Shoes

Bontrager Classique

Classic-look kicks from Bontrager that match style with substance

If you’re the sort that rides a steel bike from the ‘70s, wears a Molteni jersey and likes their bike helmet to be made from leather, you’ll probably love Bontrager’s Classique shoes. Come to think of it, even if you’re not, you’ll probably love them anyway.

Of course, the powder blue versions we have here aren’t exactly an old school colourway, and even though Fausto Coppi rode in a jersey this colour, you won’t have seen him sporting a pair of shoes like these. Only because he didn’t have the opportunity, mind you, we bet he’d have loved to get his hands on a set. Anyway, if you’re offended by the blue don’t worry, there are a set in leather-look black that – minus the carbon soles – look like they could have come straight from the kit bag of one of the greats. Blue or black, these are old school cool.

The sole is 12k carbon fibre and scores a very high 12 on Bontrager’s stiffness index and the raw finish on the sole looks fantastic

Underneath the classic looks, though, Bontrager have poured smart tech into the Classiques. The sole is 12k carbon fibre and scores a very high 12 on Bontrager’s stiffness index – high enough that there won’t be any complaints – and the raw finish on the sole looks fantastic.

The whole shoe is built around Bontrager’s InForm Pro last, which Bonty say gives an ‘ergonomically optimised high performance fit’ which should translate, in non-marketing speak, as ‘comfortable’.

Closure is handled by laces. If you’re not a fan of laces you should probably blame Giro, who kick-started the retro craze a few years ago when they launched the Empires.

Price: £199.99
Website: Bontrager

Although they might not look as high tech as dials and wires, laces still do the job well and provide the sort of progressive closure that makes them a favourite on, well, most shoes you don’t use for cycling. If you can tie your trainers so they don’t come undone all day while walking around, we’re confident you can master the laces here.

Oh, and as a nice little extra, you get four sets of laces with the Classiques: black, white, red and blue so you can pick and choose. Or buy three more colours and have one for each day of the week. It’d be a pain changing them every day but you can’t put a price on style. Well, actually, you can. It’s £200, which is the price of a set of these.