ABOUT THE RIDE CONCEPTS HELLION ELITE CLIP SHOES
Ride Concepts designed the Hellion Elite to be the ultimate hard-charging shoe in their lineup. Offering protection for the most challenging terrain and stiffness to support the biggest hits, the Hellion Elite is a gravity shoe through and through. Yet with some clever design, Ride Concepts kept weight reasonable (510g per Size 9 Shoe) and comfort high for less gnarly days.
The clip shoe features a ClipGrip rubber sole, with a hexagon outsole designed to offer traction when walking. The sole houses a 40mm long cleat box, which extends far rearwards to provide a gravity-oriented clip position for maximum descending confidence. Underfoot is a PowerDrive Nylon shank, ranking at the top of the Ride Concepts stiffness charts to provide high power transfer and lateral stability.
Between the foot and the shank is an EVA midsole, which is topped with a D3O high-impact zone technology insole. The combination of these gives efficient cushion against impacts, without becoming too thick or heavy. D3O is also used on the top of the foot to provide protection.
The Hellion Elite shoes are secured with the BOA PerformFit wrap system, giving dual-BOA adjustability and excellent pressure distribution. The BOA Li2 dials offer dual-direction micro adjustability to dial in the fit, and are protected with KPU ramps, although this protection is questionably effective.
The upper of the Ride Concepts Hellion Elite is made with Cordura material to offer abrasion resistance. An anti-bacterial mesh lining is in place to resist stink, and a fully gusseted tongue keeps dirt out. The full lower perimeter of the shoe is given a TPU mud guard, protecting against dirt and rubbing.
The Ride Concepts Hellion Elite shoes are offered in sizes US 7-13 and a choice of two colors, with a women’s-specific version also available. Retail price comes in at $262.50 / £219.95.
THE DIRT
In theory, the Ride Concepts Hellion Elite Clip shoe should be my absolute favorite gravity clipless shoes going, offering increased descending capabilities compared to my favorite shoe, the (previous generation) Ride Concepts Tallac Boa. Sadly though, there were a couple of elements of the Hellion Elite that didn’t quite suit my preferences.
The major issue for me is the slightly different shape of the Hellion Elite, and how it fit with my feet. There is extra volume in the Hellion Elite compared to the Tallac, which ultimately meant that my EU45 shoe didn’t fit quite as snug as the Tallac in the same size, even with the dual-BOA PerformFit system cranked down as tight as I could. So, on one hand I had the slightly stiffer sole and burlier toe protection increasing stability. Contrasting this was the upper, which wasn’t quite as secure, slightly reducing the feeling of connection overall. On clip shoes I desire an especially tight fit to ensure clipping out is as precise as possible, and felt the Hellion Elite fell short.
My other issue with the Hellion Elite shoe was with the BOA dial locations and protection. It was great to see Ride Concepts make a conscious effort to protect the dials with a ramped plastic barrier. However, the protection was only present for impacts coming from below, meaning the knobs were still susceptible to damage from the front. As such, I ripped the forwardmost BOA dial out of the shoe a couple of times on both sides during the testing period. Thankfully they clipped back into the shoe without issue every time, but others may not be so lucky.
Onto the positives, if you enjoy a better fit and spend less time scraping your feet along the side of the trail, then the Ride Concepts Hellion Elite Clip shoe could be excellent. The fit system distributed pressure very effectively, with microadjustability in two zones to dial it in exactly. The feel underfoot was stiff and precise, yet impressively comfortable. The materials used struck a good balance of durability and breathability, with a solid level of protection. The cleat track let me get an extremely rearward and aggressive gravity clip position, keeping things comfortable and emulating a flat pedal feel effectively.
The Wolf’s Last Word
If the Ride Concepts Hellion Elite Clip shoes fit you comfortably and securely, then they could be a solid option for aggressive enduro and downhill mountain biking. Consider trying to size down if you’re looking for the most secure fit. 
Price: $262.50 / £219.95
Website: Rideconcepts.com
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Robert’s habitat is the Tweed Valley, Scotland, which is renowned for its root-littered enduro mountain bike trails. Robert has been developing his bike handling skills for the last 16 years. Since he was a pup, he’s been riding everything from BMX through to enduro and downhill bikes. Combining a playful style with occasional speed-focused aggression, he favors supportive bikes, and does his best to push them hard.
Rank: European Tech Editor
Size: 6’2” / 189cm | 220lbs / 100kg
Social: @robert_johnston
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