Giro Xen Helmet 2009

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:13:00 GMT

The 2009 version is the latest generation of the well established Xen helmet from Giro. It has its style drawn from the skate style so may look a bit odd if you are used to more classic style mountain bike helmets. However this heritage means that it offers more protection coverage going lower down the neck than traditional designs. The upper and lower are hard moulded which again adds to the protection it offers as well as stops it getting damaged by small day to day knocks. The upper has 17 vents that are channelled to help keep you cool even on the climbs. There is also a visor to keep the sun out of your eyes and held securely on with Giro's patented POV system. The overall weight for it is 300grams so its hardly noticeable on your head. Depending on what you go for there are standard black and grey colours but also look out for some great detailed designs that really stand out.

The helmet has plenty of adjustment to allow it to fit to anyone’s head once adjusted it does feel secure and comfortable to wear. However we did find that the sizing for these was slightly different then normal, obviously it is different for each rider so its worth trying on one before you buy just to be sure. Overall we are not totally blown away by the design, especially if you have a larger head, but if you are into some serious enduro or hardcore XC in may be worth taking a look as seems to offer more protection than some helmets we have seen and some style too (if that’s your cup of tea).

Buy online here from £79.99

RockShox Sid Team 2009

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:54:00 GMT

The 2009 version of the top cross-country fork form RockShox is the SID it comes it at a very respectable 1485g working on a Dual Air spring system and comes in a striking black or white design. They supply either 80mm or 100mm of travel which should be plenty for most cross country riders. They also offer an external rebound adjustment and a low speed compression lock.

Testing this fork out on the trails we noticed straight away how responsive it was into the corners there was none of the flex you get with cheaper forks even when cornering hard. The weight is low enough to make most XC riders drool slightly but its nice to see that this is not at the compromise of the functionality. Hitting some frozen rocky terrain the 100mm of travel soaked them up with no problems at all and we are sure the 80mm version would be plenty for most riders. We had the slightly heavier version that has the remote lockout but found this easy to use and gave us the ability to very easily tune it to the terrain on the fly. This is a great fork very comparable to the FOX offerings but if you seek out the deals coming in at a lower cost.

Muddy Bike UK - Mountain Bike Reviews - 2009 tag

Giro Xen Helmet 2009

RockShox Sid Team 2009