EVOL large-volume sleeve Frame: ALUXX SL-grade aluminum Tires: Maxxis Minion DHF 27.5×2.6” Foldable, Tubeless, EXO, Dual compound (f); Maxxis Rekon 27.5×2.6” Foldable, Tubeless, EXO, Dual Compound (r) Colors: Black, Chameleon Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL GIANT STANCE E+ 0 MSRP: $3500 Motor: SyncDrive Sport (Yamaha PW Series) Battery: Giant EnergyPak500, 500Wh Charge time: 1–3 hours Top speed: 15.5 mph (European spec) Range: 30–50 miles Drive: Shimano Deore XT, 1×11 Brakes: Shimano BR-MT520, 4-piston, 203mm f/r Controls: Giant RideControl One Fork: Fox 34 Performance, 130mm travel Rear shock: Fox Float DPS Performance, EVOL large-volume sleeve Frame: ALUXX SL-grade aluminum Tires: Maxxis Rekon 27.5×2.6”, Exo protect, tubeless-ready Colors: Ice Green Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL www.giant-bicycles.com THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO GET ELECTRIC BIKE ACTION In print, from the Apple newsstand, or on your Android device, from Google. Available from the Apple Newsstand for reading on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. Subscribe Here For more subscription information contact (800) 767-0345 Got something on your mind? Let us know at hi-torque.com The post First Look: Giant Trance and Stance Bikes appeared first on Electric Bike Action.

With no concrete diagnosis, but the knowledge that daily physical activity helps relieve pain, Mike Stewart makes fitness a priority and gets back on the downhill bike.( Photos: 16, Comments: 1 )

In the “The Lab” we present the latest products and put them through their paces for you. Some undergo long-term tests, while we check others out only briefly. This time we reveal how the Race Face Rip Strip fared. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1408638783102-0'); }); We now have a million and one clever designs to take tools out of our bag and get them onto our bodies and bikes. We have tools inside the steerer tube, straps to hold on inner tubes and we can even fit a tool set inside the main axle of our cranks. UK tester Trev has a pathological hatred of backpacks, so anything that helps avoid the swinging monkey on his back gets him stoked – so he was the first to get his hands on the Race Face Rip Strip. The Rip Strip works a bit differently to most ‘bum bag’ style belts, with a wide and flat lumbar support. This means that when tightened up, the belt sits tight against your back with no swinging or wobbling at all – a great improvement over most of the products on the market. The Race Face Rip Strip is extremely low profile, and the broad lumbar belt keeps it very stable We do not like that the only place to store a pump is directly against spine – a potentially dangerous situation should you go over-the-bars. If you choose to carry CO2 instead, the Rip Strip is a great way to minimise your backpack. Initial excitement about the perfect support and fit soon turned to disappointment when Trev loaded a pump, tube, multitool and some trail snacks into the bag. He loves the elasticated and reinforced pockets that allow you to carry a water bottle(s) and a spare tube and snacks, and zippered pockets are a nice touch. However they are too small for some smartphones – especially if you have a case fitted. The fundamental error is that the only place to secure a pump is in the central pocket with an elastic loop to keep it secure. A nice idea, but it means that the pump sits directly inline with your spine, which is super uncomfortable and a total no-no when it comes to safety in a crash. Why Race Face didn’t choose to offset the pump is confusing, as there are many locations that would have worked better on the Rip Strip. The build quality wasn’t the best either and the stitching soon showed some loose threads. These serious omissions aside, the lumbar design is certainly the most stable, minimalist bag you can buy. Like a hollywood sequel, with the Race Face Rip Strip the hype and initial teasers were exciting, but with some fundamental design errors we were ultimately left disappointed as it could have been better. Strengths Amazing stability Flexible loadability Weaknesses Terrible pump placement Zippered pockets too small for a phone Tester Trev Duration 8 rides More info raceface.com Price € 53 Weight 190 g The post The Lab: Race Face Rip Strip in Review appeared first on ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine.