Quick Review: Mavic Huez Road Shoe
We recently published an in-depth review of Mavic's impressive CXR 60 wheels. When Mavic sent us the wheels, they also dropped off a gorgeous pair of road shoes that were too intriguing to leave alone. These kicks are the new Huez road shoes. Their namesake, the legendary HC climb Alpe D'Huez, is meant to evoke the image of an elite climber, and by extension, the most elite of light weight components. And light they are. Mavic claims a ridiculously-low weight of 200g per shoe in a size 8.5 UK. My shoes are a little larger at 9.5 UK, but weighed in at exactly 202g. That's very impressive.
I haven't put in long-term miles on these shoes, so this article is what I call a quick review - I'll go over the main points of the product, and still give you my opinion, but you should temper your decision knowing that I haven't given these shoes the thorough beating that I would of other products that get the in-depth treatment here on TriRig. So, with that said, let's begin.
The way these shoes get their light weight begins with a minimalist construction. There's no buckle, no ratchet system, and no BOA closure. These shoes are held together with three small, very low-tech Velcro straps. But honestly, I really like Velcro closures. They're easy to use, easy to dial in, and in the triathlon world, they continue to be the most popular closure method on the market. And for ultralight road shoes, they are still the best choice.
A stiff carbon sole keeps things light, and Mavic included smart design cues like fore-aft cleat adjustment built right into the sole.
As you may imagine, the shoe's upper is an incredibly wispy gossamer fabric that feels like it's barely there. This helps keep the grams off, but also makes the shoe very breathable. Light weight is also achieved by the use of carbon fiber not only in the sole, but in a framing that wraps around the heel cup and inside quarter of the shoe. The result is a fit that is very snug and feels very stiff (generally good qualities in a cycling shoe), but a shoe that's a bit tricky to get into (not so good for triathletes looking for a fast transition). Moreover, Mavic's shoes are rather narrow, so if you have wide feet, you may want to consider sizing up in order to prevent an overly cramped fit. And as I mentioned, this shoe might not be the best for the triathlete. The good news is that much of this lightweight tech has been lent to Mavic's highest-end triathlon shoe, the Tri Helium. That shoe comes in just slightly heavier at 240g per shoe, but even that weight puts it in ultralight territory.
Have a look at the gallery for a little bit more info on these top-end climbing kicks.
