Fox’s new pedalling-friendly pads are some of the priciest out there but include some nice features for the money.
At the heart of the pad is a well-shaped D3O knee-cup wrapped in hard-wearing material. On top sits a thick plastic cap, attached via Velcro. The idea is that the plastic will slide, not snag, during a crash and prevent the pad from sliding down your leg.
The neoprene sleeve is relatively thick but heavily perforated to prevent overheating. A wide silicone strip at the top helps stop slippage and there are two Velcro straps to tailor the fit. However, the lower of these didn’t offer quite enough adjustment on my medium sample, which otherwise fitted perfectly.
Any doubts that the plastic cap might hinder pedalling evaporated once we set out
Any doubts that the plastic cap might hinder pedalling evaporated once I set out. The Launch Pros are incredibly comfy even on long stints in the saddle. They didn’t slip down once and don’t get as hot as you might expect, given the coverage and burly build.
While I like the idea of being able to remove the plastic cap, I never felt the need to (except when washing). Plus, without it in place, the Launch Pros do look a bit odd, with a patch of exposed Velcro.
