Now that they’ve got your hands and butt covered with their various grips and saddles, Ergon has turned to your feet. The new Ergon IP3 insoles borrow technology and expertise from Solestar, but manage to bring the price down quite a bit without diluting the benefits.
Solestar’s design creates a triangle of support under the mid foot, lowering the big bone directly behind your big toe while raising the outer edge slightly and bolstering the inside ankle bone. The idea is to create a solid, stable platform between your foot and the pedal so that all of your power translates into forward motion and isn’t wasted on sloppy biomechanics…
The idea being that if you support the foot better, you increase power transfer. Solestar wanted to reach a larger audience, so the partnership was born. Their original insoles use a carbon fiber base and retail for about €180. These Ergon versions use a glass fiber composite base and will retail for $60. They have a layer of carbon infused fabric over a thin panel of closed-cell EVA foam on top of the firmer composite base.
It offers a fair amount of inward Varus adjustment, which they say helps keep the knee in proper alignment. Claimed weight is 100g for the pair (size 42/43).
New GE1 enduro grips (which just so happen to be favorites around Bikerumor’s office) get the factory compound from their DH grips, now offering the grippier rubber on the enduro grips, slim and regular. They’re a $5 upgrade, putting them at $40 a pair. Available this fall.
There wasn’t much detail available yet, but word is the BE2 and BE3 enduro/gravity hydration packs will return to the U.S. next year. They use a split design to make it easier to carry your knee/elbow pads and full face up the mountain. They’ll use their quasi-swivel shoulder strap design with load-supporting waist belt to keep it moving with you and have a horizontally shaped reservoir to keep the water weight now.
