We were recently invited to Perpignan in the south of France to enjoy a couple of days riding Mavic’s new ‘Allroad’ collection, which includes all new wheels and a complete range of technical clothing for the growing niche of gravel riding.
Behind the Allroad clothing collection is product designer Sylvain Richard who informs us the range is motivated by the same technical function as any other garment in their range but with a more relaxed silhouette; in our experience, that holds true.
Firstly, and most excitingly, is Mavic’s new gravel-specific shoe, the Allroad Pro: it utilises patented Matryx technology to weave a one-piece upper, a mixture of polyamide and kevlar, that weighs just 16 grams. The upper is incredibly thin and breathable, almost mesh like, and is treated with a durable water repellent coating before manufacture, so the coating is present throughout the entirety of the material.
The kevlar fibres are included only at the sides of the shoe, where strictly necessary and where foot retention is most important; kevlar is renowned for its massive tensile strength.