white shoes are faster right?

After 6 years of dedicated, year round service my old road shoes were starting to look a bit shabby. I had persevered with them a bit longer than planned due to the COVID restrictions in the UK. Buying shoes on-line is not something I think you can do practically as you really have to try shoes on to be happy with the fit.

But now the shops were open it was time to catch up on some overdue shopping. Here is my experience of how I chose a new pair and what I think of them after some longer rides.

I started off with some internet research. There is huge range out there so before I booked in at my bricks and mortar retailer of choice I wanted to have a plan and make sure they had the shoes I wanted in stock.

In terms of shoe selection my riding is generally based around 100k club runs with some 200k Audax rides thrown in for good measure. I don’t race with the exception of a few sociable TT events so my main criteria is definitely comfort over performance.

Fortunately that means I don’t need to look at super expensive high end shoes as these are almost always focused on racing and hence put comfort below light weight and stiffness in design priorities.

I started to look at or around the £200 (€230 / $280) level as it seemed to be a point that gets you a good quality shoe without being ridiculous expensive. Though I have to say I would not pay £200 for a normal pair of shoes but that’s cycling for you. At this price level I was aiming to get a carbon sole, double boa fastener (dispensing with the Velcro that my old shoes have) and a good quality upper.

I put a few shoes on my shortlist and booked in at the store and this is what I found;

Shimano RC7 £160.

These were the cheapest of my selection but actually very comfortable and overall my second place choice. If price was more of a concern I would have bought these. The thing that put me off was the cheaper BOA L6 dial system. The ratchet system clicks to increase tension but not to reduce tension. The only option is to completely release the tension and tighten back up which is a bit frustrating. The next shoe up in the Shimano range is the £320 RC9 S-Phyre which is very race orientated and more than I was prepared to pay.

Fizik R3 Aria £230

This was a very nicely made shoe with fold over flap closure design that I think would make the shoe a bite more water resistant and easier to clean. I liked this type of design. It also had the upgraded BOA closures that can be adjusted in both directions. However it was a very narrow fit shoe and not comfortable for me. My feet are a little on the wide side, not wide enough to warrant a specific wide fitting but too wide for anything Italian so the fizik did not make the cut. For this reason I didn’t even bother to try Sidi shoes as I had been pre-warned that they are a very narrow fit also.

Northwave Extreme Pro £220

These looked good on paper and came well reviewed, from my internet search alone they were my top favourite. They also have the same fold over flap closure design as the fizik shoe, a good start. They were an OK fit for me, good but not as good as the Shimano shoes and I liked the design probably the best of all. However I just felt the materials of the upper looked a felt a little cheap, not befitting their price. So I put them aside.

Lake CX 238 £250

These were the last pair I tried and although the particular pair the shop had were not quite the right size I new instantly these would be the shoes I’d buy. The shape and fit was perfect for my foot and they were super comfortable. The only downside was the more traditional design of the closure more akin to a normal lace up shoe with an internal tongue, rather than the fold over flap of the other shoes, but the quality of the leather upper and fit sealed the decision. Lake also do half sizes so you can get the fit spot on. My retailer ordered a couple of different sizes in for me and I returned the following week for a final fitting and selection of the most snug size.

A fortnight on the foot.

As you will see I decided to go for the (not) very in practical white version. It goes against my normal “mr sensible” approach but in the shop the white ones just looked so good and we all know white shoes go faster right? My plan is to ride these in the summer on my “best bike” and then get a pair of spd shoes for my winter bike and audax riding when being able to walk a bit can be helpful.

The bi directional BOA ratchet closure system is really excellent compared to my old Velcro shoes. It is really easy to adjust in or out a click on the go. Shoes feeling a bit tight? Got a comfortable flat or gentle down hill ahead? Let them off a click and give your feet a chance to breath. Got a steel hill ahead? Going for a sprint to the traffic lights? Reach down and tighten them a click or two and go full gas knowing you are firmly strapped in.

Out on the road they have proved as comfortable as the fitting in the shop promised. The quality of the upper is first class, the leather is strong and supple. There are some mesh vent panels and some triangular cut outs that should keep my feet cool on hot summer rides. There are also a few vents in the sole.

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The carbon sole is super rigid which is great for attacking some of the short steep ramps in the surrey hills, but sometimes it can feel too rigid. My old shoes have a plastic sole which is also stiff but not quite as stiff as this carbon sole. The plastic sole has a very small amount of give and that helps to dampen vibrations from rough roads. The carbon sole, like carbon bike frames is unforgiving and reflects more buzz from the road up through your foot. I am going to try a slightly thicker insole to see if that helps a bit. It is not a problem, overall the comfort of these shoes is a big step up from my old ones. However if I could spec a perfect shoe for me it would be these but with a fibre reinforced plastic sole.

There are a few more other features that I like about these shoes. Although they are white they do have some protection at the toe and heel against the most common causes of scuffing that makes them a more practical prospect than other whites. The sole also has plenty of graduated markings that makes it easier to position and adjust cleats, this is a bonus over my old shoes that had none and required the use of electrical tape for any changes.

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My only concern now is how to keep the pristine white leather clean! If you have any tips for protecting and cleaning white shoes please, please let me know!