At just £20, we didn't expect much from Fox's latest pads. Leg armour at this price tends to either slide down as soon as you hit the first bump or is so inflexible that it impedes your pedalling.
Slide the Titans on, and confidence isn't raised much. They seem to perch on top of the leg rather than giving the reassuring embrace of more costly options.
In use, however, there are no such complaints. Once you start riding they quickly mould to your shins and stay firmly in place through rock gardens and over repeated hits.
They coped with full-on downhill tracks like Le Pleney in Morzine and the rocky French national downhill from Avoriaz on a recent trip to the Alps, and the hard plastic outer shrugs off any debris spat up from the trail.
The D-Ring clip system is more secure than a Velcro closure, allows you to cross the straps for a more secure fit, and means you don't need to take your shoes off when pulling the pads on or off.
While they can't compete with more expensive armour when it comes to factors like long-distance/-day comfort and ventilation, and they don't extend that far down the leg on taller riders, the Titans are a great budget option for your first trip to the Alps or bikepark.
