As well as an impressive range of bikes, Specialized has made a real effort with their clothing and equipment line-up. Expect new materials and external seams, zips and cuffs on many of the shorts and jerseys, and new shoes, gloves, helmets and optics (aka “glasses”) for your style of riding.

Helmets

Along similar lines to Giro’s Xen, the Instinct helmet has been developed to offer more protection to the lower back of the head. Specialized’s retention system works well, but the designers have added 12mm of vertical adjustment along with their easy to use U-Turn strap buckles. The peak is a non-adjustable affair, which we found to be an annoyance in our, admittedly, short test.

The new Deviant is Specialized’s first full-facer. It’s available in either fibreglass or lighter carbon fibre, and has 18 vents, so it should be cooler in use than many full-face helmets. Inside it’s a combination of thin padding and mesh, and easy to use retention system. The main strap system is along the lines of that found on motorcycle helmets, a very secure but perhaps unnecessarily fiddly system. Unlike the Instinct, the Deviant gets an adjustable peak.

Pads

Along with the Deviant, Specialized has produced a set of leg and arm pads, the Kani system. With articulated joints, vented channels, hard moulded outer shells, they should offer high levels of protection without overly hindering your pedalling.

Optics

Several new and more heavily styled shades, with the best of the bunch being the Shifty, which looks great off the bike too. The aviator-inspired Swingarm has a more ‘interesting’ look, intended to be used in conjunction with the Deviant helmet. The Half Time looks vaguely similar to Oakley’s Half Jackets. Though designed for the road sector, the 16g Arcs and the Helix (similar to the Half Time but less frame) will appeal to many. The non-folding titanium arms of the Arcs attach directly to the lenses. All shades feature NXT lens material with Adaptalite technology.

Shoes

For 2006 the S-Works shoe gets the BOA retention system first seen on the road shoes. It’s a dial that tensions a Spectralace (a single monofilament line threaded across the upper), spreading the load evenly across the top of the foot, and allowing micro adjustment. The BOA dial sits quite high up the side of the shoe, to avoid rock or tree stump collisions. As you’d expect at this level, a carbon sole ensures tiptop stiffness, with all the Body Geometry technology. The chunky tread has the amusingly titled Umma Gumma rubber – sticky yet durable – and so far seems to be holding up OK.

Similar to last year’s Sawpit, the 120 Trail shoe has a higher cut for more ankle protection. The sole and foot bed is the same as the S-Works shoe, with a carbon midsole and Umma Gumma rubber. The Buzzsaw is the shoe for freeriding. It has a Bdgy Geometry sole and is SPD compatible, but the toe area has a lot of flex built in to make them more comfortable when pushing your 50lb rig up hill.

Jerseys

External zips, seams and cuffs for improved comfort are the big thing in the new clothing range, along with a new fabric, Fieldsensor. The sleeveless Avilan jersey has mesh front and back and has a closer fit. The Trail and Atlas T are a looser, casual style, the Trail one rear pocket and a short zipper on the front.

Shorts

The Enduro short has two zipped cargo pockets, stretchy nylon fabric and a mesh panel on the back, with an incorporated BG chamois liner. The just below knee length Demo shorts are a non-lined baggy, with a rugged nylon outer and a slim buckle, and mesh on the back for cooling.

Saddles

The Rival saddle has a central cutout, but with significantly more actual saddle material than the road Toupe. Both have Titanium rails, but the ultra-slim Toupe has a carbon-reinforced platform.

Gloves

We already liked the Ridge glove, and the Radiator will appeal to those wanting more protection, with armoured fingers and tops, but with enough ventilation to keep your hands cool. The Fortress glove however, offers much more protection. Carbon fibre plates and moulded lumps adorn the top of the hand, especially around the knuckles.

Tyres

The Adrenaline Pro D2 is a new 2.0in tyre, with tight spaced blocks for fast rolling. The 2.3 Enduro Pro is essentially the same as the tyre that came fitted to Enduros. For heavy duty riding the Chunder Pro 2.3 tyre has a tougher sidewall to prevent pinch flats, with a dual ply casing.

Women’s stuff

The women’s range has received a lot of attention, and is far ore extensive than before, though unfortunately not all of it will be coming to the UK. Something we all agree on is the use of a wider colour palette than the men’s range, and cool graphics scattered liberally on some clothing and gear products.

One to look out for is the form-fitting sleeveless Aria jersey. There’s a hidden three-quarter length zip with three rear pockets. A new saddle, the BG2 Pro, has the Body Geometry technology, and is a wider, more padded version of the racy Jett saddle. Both have titanium rails, with the Jett getting a carbon reinforced shell, and available in three widths.

The BG Pro Lycra short with Fieldsensor fabric has the seams tailored to give a more flattering look. The baggy Enduro shorts have Comp chamois built in, and stretchy nylon outer material. The Instinct helmet is unchanged, but has more feminine colour choices, while the Enduro gloves and Motodiva shoes are tailored for smaller fingers and feet. The shoe has narrower heel, deeper heel cup and lower forefoot volume. There’s no BOA device, instead a ratchet on the top strap and two normal Velcro straps, and no Umma Gumma rubber sole.

Watch out for more details of all this stuff at www.specialized.com.