Wil reviews the new Ride Concepts Hellion Clip shoes

US-based mountain bike footwear specialist Ride Concepts is rolling out a brand new Hellion shoe lineup for 2025. There are three different models; the Hellion ($279-$319 AUD), Hellion BOA ($339-$369 AUD) and Hellion Elite BOA ($399-$449 AUD). Each will be available in both clip and flat pedal-specific versions.

It’s the base model Hellion Clip that I’ve been riding in over the past couple of months. These are designed for trail and All Mountain applications, and for 2025 they’ve received a hefty update in the style department that sees them moving away from the skate-inspired aesthetic of old. The branding is far more subtle, and Ride Concepts has implemented some notable improvements to the overall fit and function.

Ride Concepts Hellion Clip Shoes

• Sizes: US 7-13, EU 39-47
• Colours: Black, White
• Claimed Weight: 483g (US 9)
• Confirmed Weight: 540g (US 10.5)
• Price: $319 AUD

The 2025 Ride Concepts Hellion features a brand new streamlined upper that’s built with Cordura mesh fabric for breathability and a thin wrap-around TPU mud guard for durability. An asymmetrical profile sees the inside collar elevated to provide welcome padding over your ankle bone, while a reinforced toe box and heel cup adds further protection. As we’ve seen in previous Ride Concepts mountain bike shoes, bright orange D3O inserts are cleverly integrated into the footbeds to help manage impact absorption.

Being the base model in the range, the Hellion skips the fancy BOA dials in favour of a simple lace-up design with a single Velcro strap for added stability. A neat elastic loop is then integrated into the tongue to stow the ends of the laces and prevent them from flapping about on the trail.

Underneath you’ll find the ClipGrip rubber outsole that incorporates shallow hexagonal lugs with additional scalloping at the toe and heel to increase traction. The rubber isn’t as soft and the tread isn’t as aggressive as what you’ll find on the more adventure-inspired Ride Concepts Tallac. That gives the Hellion a less in-your-face aesthetic, and unless you’re properly traipsing through the bush, I’ve found they deliver decent grip when pushing back up the trail. They also feel more normal to walk around in at the post-ride pub stop.

As with the Tallac, the Hellion features a PowerDrive Nylon internal shank that boosts stiffness around the cleat area to provide a solid platform on top of the pedal body. You get a good range of adjustment thanks to a 40mm long cleat box, which allows you to slam your cleats quite rearwards to achieve the new-school mid-foot riding position. Often I find myself at the limit of this adjustment range, but on the Hellion Clip I have my cleats right in the middle.

Fit & sizing

There are no drastic changes to the fit of the Ride Concepts Hellion, which we’ve found to be in the middle-to-wide range of the mountain bike shoe sizing spectrum. I went with a size EU44, and the fit is pretty similar to a pair of Specialized or Bontrager kicks. For context, my trusty old Shimano ME7 shoes are a size EU45.

In comparison, the overall volume and width of the Hellion is more generous with plenty of wiggle room for your toes. Dialling in tension with the laces is straightforward, though my slender feet meant I had to reef the Velcro strap up quite a bit to get them snug. This left a bit of excess to flap about in the breeze, which was easily rectified by trimming them down with a pair of scissors.

Otherwise the Hellion is plenty soft and comfortable thanks to a good amount of foam padding that surrounds your feet. Along with the reinforced materials, it does mean they are on the heavy side. My test shoes came in at 540g each, which is 100g heavier than the Shimano ME7. That might not sound like a lot, but the extra 200g of rotational weight is noticeable.

Also noticeable is the thicker soles of the Hellion. Coming off the Shimanos, I had to extend my saddle height by a few millimetres to accommodate the extra stack.

On the trail

Over the past couple of months I’ve been testing the Ride Concepts Hellion Clip shoes with a pair of Crank Brothers Mallet Trail pedals as well as the bigger Mallet DH pedals. In both cases I have the cleat spacer installed to ensure clean engagement and release. However, there’s still plenty of surface contact since the underside of the Hellion is relatively flat and there’s enough flex to allow it to push into the pedal body. I also appreciate the extended channel, which makes it easier to guide the shoe in when you’re hunting for the clip mechanism.

Compared to the previous version the new Hellion offers a sportier feel with better support overall. They’re also significantly more breathable thanks to the use of that Cordura mesh fabric. Despite facing some hot conditions over the summer months, I’ve had no issues with overheating or swelling.

The flip-side is that the mesh doesn’t do much to prevent water ingress, and the thick foam lining will soak up quite a lot of moisture. My colleague Mick has also been using a pair of Ride Concept Hellions, and during a particularly soggy race he found his shoes became very heavy as they took on water.

This won’t be a big deal for Aussie riders who typically frequent dry and dusty trails. Indeed for fair weather riders, the benefits in breathability and overall comfort will be worth the lack of splash protection.

What’s the Ride Concepts Hellion competing with?

At $319 AUD the Ride Concepts Hellion Clip isn’t exactly a cheap pair of shoes. That’s especially the case when you put them up against the Bontrager Rally ($259 AUD), Shimano GE7 ($269 AUD), Fox Union ($279 AUD) and Crank Brothers Mallet Speedlace ($285 AUD).

Compared to those options, the Hellion Clip shoes place a stronger emphasis on impact protection and breathability. The raised ankle, TPU guard and D3O footbed inserts help to shield your feet when riding rough and rowdy trails, and for some riders that’ll be worth the higher price tag.

Of course fit is another big consideration when looking at different brands, and unless you have particularly wide or narrow feet the Hellions are likely to work for most riders. However, we’d always recommend trying mountain bike shoes on before making your purchase.

Flow’s Verdict

The new Ride Concepts Hellion isn’t just a better-looking shoe than its predecessor, it’s also more refined in terms of its construction and features. There’s more protection, though thanks to the Cordura mesh fabric they offer vastly superior ventilation that has been welcome on days out where the mercury has gone north of 30°C.

Whether that protection and breathability is worth the premium price tag and hefty weight is entirely up to you. If it is and you’re on the lookout for a fully-featured shoe for trail and enduro riding, the new Ride Concepts Hellion is a stylish option to add into the mix.