If I break one unwritten rule of the cycling peloton in recent years, it is to wear white shoes. My gold and black Italian-made mules have been doing very well for a while but are in need of replacement. For CyclingDestination, I was allowed to test the Ekoï C4 road cycling shoes. In white, that is, but fortunately with some black accents. And this is not just any shoe, among road cycling shoes this is the flagship.
Text and photos: Ella van der Veer
More items from Ella:
Lightweight mules
When you take the shoe out of the bag, you immediately notice how light they are: around 230 grams each. That this shoe is focused on performance is immediately apparent. The sole is made of carbon and is anything but pliable. The shoes are closed with the Atop closure system, which always works very nicely and does not give any annoying pressure points. What also immediately stands out is the sleek look, I can see why white shoes are the standard. They complement any polished outfit extremely well!
Strikingly wide front
Time for the first fitting! As I mentioned, I actually only ride Italian shoes with corresponding narrow lasts. As such, I have quite narrow feet and many shoes are too wide for me. When trying on the Ekoïs, I immediately notice that the heel is very narrow, and with the anti-slip fabric on the inside, you don't move in them at all. The front is on the wide side for me but I'm going to give it a try anyway.
Adapt and go
My first ride is mostly getting used to, adjusting cleats all the way and adjusting to the new position. The sole is rock-solid, something I personally really like as I am a performance-oriented cyclist. The power transfer is perfect, but off the bike you notice that these shoes are not made for running. Because the front is just a bit too wide, when sprinting full speed I notice that I slide slightly. The upper is made of light mesh with enough ventilation, in addition to the three ventilation holes in the sole. Very nice during the hot summer but in winter you will need a good pair of overshoes.
Thinner sole
So are there any downsides to these shoes? The supplied insole is very thin, I myself have custom soles so this doesn't bother me but you don't get support from the supplied sole. I also missed some guide lines when mounting the cleats, although they were pretty well in place after one ride.
Ekoï C4 Road bike shoes for everyone
I have now ridden 500 km or so with these shoes, and I still like them. Especially in short sprint-like workouts, I prefer a tighter shoe, but on endurance rides I actually like the wider front. Shoes should always be experienced by yourself, every foot is unique, but these Ekoï C4 offers a lot of performance at a reasonable price. As far as I am concerned, they are a great addition to my shoe collection! If you are a KOM-chaser, criterium-killer or just an avid cyclist, then these shoes are definitely the place to be.
