The Lake CX236C shoes sit midway in the company’s range at £159.99 and offer a good blend of comfort, performance and value.
The CX236C has a 100 per cent carbon fibre sole. It’s not the stiffest out there but provides a good level of power transfer nonetheless and still has a little flex in it which means that it remains comfortable on long rides. I, perhaps unwisely, debuted the shoes on a testing 80-mile ride but experienced little in the way of discomfort, while, after a longer day in the saddle in Majorca with nearly 3,000m of climbing, there was only a touch of numbness on the fast run-in home, when the sportive bunch was motoring along at approaching 30mph. Meanwhile, it would be nice to have a little extra protection on the sole as, while it’d take away from the shiny carbon aesthetics, it’d prevent wear and tear at contact points with the ground, particularly at the rear.
Three days in Majorca provided the opportunity to test comfort on a series of long rides and the CX236C excelled in that regard. The full grain leather upper is very supple, a range of mesh inserts ensure they’re well ventilated and the BOA lacing system makes for a snug fit; cables snake up the tongue and along the top of the shoe, adjusted at the back by turning the dial clockwise. Pull the dial out, away from the shoe, to release the laces. The use of a cable across the whole shoe means that the fit is consistent, with no pressure points, and your foot is held securely in the heel cup. It’s also relatively easy to adjust on the bike. Lake’s top-end shoes have the BOA dial on the side of the shoe but it sits on the back of the CX236C and I think that makes for a more streamlined look.
Sizes range from 41 to 48, with regular and wide fits on offer, while a version is also available for riders who use Speedplay pedals. You can opt for a black finish but our white version, with a hint of silver on the mesh inserts and across the BOA system, has a sleek, classy look. And white makes you faster, right?
