Cyclists of a certain age and those of us who still ride with toe clips and straps will surely thrill to the sight of Quoc Pham’s old-school cycling shoes, which combine leather, laces and a cleat-free rubber sole to great effect.
An honours graduate of Central St Martin’s College of Art and Design, Quoc launched his brand in early 2009 with a range of shoes aimed at ‘the urban enthusiast and weekend tourist’. The range currently comprises one model – the Fixed – in a choice of five leather finishes including the plain black shown.
A sole able to accept SPD-style cleats is in development and, when finished, should make for a stylish touring shoe. Until then, Quoc offers a rubber sole with light ribbing suitable for use with steel quill and flat pedals. There is no heel, making them a cycling shoe rather than a fashion shoe pretending to be a cycling shoe and this distinction carries through to the upper with its elegant stitching pattern, absence of seams along the sides and lack of a heel cup, which is, of course, unnecessary in a shoe that does not need to be turned heel-out to exit a clipless pedal.
Carefully-chosen leather of specific thickness is hand-lasted and finished using traditional techniques to create a shoe with, even on first wearing, an excellent, close fit. The toe box is long enough to leave an empty space in front of the reviewer’s toes, but it should be noted that this gap will keep toes away from potentially painful contact with toe clips.
The sole is stiffened to spread pedal pressure but remains flexible enough for comfortable walking although the lack of a heel should deter the wearer from excessive use of Shank’s pony. A reflective heel stripe, thick woven laces, a leather insole and a thick leather tongue with a stitch to keep it in place complete the specification of the shoes.
Priced at £89.99 per pair, Quoc Pham’s Fixed Shoes are available in the UK through a number of London retail outlets including Mosquito Bikes, Condor Cycles and Geoffrey Butler Cycles.
