Ride Concepts Hellion Clip MTB Shoes
The Ride Concepts Hellion was one of the earliest mountain bike shoes in the brand’s lineup. Ride Concepts released the ‘Hellion Elite‘ version last year with a few differences, and both stood out among the brand’s best options for an all-around trail shoes ready for just about anything.
This year, Ride Concepts took the Hellion and brought it to clipless pedal riders. The Hellion brings a shoe that’s ready for all-day traverses, park days, and anything in between.
The deets
The Hellion Clip shares a lot of the same features as its flat pedal sibling. It has a microfiber upper and a hook and loop strap that guards the shoe laces. There is a 42mm-wide cleat box with easy-to-use markings to dial in cleat placement, but otherwise there’s not a whole lot to the shoe. There are two colors, khaki and black, and a pair of shoes is priced at $150.
The Hellion is the lightest clipless pedal shoe that Ride Concepts offers, weighing a few grams less than the Tallac which I reviewed earlier this summer.
Ride Concepts Hellion Clip ride impressions
The Hellion Clip keeps the original Hellion’s aesthetic and not the Hellion Elite’s new look, which I wouldn’t have minded. The new Hellion Elite flat and the Tallac both have a more refined design that looks a little less skate shoe-y.
The Hellion Clip has a familiar feel though, and one that’s distinct from other shoe brands. While the Hellion Clips are easier to don than the Tallacs, but they still take a second to force-wiggle your heel in. There is an elastic loop to tuck tied-up laces into and then the hook and loop strap lowers the chances of your laces going AWOL and snagging a branch or something. This doesn’t happen with many mountain bike shoes, but it definitely doesn’t happen with the Ride Concepts I’ve worn.
The feel is comfortable and secure with minimal heel slip. Most of the Ride Concepts I’ve worn all have a similar feel when it comes to pedaling. They are stiff enough for long transfers but they aren’t XC shoes and they don’t act like it. There is enough flex for some hike-a-bike, but the Tallacs are a better option if you are doing a lot of it since they have a more outward sole and a little more flex.
The Hellion Clips are fairly well-vented. Weather in my neck of the woods has been rather cool during my time with the Hellion Clips but they haven’t stood out as being hotter than any other bike shoe, especially considering I’ve been wearing the all-black version.
Pros and cons of the Ride Concepts Hellion Clip mountain bike shoe
Pros
- Comfortable
- Secure
- Tough
Cons
- Not all that visually exciting
- Only two colors
Closing thoughts
Overall, the Hellion Clips are a great all-around trail shoe that can be used on almost every type of ride — unless your concerns are primarily with weight and stiffness. Ride Concepts hasn’t catered to that crowd yet, but the brand is growing like wildfire with mountain bikers because of shoes like the Hellion Clips. They work for just about everything, the looks are easy to get along with, and the shoes will last a long time.
