Just in: Northwave Extreme Tech shoes

Northwave’s new ultralight Extreme Tech SPS shoes can be used with any three-bolt cleats as well as with Speedplay because of an innovative cleat adaptor system. The new adaptor saves weight and reduces the stack height compared to a normal Speedplay adaptor.

We’ve mentioned the shoes before and now we have a pair in for review. They're amazingly light, our pair of size 42s hitting the scales at just 508g. Priced at £274.99, they’re far from cheap, but that’s what you have to pay for the lightweight carbon soles and the one-piece uppers.

The Extremes (£249.99), with three Velcro straps rather than a ratchet upper strap and a dial-operated Speed Lace Winch System, are even lighter. Northwave are claiming a 400g for a pair of those in size 42.

Anyway, we’ve shown you these before, but what we didn’t mention is the new adaptor system co-developed by Northwave and Speedplay…

You know all about Speedplay pedals, right? In brief, the difference from most clipless systems is that the moving parts of the cleat/pedal coupling are on your shoe rather than on the pedal. The cleat has moving parts.

That cleat is attached to your shoe via four bolts rather than the usual road standard of three, meaning that you have to use either a Speedplay-specific shoe or attach an adaptor to the bottom of standard-soled road shoes.

Now, the Extreme Tech shoes come with a new sole. If you want to use Speedplay pedals, you take out the insole and remove the three-bolt attachment skeleton and put in the Speedplay-specific one.

Then, you screw this adapter onto the outsole. It’s nylon with a stainless steel outsole protection plate that stops you damaging the carbon. Then you bolt the Speedplay cleat on to the adaptor.

It sound complicated but it takes about two minutes to fit.

There are the advantages over the existing adaptor that you get with Speedplay pedals, as given by the manufacturer…

What difference does a lower stack height make? Well, that’s a good question. The argument usually put forward is that it’s more efficient although, we’ve got to say, we’re not convinced it makes a whole heap of difference.

On point 3, Speedplay-specific shoes need a large flat area for the cleat to attach, which means more material. This adaptor does away with this requirement.

Anyway, there you go… We reckon it looks a whole lot less cumbersome than before.

For details on both the Speedplay and the Northwave ranges, go to www.i-ride.co.uk.