Teva introduced the Links last year but they were not able to pull together an Interbike booth in time for Interbike 2011. This year however, they had a big presence in the outdoor and indoor expos and they had almost 10 different models of shoes to show in the cycling category.

They have shown their commitment to cycling by broadening the range beyond the Dirt Jump, Freeride Links shoe as they introduced a Lifestyle/Commuter line and a new clipless style all mountain shoe.

The clipless style pedal is the Teva Pivot and it is currently in the prototype phase. They are working in collaboration with Crank Brothers to develop a show that has the cleat mounts fully integrated into the shoe design. Several patents are in the works for the Teva Pivot sole. A prototype was on display beneath a glass case at Interbike and the shoe looks good in both available colors.




The other exciting shoe is the Teva Joyride shoe which is available in low or mid height. The Joyride shares the same sole as the Links shoe so it has the same technology that allows the shoe to mate with the pins on a flat pedal. It also has directional 'teeth' on the tip and heel of the shoe to make it easy to descend or climb a dirt slope.

The Joyride has a leather upper that is wide around the metatarsal area so it is very comfortable to wear. After wearing my Joyride mid for about 11 hours at Interbike today, I can honestly say that it is one of the most comfortable shoes I've tried. I also wore it while walking and testing bikes at the Dirt Demo and it proved to be a very capable shoe. It grabbed my Spank pedals confidently and I was able to control the bike easily. The only weakness in mountain biking applications is there is not a lot of upper protection from rocks and other obstacles. As a commuter shoe, or casual biking shoe however, this shoe will be ideal.

francis@mtbr

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Aug. 28, 2012



I got to visit the Teva headquarters earlier this year and I discovered a focused group of cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts intent on making their mark in the bike shoes category. They were like a start-up trying to figure out what the customer really wanted. They put a stake in the ground with their first shoe, the Links (reviewed here). But it quickly became clear that they had bigger plans.

The first feedback was more colors, more styles. More colors really meant riders wanted black. So deliver that they did. And they were able to insert a little bit of flavor in it with their trademark blue shoelaces. I've used the new Links shoes all year and it's best attribute for me is I use it at work all day, go pick up some lunch with my commuter bike. Then after work, I hit the local trail called Waterdog in Belmont, CA using the same shoes. It's durability is apparent too as these shoes still look new.

While in British Columbia this summer, I was hanging out with Teva Rider Sam Dueck at a Norco event. He told me how comfortable he was in his Teva Crank Mids and we exchanged some notes about them. But since we were at a little bike park, he starting taking some runs and just starting launching it on those jumps! I assured him that my Crank Mids have seen no such action.

Anyway, this Teva Pivot with clipless compatible sole is welcome news. It looks to be in the early development phases but the design looks good and they're putting a lot of R&D behind it. 'Teva platform shoes are designed so you can make adjustments in mid-air,' Product Manager Chris Hillyer once told me. Well, I won't be using that feature with my 6-inch vertical jumps. But as I split time between my platform shoes and clipless shoes, it's good to see this option from Teva.

Francis Cebedo
mtbr.com



Teva Strengthens Bike Collection with Clipless Product and New Partnerships
Product, athletes, partnerships and events are paving the way for 2013

(Goleta, Calif.) - Following the introduction of its freeride mountain bike collection in 2012, action outdoor brand Teva® (a division of Deckers Outdoor Corporation NASDAQGS: DECK) is launching into year two with an innovative product collaboration with bike component manufacturer Crankbrothers that will diversify its product offering.

"Our bike collection is truly a labor of love for the brand," says Chris Hillyer, Product Manager of Innovation. "From support of some of the best events in this space to the wealth of knowledge and experience found in our incredible athlete team, we've been able to respond with product that fits the performance needs of top athletes without sacrificing the style that is a vital part of the mountain bike culture."

Teva Sponsored the Best Trick contest this year at Crankworx


Taking cues from its original freeride mountain bike shoe, the Links, the brand has expanded the collection to include nine styles, ranging from performance shoes like the new Links Mid developed with our athletes, to casual, urban bike styles like the Joyride, Roller and Freewheel. Coming in fall 2013, the brand will partner with Crankbrothers to deliver the next level of product to the market with the introduction of the Pivot, an all-mountain clipless style.

"After the introduction of the Links we heard it over and over-'when are you making a clipless shoe?'," continues Hillyer. "With the help of Crankbrothers we've been able to look not only at the shoe but also how it integrates with the bike as a whole. This partnership has helped us develop a product that looks and performs great straight out of the box."

"Our product team is impressed with Teva's over-commitment to making not only a special product, but with its outsole and cleat interface, a superior product for this shoe category," says Andrew Herrick of Crankbrothers. "While virtually all other brands that make a "skate culture" cleat-compatible shoe tend to drill holes in the bottom of skate shoes, Teva has worked with our team here in Laguna to engineer the proper way to make a shoe from zero. We love a fresh pair of eyes looking at common problems with product design and creating a solution."

Teva will be attending both Eurobike (booth # FG-B9/3) and Interbike (booth #28076) with plans to display its full mountain bike shoe collection and unveil the prototype of the new Pivot. The brand will also support Red Bull Media House in association with Freeride Entertainment at the world film premiere of Where The Trail Ends, featuring Teva riders Kurt Sorge and Cam McCaul on Wednesday, September 19th at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. To purchase tickets visit www.wherethetrailends.eventbrite.com.

Source: Rynell Cook