The rebirth of Trail and XC mountain biking

Adventure & adrenaline with off-road trail-riding

With more cyclists still taking to gravel biking, there’s an interesting by-product emerging from this constant growth in off-road adventure. Whilst some would argue that XC (Cross-country) mountain biking never went away, and that down-country is as recent and exciting an addition to our sport as gravel; the simple fact is that these are all areas that are showing themselves to be growing sub-cultures across the global cycling shoes – and they all require the right cycling shoes.

Yes, XC mountain biking did take a brief dip, when riders sought to tackle the growing MTB Enduro scene – but it never went away. In fact, it has benefitted more than any other genre from the gravel bikingexplosion, as many cyclists look for something that’s not too extreme, but which takes the trail further – a more technically challenging and adrenaline fuelled riding experience. This exciting element of our sport, born in the USA, initially led the way historically in off-road cycling; and Lake have been there from the start, creating and innovating some of the most technical and comfortable mountain biking shoes in the world.

MTB XC in the USA

Whilst California saw the birth of XC, it’s the modern-day destinations such as Arkansas (Bentonville), Colorado, Utah, and Vermont, that provide many of the top choices for riders seeking fast and furious trails for top-tier XC adventures across the USA, today. Here in Michigan, close to the home of Lake Cycling Shoes, in Chicago, this vast and rugged State offers premier cross-country (XC) mountain biking, on seemingly endless scenic singletrack that winds like ribbons through vast in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.

It’s a great place for us to test out our XC mountain biking shoes, as we endeavour to keep pace with the changing needs of off-road cyclists and continue to create the best cycling shoes in the world – on tarmac and trail.

MX239 – The shoe for extra XC performance

When it comes to the ideal XC mountain biking shoe, there is no clear shoe. The fact is that we all have unique feet, and we all use them differently on the bike – in small ways. Which is why Lake have such a varied range of mountain biking shoes for you to choose from. However, the MX239 is a stand-out cycling shoe for hitting the trails with.

The MX239 is the latest version of one of our all-time favourite mountain biking shoes. The MX239 has an integrated tongue to the medial panel of the upper for a firmer foot hold, ensuring that when you turn the crank and take on the technical trails of Utah, or Colorado, your wattage is maximized into forward momentum through improved stability – a vital ingredient on loose and technical terrain.  

The shoe comes with a fiberglass reinforced internal heel counter, creating a more stable heel hold, and has increased spacing between the two BOA® dials to give greater zone adjustment to the forefoot area. It takes one of our favourite off-road adventure cycling shoes to a whole new level of comfort, fit and performance, with modern styling as standard. With XC mountain biking rising in popularity in the US and elsewhere, the Lake MX239 is a shoe for regular trail riders and racers alike.

Exporting adrenaline across the world

MX30G lightweight for adventure

Away from the dusty and rocky trails of the USA, XC mountain biking is also seeing a resurgence in Europe – with areas such as the Alps and further afield into Central Europe, developing a thriving XC race scene. The XC mountain biking shoes that Hutch and the team design here in the USA, are chosen to fit the feet of riders all over Europe and beyond. Our latest trail shoe, the MX30G is built specifically for the technical and fast-paced trails of cross -country riding and is a favourite for many European and American riders.

It’s a classically designed, pure and simple off-road adventure shoe, and is perfectly suited for long days on the gravel grind, such as a Dolomites ride in Italy, or a multi-day adventure ride in the U.K. Yorkshire Dales; or, here on the dusty trails of Utah. Yes, our mountain biking shoes are designed to be the best wherever you ride.

The MX30G comes as a stylish all-microfiber version and an ultra-lightweight mesh version, for those hot and humid days – whether that’s on the hard-packed trails of MOAB or traversing the steep hills on a hot day in Nidderdale, in the U.K… The shoe also has a choice of a mesh option upper, which is ideal for fast river crossings in races, allowing the water to be easily released and aiding the drying process with an airflow around the foot. The microfiber upper option is tough and hard-wearing, taking care of those knocks and rocks that frequently accompany a fast paced, technical trail with the dust and gravel flying around the wheels.

Speed is your friend – Lake MX333

For those riders who regard speed as their friend, such as Lake USA ambassador and pro cross-country rider, Jeremy Norris from Colorado, the Lake MX333 is the shoe of choice. Designed to be one of the most comfortable, high-performance and stable off-road cycling shoes in the world, the MX333 holds your foot firmly, maximising stability and power transfer, as the trail get s technical and fast. Living in Fort Collins, CO. Growing up in the nearby Rocky Mountains, Jeremy loves the freedom and opportunities for exploration that mountain biking offers. Travelling the world and racing the pro XC circuit and coaching internationally, the MX333 provides Jeremy with the right balance between comfort, performance and quality.

The Lake MX333 is evolution of the mountain bike shoe. We’ve used over 40 years of experience to bring you the best technologies, such as a Carbitex arch support panel, and a heat moldable internal Thermaform Carbon Fiber heel counter, to give you the most secure fit possible. It’s a performance oriented, lighter-weight second-skin, whilst giving you breathability and increased off-road durability, alongside our legendary Lake cycling comfort. Featuring our MX Race Last, it has a slightly narrower toe box and tighter heel than our Competition last, and less overall volume than the Sport last. It’s a shoe designed for cross-country mountain bike racers, looking for speed across the technical tracks and trails in the hills; giving riders a lightweight and close fitting ‘second skin’ mountain biking shoe, that ensures you have total control of the trail ahead. Designed for very high-cadence riding, with a slimmer and stylish performance fit, it’s the perfect XC shoe for high-adrenaline, mountain bike racing.

Take your own ride further – with Lake mountain biking shoes

Many cyclists ride a variety of bike styles, and gravel riders are frequently to be found on the XC (cross-country) trails, riding a more technical – and more comfortable, hardtail MTB. Cycling is a way of life and a culture; and XC mountain biking is only one of the many sub-cultures across the global cycling community. Ultimately, whilst we’re all unique and we ride our bikes in many ways, we come together as a collective, to seek adventure and to fuel our cycling soul with adrenaline. Thankfully, the USA landscape is filled with a variety of locations to choose from.

What we aim to do here at Lake, is to wrap your feet in comfort along the way, by creating XC mountain biking shoes that give stability, grip, performance and comfort in equal measure; so that those long days on the trail are memorable for the right reason. Click the link below and look at the world’s most extensive range of cross-country mountain biking shoes – then take a ride on the wild side, with Lake!