When shopping for equipment and accessories, many cyclists tend to believe that if the item is expensive, then it must be quality. If you are shopping for a new pair of cycling shoes and subscribe to this philosophy, you will fail to notice the Bontrager RL Visibility road shoe.
In my 30 years of cycling, I have owned numerous shoes from the LeMond Carnac of the 90’s to my most recent, Mavic Zxellium. Almost all of these shoes were in the $300 price range and I might add, worth every dollar. Bontrager’s RL Road Visibility shoe is priced at $179.99 and rivals any of these shoes in comfort, stiffness, weight, performance and the all important “unmistakable looks.” Many cyclists will agree that how you look on the bike is almost as important as how you ride. Their striking yellow/greenish appearance will captivate the attention of everyone, including approaching motorists. Visibility on the bike is paramount.
In the past two weeks, I have logged over 600 miles in these shoes, and they have not disappointed me in any area. Not yet fully broken in, these shoes are extremely comfortable and amazingly light. The Silver Series carbon sole, with a stiffness index of 10, and replaceable heel tread, is beyond efficient. The shoes are well ventilated and the Micro-Fit II buckle allows effortless and precise closure. On Sunday, I did a 135 mile training ride and I was impressed by the ventilation. High temperatures during the summer months can create hot spots on your feet, especially when you spend 5 plus hours on the bike and that did not occur with these shoes.
All in all, I could not be happier with this product. The only negative I can find with this shoe is the lack of a women’s version. Ladies are all about fashion too, and they deserve the opportunity to have “the look.”
Additional details can be found on the Bontrager site.
– John Cap Capobianco M.Ed.
