Bontrager’s Trifecta: Helmet, Shoes, and Pedals

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by Michael Campbell, EMSCI #180, Williamson Medical Center (TN) EMS

The Helmet: Bontrager Quantum MIPS

I received the Quantum from Trek for a demo and review on December 15, 2018. It was a bit like an early Christmas gift. The first thing I noticed after removing the helmet from the packaging was its construction. This was my first look at anything other than a Giro helmet since 1999, and, I have to say that I really like the overall look of this helmet. The design of the MIPS system is very well thought out, and the rear “ratcheting system” is super-easy to use. This helmet has a lower profile than my current one, and, I must admit, it is more comfortable. I even forgot it was on my head after a few minutes. There are fewer vents in this helmet than in my Giro, and I was concerned that I would be hotter when riding. My concerns about the vents proved to be psychological; I was no “hotter” in this helmet than in my Giro.

I think that if you give this helmet a try, you will like it.

The Pedals: Bontrager Line Pro

As an IPMBA EMS Cyclist Instructor, I have been riding my mountain bikes with the cage-and-strap retention on my pedals for the last 19 years. I purchased a Fuji Tahoe 27.5 a year ago. It came equipped with flat pedals. I went straight out and rode my favorite mountain bike trails with those foreign pedals. The ride started out great. I was a little concerned that I would have problems with the different pedals, but on the smooth and minor rough areas, I experienced no difference between the new flat pedals and my pedals with the retention straps. As I progressed through the route, and my confidence increased, I started to ride harder and faster. As the terrain became rocky and hilly, I found myself slipping off the pedals. The climbs were not too bad, but I had a couple of “mishaps”, where my feet slid on the pedals, causing me to brake or change my line to compensate for my mistakes. The real problems arose on the descents; I had multiple incidents when my foot/feet slid or came completely off the pedals. One caused a particularly gnarly endo into a tree.

Bruised, and with a plethora of abrasions ranging from minor to me needing to get out my first aid kit, I mounted my “new bike” and finished the trail at a much slower and cautious speed. I swore I was changing out those da%n pedals as soon as I got home. I replaced those flat pedals with my tried-and-true cages and straps and vowed to never ride with flat pedals again. Well, as I researched the differences in flat pedals, I concluded that the ones that tried to “kill me” were the lowest-rated, poorest quality, and least expensive flat pedals on the market. I guess you could say ignorance is bliss.

So, breaking my vow with some apprehension, I installed the Line Pro flat pedals on my bike and rode some of the “trails” in my neighborhood. There are no real technical sections here and, as expected, I had no problems. I then ventured out to my favorite trails and found the Line Pro’s behavior extraordinary. I felt like my feet were glued to the pedals, there was so little slip. After riding about six miles, I noticed I was able to shift my feet/shoes on the pedals without slipping. The more I rode with them, the more I liked them. Having logged about 60 miles of off-road use, I have concluded the shoe/pedal pairing is superb. I have no plans to switch back to my other retention.

These pedals are lightweight and have a substantial number of pins for gripping. Besides the material used in construction of the Line Pro flat pedal and the ability to customize the height of each pin, they don’t appear to be much different than the “killer” ones. But those seemingly tiny differences made my confidence in my ability to ride harder soar, which led to a fantastic mountain biking experience.

The price of the Bontrager Line Pro is what I consider average, around $100.00.

The Shoes: Bontrager Flatline Mountain

The third and final product I was sent was the Bontrager Flatline Mountain shoe. These shoes look like what a skateboarder or BMX rider would wear. They are constructed of man-made “leather” uppers with natural rubber soles.

I wore them casually for a few days and found them to be very comfortable. They go well with jeans and shorts, and no-one questioned my fashion taste.

The first time I wore the shoes while riding, it was during an IPMBA class. There was no off-road riding, but they performed very well. I experienced no discomfort, and although they are less stiff in the sole than my regular shoes, I did not notice any pedal stroke loss or ineffectiveness. I feel like these shoes are great for patrol in EMS.

I rode the flat pedal and shoe combo on a couple of the local parks and found them to work together very well. I had no issues after “learning” the feel of the pedal through the shoe. I was very pleased with these products and feel they make a great team!

Mike is an EMT with the Williamson Medical Center EMS in Franklin, Tennessee. He was certified as an IPMBA EMS Cyclist in 2000 and an IPMBA Instructor in 2006. He attended many conferences and was a frequent competition medalist. He also provided EMS support for various courses and workshops. He has helped staff the IPMBA booth at EMS World two times, and his photo graced the cover of the May/June 2006 issue of Emergency Medical Product News. He can be reached at bikemedic1282@yahoo.com.

Photo courtesy Mike Campbell.

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