It should be clear to everyone that a company takeover does not always have positive aspects. And that seems to be what happened to some Five Ten employees when they were taken over by the sporting goods giant Adidas. Without further ado, they founded their own company based in California, Unparallel. Their expertise from 20 years of shoe development was probably also in their luggage, so it is not surprising that the new Unparallel range includes both climbing and MTB shoes.
The Californians use two different rubber compounds for the Up Link MTB shoe. The somewhat harder RH Rubber is used on the outside, which has a high shore hardness and is said to offer particularly good protection against abrasion. On the centre tread area, Unparallel uses the softer and vibration-absorbing VD Rubber. An EVA midsole in the heel and toe area should enable good power transfer to the pedals and at the same time provide a pleasant feeling when running.
Up Link MTB shoes: weight and features
When you first reach into the packaging, you immediately realise that this is not a lightweight shoe, but a stable and solid shoe for technical trail use. Robust, almost seamlessly processed TPU with an abrasion-resistant coating on the toe and heel area, a thickly padded ankle area and a slightly thicker and well-cushioned sole. In terms of weight, the Unparallel Up Link is therefore significantly lighter than a Specialized 2FO Cliplite, for example, but at a similar level to the Crankbrothers Mallet Speedlace, which was awarded a tip in our last trail shoe test in BIKE 4/22.
Unparallel relies on tried and tested fasteners. Even if the classic lacing is a little more complex than a Boa twist fastener, the bike shoe can still be adjusted to the foot quite well. A wide Velcro fastener gives the feet additional support and ensures that the heel is securely anchored in the Up Link even when pulling on the pedals.
It's nice to see that the manufacturer is also concerned about sustainability. Feet don't just stand on a run-of-the-mill insole, but on a high-quality Ortholite recycled insole made from production waste.
Unparallel Up Link: Fit and comfort of the bike shoe
In general, the Unparallel Up Link is available in sizes between 34 and 48.5, which covers a really wide range. The fact that there are not all intermediate sizes in European sizes, for example 45.5, is probably due to the orientation towards US sizes. Overall, the Up Link is a fairly normal MTB shoe, so that you can safely choose your standard size. However, the toe area in particular is a little more voluminous, like the Crankbrothers Mallet, so that riders with a flat instep might miss some support in the front area.
The generous padding around the ankles has proven to be particularly comfortable. No pressure points are to be expected here, even on longer rides. We can't quite understand why Unparallel describes the clipless pedal shoe as well ventilated and recommends it for warm days in particular. The almost closed upper material hardly allows any draughts to reach the feet. The tongue is also only minimally perforated, which can make it sweaty in the Up Link on hot days. In muddy conditions, however, the robust upper material has a clear advantage and can withstand even the worst splash water attacks.
Unparallel Up Link MTB shoes: info and price
- Area of application: clipless pedal shoe for trail and all-mountain use
- Closure: lacing, velcro fastening
- Sole: harder compound on the outside, softer compound in the centre
- Insole: Ortholite Recycling
- Sizes: US 5-14 / EU 34 - 48.5
- Weight: 1074 grams (size 46)
- Price: 149,90 Euro
Driving characteristics of the Unparallel Up Link
In terms of stiffness, the Up Link is roughly on a par with the Mallets. This means that the sole is stiff enough for long rides on trails, but offers enough flex for technical passages. Especially in combination with a slightly larger platform on the pedal, the flat sole works quite well and provides a secure footing.
Due to the rather deep cleat channel, we initially had slight problems clipping in with Crankbrothers pedals. However, a spacer plate under the cleats helped. Clicking in with Shimano cleats, on the other hand, was no problem. As you can easily see from the pictures, the Up Link MTB shoes were also tested with Magped pedals ridden. Here, the set-up was a little more complex and two 2-millimetre plates were needed to create the optimum distance between the shoe and pedal.
Even though the soft padding and the generous cut provide a lot of comfort, the fit is not quite optimal when pedalling in the saddle - your feet are slightly wobbly and a little spongy in the shoe.
Running with the Up Link
The flat sole construction is particularly noticeable off the pedals. Here, the Up Link rolls less smoothly than the Crankbrothers Mallet, for example, with its clearly pre-curved sole. The grip of the Unparallel was also not quite convincing, which is less due to the rubber itself than to the design of the tread. Two large V-shaped notches at the front and three at the heel are designed to interlock with the terrain. This works particularly poorly in wet conditions. And so, when pushing the bike, you can slip away faster than usual on a root or a rock.
Our verdict on the Unparallel Up Link MTB shoe
All in all, the Up Link is a successful debut for the new Unparallel brand. A good fit, plenty of comfort and decent power transmission are the Californian's strengths. However, the Up Link cannot quite keep up with comparable models such as the Crankbrothers Mallet or a Fizik Gravita Tensor when it comes to handling on the pedals and especially when pushing or carrying. However, the favourable price of 149.90 euros speaks in favour of the MTB newcomer.
Stefan Frey
Editor
