Fizik R1B Uomo shoes

Fizik nailed shoe first time round – and they keep getting better

Before Fizik got into the components and shoes game they just made saddles. Actually, ‘just’ is doing them a massive disservice as they didn’t ‘just’ make saddles, they made superb saddles, but back in 2010 the Italian company expanded their horizons and launched their first ever bike shoes which were received to widespread acclaim.

If ever there were proof you can get something right first time, Fizik’s shoes were that proof. Fast forward to 2016 and Fizik’s shoe line-up is four-strong, topping out with these, the R1B Uomo shoes.

If ever there were proof you can get something right first time, Fizik’s shoes were that proof

Last year, Fizik launched what could be reasonably called the third generation of their shoes, but they featured notable departures from previous designs. The fundamental difference in these is the closure. The first models Fizik made all used ratchets as the primary retention system with two Velcro support straps further down the body. The new shoes have ditched the ratchet in favour of Boa dials; one on the lower end models and two on the shoes we have here.

But along with that has come a remodeling of the top of the shoe. Before, like a lot of shoes on the market and most trainers, the retention system pulled the two sides of the upper towards each other in order to tighten the fit. In order to position the Boa dials further down the outside of the shoes and in a more accessible position Fizik have extended the inside section of the upper so it comes across the top of the shoe. This moves the centre of pressure when you tighten the shoes from the top of the foot – where it can be uncomfortable for some riders – and has the added bonus of making them look pretty damn cool.

When it comes to colour, however, Fizik have stayed strictly traditional. Your choices are all white, or all black and although we reckon white is the classic colour for a set of bike shoes we wont judge if you go for the black option, which looks just as slick.

If you want to imagine Fizik’s shoes would look like with a little more colour on them, then you won’t have to imagine too hard. In 2014, Fizik partnered with David Millar for what they called ‘an Eloquence of Movement’, a project where the company supplied Millar with a different pair of shoes for every major race in his final season as a pro. The shoes from the Dauphine are particularly eye catching and you can check them all out on Fizik’s website. All the shoes are last year’s R1 model, though, as Millar retired before the R1Bs were released.