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Gear Review

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Ride Concepts Shoes - Hellion

Ride Concepts is a new brand to Continental as of last year. I picked up a pair of their mens flat pedal shoes, the Hellion, shortly after we started carrying their shoes in our store. I now have a good season of riding baked into these shoes and they are holding up quite well. I've had experiences in the past where the sole of my shoes would be completely worn out after only a season of riding on them. However, that has not been the case with these shoes, as the sole is still there with plenty of grip remaining to cling onto my flat pedal pins. 

Prior to riding Ride Concepts shoes, my last shoes had soft soles that didn't have good contact with my pedals. They also wore out quite quickly and didn't have the snug fit that I was looking for. My Hellion shoes, however, have been sticking to my pedals like glue. I almost feel like I'm clipped in.  The sole of the shoe is quite stiff as well out of the box, but it does wear in nicely for some more feel of the pedal. Initially, I couldn't feel how my shoes were contacting the pedals at all, but after a month or so of riding I had that awareness back and the sole is still supportive. 

If you are a fan of clipless pedals, there are several options available for that style shoe available as well. Their designs allow for plenty of grip on your pedals in case you come unclipped, as the clips on the shoe are recessed. 

One of the best parts of Ride Concepts shoes are the colors they're available in. Come check them out today!

Community Corner

Want to share your recent outdoor experience with the community in next month's newsletter? Submit it here!

The magic of riding this much, from 5 to 30 miles a day, 30 days in a row, is that it truly jump starts those biking legs that had been on skis for the past six months. The early spring bike races are less intimidating now, while my tolerances for “bad weather” have been blunted by controlling the mind, which started each day by carrying the bike down the steps, and hopping onto the saddle and setting out.

Living in Duluth and having both a gravel and fat bike, was helpful but not necessary. Looking back, however, this April it was necessary. It’s been only recently that I pulled the studded tires, having used them numerous times during April. And more often than not, I would take the fat bike to be on the safe side, i.e staying upright in sloppy snow or high winds or having to mix trail surfaces.

But what about those photos? I tend to post images in groups of three. And these bike rides were tours,  exploration via two wheels. As someone who is passionate about Nature and being outside as much as possible, my personal goal is to showcase what I see - what I feel - what I experience. When I bike tour, I tend to stop often, talk to strangers (or they talk to me), and generally breathe in my surroundings. It’s like me saying to you, “Come hither - check this out!” It’s like a trail report, Nature report, and photojournalism rolled into one. Each day for 30 days.

The individual photographs are journal entries, sometimes very personal, with deep back stories. Taken together each days’ photos are a journal. And if you sat down with me and looked at each photo, the story behind each would be interwoven with childhood memories, ambitions and a dose of soul searching. Taken a step further, April is my bike rider’s detox, which seems appropriate for spring, as we cleanse away winter and darkness and invite warmth, growth and light.