Outdoor Retailer: Specialized S Works Trivent Triathlon Cycling Shoe

The new cycling shoe from Specialized is targeted squarely at elite triathletes of the world who are yearning for an easier way to transition from the water to the bike without wrestling on a pair of shoes.  The back of the shoe is hinged, held “open” by a small magnet, so that you can easily slip your foot directly into the shoe. Then you just flip the heel closed and give the Boa lace three cranks to achieve a snug fit (a front Velco strap offers additional security). Then, when you’re ready to hop off the bike and start the run, you pull back on the heel tab and the lace releases as the back of the shoe hinges open. Then you’re ready to hop off the bike and…struggle to put on your running shoes.  A carbon sole provides stiffness—even though this the brand’s thinnest outsole, and the internal lacing is smooth enough to allow for sockless riding.  They weigh in at just under 10 ounces (per shoe), and accommodate three-bolt cleat patterns. Even non-triathletes will love these shoes, as they look totally rad and have a big WOW factor. Some sizes are in stock now, with more sizes being released later this month.

Product Type
Bike Shoes
Good For
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Tested In
The conference floor.

Five Ten Impact Shoe

fiveten.com, 18 ounces
The Five Ten Impact (both the high and low versons) was the shoes of choice when it came to the serious business of shooting and training for the wing suit flying and BASE jumping segments of  Transformers 3: Dark of The Moon. The super-sticky Stealth rubber soles provided critical grip as our team of five climbed onto the skid of the moving helicopter in our wing suits amidst the skyscrapers of downtown Chicago. The soles thickness and softness absorbed the impact of our urban parachute landings. The shoe has a rugged design and great durability that proved itself while our team did 70 training jumps in the Swiss Alps. We always jumped five men at a time from spots where failed footing would have had terrible consequences; the man who slipped could have taken out the whole team, or let down an entire production.  The Impact in its high top version gives great ankle support, while the low top fits more cleanly under a wingsuit.  Lately, I have been using the shoe for its intended use of downhill mountain biking, and it grips the pedal so fiercely that I feel clipped in, but know that if I bail my feet are instantly free of the bike.
-JT Holmes

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Product Type
Bike Shoes, Footwear
Good For
,
Tested In
Filming Transformers 3--and training for the movie in the Swiss Alps.

Five Ten Maltese Falcon Bike Shoe

www.fiveten.com; 20 ounces (per pair)
On August 29,2010 while walking my mountain bike through a gnarly section of Oregon’s North Umpqua Trail, I slipped and fell 30 feet over a cliff. At fault, my slippery soled “ballet slipper” bike shoes.  Thanks to the ER crew at Mercy Hospital in Medford, Oregon, I survived, and after two months of recuperation went hunting for some non-ballet slipper bike shoes with truly grippy soles for those walk-around-the-gnar moments. I immediately thought of Five Ten from my days as one of country’s worst rock climbers. (The Five Ten rock shoes worked great on rock. It was the wearer who was the problem.)  I first tried a pair of Five Ten’s Minnaar, SPD-compatible shoes—and wore them for over 2,000 miles of riding. Bottom line: great fit, great feel, tons of grip when walking. But the shoes weighed more than my dog, cat, and wife put together. But they continued to serve me until my tired legs started begging for replacements. A pair of the new Maltese Falcon MTB shoes were purchased and while having the same great fit, snug instep strap, lacing combination, and grippy sole, they weigh a third of the Minnaar. So how do I rate the Maltese Falcons?  8.5 on the 0 (forget about it) to 10 (paradise) scale. My feet are happy, my legs are happy and my rides are better.
—Bob Woodward

Product Type
Bike Shoes
Good For
Tested In
Phil’s Trail (Bend, OR); North Umpqua Trail, Oregon

Keen Springwater Bike Shoes

www.keenfootwear.com; 18.72 ounces
Once you go clipless you never go back. Instead, you struggle to find the right pair of shoes. Mountain bikers and commuters, struggle no more.  Keen’s first cycle-specific closed-toe product is the Hummer of cycling shoes, with a hard rubber toe, three durable Velcro straps, and a heady mixture of PU coated leather uppers and moisture-wicking internal textures.  The tread under food is aggressive enough to find purchase in the most slick of mud, but—unlike stiffer cycle-specific shoes—you don’t walk like Frankenstein’s monster when out of the saddle, nor do you sacrifice much power transfer while pedaling.  The heel boasts a few triangles of reflective treatment, and the footbed pulls out for faster drying when you step into the drink. They may not be the lightest bike shoes on the market, but they’re one of the most comfortable and durable cycle-friendly kicks out there.

Product Type
Bike Shoes
Good For
, ,
Tested In
Park City, UT; Phoenix, AZ; Scotland; Countless Commutes in Washington, DC

Chrome Kursk Pro Bike Shoe


www.chromebagsstore.com
Thanks to the Kursk Pro, bulky bike shoes that make you walk like Frankenstein and clatter on concrete like Gregory Hines tapping his way across Broadway have now been relegated to long road rides and windy singletrack. At a quick glance, they appear to be just another anonymous canvas low top with a soft-rubber toe box, taking its aesthetic lead from Chuck Taylor.  But Chrome’s red lion logo at the outer ankle indicates that this sneaker has secrets—specifically an SPD-compatible cleat plate recessed into a red, hard-rubber sole.  This stiff rubber is further supported by a full-length midsole plate to provide solid stiffness while pedaling, but provides enough flex for casual wandering when not clipped in.  The contoured support footbed provides day-long comfort, and the recessed clean position makes you more ninja cyclist than tap dancer.  A sliver of reflective tape lines each heel, three eye loops at the inner arch provide a bit of venting, the laces are tipped with metal for added durability, and an elastic band sneaks through the laces on the shoes’ tongues so you can secure the laces—though our testing showed that these laces managed to never get swallowed by typically-hungry front chain rings. When other urban cyclist and holier-than-thou bike shop employees look at your shoes with envy (as happened often while testing these kicks), you know you’re onto something good.   They run a half-size large, so order accordingly if you can’t visit the Chrome stores in Chicago, San Fran, or NYC.
Comes in black and gray

Product Type
Bike Shoes
Good For
,
Tested In
San Francisco, Washington, DC, New York City