The brand Ride Concepts has been around for several years and has built a solid fan base during this time. It started with a small but fine selection of mountain bike shoes, which has steadily grown over the years.
Whether flat pedal or clipless pedal shoes, Ride Concepts have plenty of MTB shoes in their portfolio and rely on collaboration with renowned riders in their development. But what can the shoes really do? And – even more importantly – do they feel good? Good question and also a good reason to test a shoe thoroughly.
Voilá – our test of the Ride Concepts Hellion Flatpedal MTB shoe:
👟 General Information about the Hellion Flatpedal Shoe
- Appearance: The casual test-Hellion shoe impresses with a simple look in black and gray. The neon yellow logo and a few colorful details ensure that the shoe doesn’t look boring.
- Closure: Our flat pedal shoe is classically laced.
- Lace Tuck: The worst-case scenario – the shoelaces come loose and get tangled in the crank 😱. There is a small rubber tab between the lacing for this. Tuck the ends in, and you're good to go!
- Sole: The shoe features a proprietary sole blend and construction called Rubber Kinetics. It is shaped in a waffle pattern from heel to toe, offering the pedal pins plenty of opportunities to grip.
With the Hellion, Ride Concepts presents a comfortable MTB shoe that is not too fine for a bit of fun in the dirt.
- Insole: Inside the shoe, a breathable insole made of shock-absorbing D30 material provides comfort. There is also padding in the toe and heel areas.
- Material: The outer material of the Hellion consists of a two-part robust and water-repellent synthetic material.
- Ventilation: There are plenty of perforated ventilation openings in the front and side areas of the shoe.
- Toe Protection: The toe area is additionally reinforced with a abrasion-resistant material – this keeps the shoe in good shape for longer and also offers more safety in case of root or stone contact.
Sizes & Price
- The Hellion is available in women's sizes from 35 to 41.5.
- For men, the shoe is available from 39.5 to 47.
- Depending on the model and features, the MTB shoes cost between 180 and 250 euros (RRP).
The Fit of the Ride Concepts Hellion MTB Shoe
The so-called "Modern Lifestyle Performance Fit " is supposed to ensure that the shoe naturally delivers the best possible performance on the trail, while also functioning as a casual shoe.
Note: Our test model is no longer available. However, you can buy various current models with cool updates (new colors, BOA closure, and so on).
🔎 Ride Concepts Hellion: Our Test
We set out to test the Hellion in order to make the bike parks Winterberg and Willingen in the Sauerland unsafe.
Where did we test?
We examined the shoe under all conditions (from single trail to downhill). We were out in the neighboring trail park both organically and with the e-bike, allowing us to also try out the uphill performance.
The cap of the Hellion protects your toes and makes the MTB shoe last significantly longer.
Our First Test Impression
Even before putting them on for the first time, we noticed the rather hard sole. However, this first impression quickly dissipated on the first trail meters. Once you stand in it, the shoe feels very firm, providing good support, yet it is extremely comfortable. The inner material is very soft, and the fit is good. The size fits as we know it from other shoes. So, you don't need to add or subtract half a size. The foot sits firmly and securely in the shoe while riding, as the shape nicely stabilizes. The heel or Achilles tendon area is sufficiently cut out, so the foot does not even attempt to slip out of the shoe during uphill in a standing position.
The initial stiffness of the shoe and sole quickly vanished. After a few descents, the Hellion has been "broken in" and you can fully enjoy the advantages of this shoe.
How's the Grip?
The waffle-like sole indeed offers an incredible grip. When you take your place on the pedal, you stand there – rock-solid and unmovable. If you want to change the position of your foot, you actually have to lift the foot a bit. Whether DH, freeride, or on the e-bike, the sole always did an excellent job in terms of grip. But does it survive the pedal pins? Rest assured: The long-term result is still pending, but after two full days in use, there were no signs of wear on the sole.
Feed for the flat pedals: In the grippy sole of the MTB shoe Hellion, your pins can bite in firmly.
Does the Ride Concepts Hellion adequately protect the toes?
We had to test the robustness of the toe area involuntarily, as stones came too close for comfort in the rock field a few times. However, the combination of the reinforced front and the shock-absorbing D30 insoles prevented anything worse from happening.
Especially for a universally usable sports shoe, two points are absolutely crucial:
- waterproofness
- and breathability
Fresh air in the mountain bike shoe
Of course, after a full day in the bike park, we had sweaty feet in the afternoon, but it was never uncomfortably hot. You wear the shoe and quickly forget about it, and that's exactly how it should be.
Wet feet in the Hellion? Is the MTB shoe waterproof?
On our test days, it was summery warm. So we went looking for water to find out if Ride Concepts managed to make the shoes waterproof. A trail with a stream crossing was just right for our water test, and to be sure, we rode it several times (okay, it's also really fun 🙂). The outer material allows water to bead off wonderfully, but of course, moisture comes through the perforated ventilation openings and the laced area when there's a lot of water. However, this is absolutely within limits, and we would confidently recommend the Hellion for the off-season. Maybe not in a downpour, but it works perfectly in normal bad weather.
Inside, the Hellion always remains reasonably dry.
👉 Our conclusion on the Ride Concepts Hellion MTB shoe
Our impression of the Hellion is consistently positive. It pampers with various technical highlights that not only look good on paper but also work on the trail. It combines high comfort with impeccable performance on the pedal and can easily compete with the competition. The Ride Concepts Hellion is a great flat pedal shoe, and the MSRP of 180 to 250 euros (depending on the equipment) is absolutely justified.
We love testing!
We use any excuse to get on the bike! That's why you'll find many more tests about bicycles here in the Bike Blog! Here's a selection:
