QP Fixed shoes

Vintage cycling shoes are getting harder to find nowadays, so it is pleasing to see a new company turning out smart, Sunday best, footwear for you to slip into your toe clips. Quoc Phan is a young St. Martins fashion graduate who loves cycling and spotted a niche in the market for traditional cycling shoes for the urban enthusiast and weekend tourist, something that would decorate your feet and go terribly well with your Rapha trousers.

No chunky soles, no Velcro straps, no hobbling when walking in them, no extra bright colour combinations, just the understated elegance of a functional riding shoe. Each numbered, limited edition pair is made using traditional techniques, (unfortunately not in this country but that would make the price way too high) with craftsman sculpting the materials by hand to ensure they stay true to the contour of the foot. These shoes are designed to be used with toe clips, with a sleek, slightly pointed toe, making it very easy to enter your pedal traps. They are a very snug fit, a bit like putting a climbing shoe on, with the 1.4mm thick, supple, leather designed to stretch around your feet, more like a leather sock than a shoe!

Once on, there isn't any room for your toes to wriggle and keep warm in wintery climes. It does take several hours for the leather to mould to the shape of your foot but once they are broken in, they literally fit like your favourite slippers. The contoured stiff rubber sole allows power to be put down into the pedals yet is compliant enough, and has the correct foot bed curvature, to walk normally in. They aren't so grippy on flat pedals and forget riding them in the wet without clips unless you have a lot of stand over height or a disregard for your family jewels! Quoc is working on a design with recessed cleats too which should be very interesting.

Keep them polished and the Fixed shoes should look good for all those Sunday pub rides or short commutes to work where there are no changing facilities or when you go straight into a meeting. They do look a little bit dainty to be worn with a suit though.

Verdict

A smart pair of quality, sleek, leather shoes that will work well in any toe clip yet allow you to walk without looking like you have bunions.