Strengths: Great range of colours, I went for the pink and lime. They smell really great, kind of a cross between the sweat of a lightly perspiring puppy and that yellow crud you get in the corner of your nails. You can really feel 'at one' with bike as you fly uncontrolably over cliffs.
Weaknesses: The cleat in the palm makes everyday things like stroking kittens or playing croquet a nightmare. The lack of sizing for people with abnormally lare fingers.
Overall: In the past whenever i was following my chums down some typically gnarly descent, with my brakes on full, they were forever telling me to "LET GO IT YOU TWONK!" This often led to me getting flustered and letting go of my bike completly, which often resulted in serious head injuries. Now thanks to these SPD gloves, no matter how hard I try to let go, I'm firmly attached to the back as I shot over the edge into oblivion.
Strengths: Easy to do up SPD compatable Lets the air circulate...
Weaknesses: ...also lets the water/mud circulate as well. The soles have little to no grip when walking on any surface (which has caused me to go arse-over-tit onto concrete on a few occasions) and when pushing in mud the lack of any studs is annoying.
Overall: These are the first pair of clipless MTB shoes I have purchased and I picked them up for £40. The two velcro fastenings is easy to do up, if a little unspohisticated, and keeps them snug on my feet. These are summer shoes so the first time you go near water or mud you'll get wet feet. I combat this by wearing sealskinz and/or overshoes. The lack of grip on the soles is a slight porblem, but it incourages me to keep on the bike. In conclusion these shoes are a good entry-level pair of shoes that have introduced me to the joys (and comedy falling off moments) of clipless pedals. The things that make them slightly bad for winter (breathability) will probably make them a joy in summer.
Strengths: Looks good Comfortable Seem like a well made short.
Weaknesses: Like any baggy short with an insert, you don't get quite the same close fitting of the pad as you would with lycra, but this is offset by not looking like a dork(I look like a dork when I wear lycra, I'm not saying that everyone else does)
Cost. But I got mine well cheap from Stif £24.99!
Overall: You get the usual quality you expect from Fox, but I wouldn't be so keen to buy them if they were at full retail price. Like most Fox products you seem to be paying for the little fox head. As I said before they were amazing value at £24.99 from Stif(And no I don't work for them)
Weaknesses: The pad is not secured so it squirms around and ends up bunched up where you don't want it.
Overall: These are quite good shorts, but like most baggy shorts with a liner, I find it more comfortable to wear some standard lycra shorts underneath, making the pad in the Snappers a bit redundant. I mamaged to pick them up for £34 which is fairly good value.
Strengths: Value for money Looks Comfortable Crash replacement
Weaknesses: AcuLok seems a bit flimsy,but I seems okay so far on mine. If it does break I can always exchange it.
Overall: This a quality helmet for the price. It looks good, fits well and is made to a pretty high standard. While the AcuLok system is not as sophisticated as securing devices on more expensive helmets, it does the job. Overall this helmet will protect your head just as well as a more expensive model and it won't cost an arm and a leg (or a whichever limb combination you prefer)
