I went to the mountains to have some fun.

2013/5/18 柳瀬公識

Just last Sunday, I participated in SSJ.

As I mentioned on TAKA-chan's blog, it was a truly fun event.

As for me, I entered the race and somehow managed to place 15th.

While I couldn't help but think that I might have finished a little higher if I could descend more gracefully, it was still a day that reminded me how the mountains are just the best.

So, I headed right back out to play in the mountains on my day off recently.

Breathing heavily, climbing and shouldering my bike... getting freaked out by steep slopes while descending but managing to get down, all in all, it was a day where I was drenched in sweat and enjoyed the mountains to the fullest.

On this day, Inocchi from Welldone, a first-timer to mountain biking, did a shakedown of his "DeSalvo" 29er!

He had a great time!

And on this day, he earned the title of "Tiger."

(I really wanted to post a picture of him descending comfortably, but I didn't have anything I could show you.)

So,

following up on last week's blog post, "I'm off to play in the mountains," here is an introduction to mountain gear.

This time, it’s the MTB shoes/GIRO edition.

This season, GIRO is making waves with their "EMPIRE" road shoes.

Their MTB shoes are also pretty cool.

GIRO

CODE / HIGHLIGHT YELLOW

¥33,600

This is the high-end MTB model, which corresponds to the "FACTOR" road shoe.

With an upper made of Teijin microfiber and an Easton 90 carbon sole, these shoes are designed to pursue both durability and comfort.

Of course, it is also a model that allows for arch support adjustment.

GIRO

GAUGE / WHITE x MATTE BLACK, BLACK x HIGHLIGHT YELLOW

GAUGE HV / BLACK

¥26,250

The "GAUGE" is also worn by that photogenic guy at Circles, whose trademarks are his beard and glasses.

It’s not made of Teijin material, but it uses microfiber for the upper and an Easton 70 sole. It may be slightly inferior to the "CODE," but it has more than enough performance.

By the way, "HV" stands for "High Volume."

It’s the model I recommend for those with wider or higher-instep feet.

GIRO

CHAMBER / BLACK x GUM

¥16,800

This is a clipless shoe for downhill riding.

That said, with their skate-shoe-like looks, they are also a great fit for trails and city riding.

By the way, the sole is Vibram.

It’s a reliable sole.

And finally, this pair, which shige loves.

GIRO

JACKET / WHITE x GREY

¥12,600

This is also an optimal model for downhill and dirt jumping.

Unlike the "CHAMBER," this is not a clipless shoe, but it features the reliable, high-grip Vibram sole.

For now, these have just become my everyday shoes, but eventually, I’m sure they’ll prove their worth at Fujimi Panorama.

In any case, this season, with brands like GIRO and fi’zi:k (which I introduced earlier) releasing MTB shoes, the range of choices has grown significantly.

I’m sure even those who haven't found "the one" yet will find something they like.

Well, for starters, there's a lot you can't tell without actually trying them on, so please come by and give them a try!

By the way, as for me...