Mavic Cosmic Boa SPD shoe

Mavic's Cosmic Boa SPD is a fantastic leisure, commuting and touring shoe that's efficient in the saddle and easy to live with out of it. Comfort is excellent, too, with only the wide fit letting the side down slightly, for me.

As a bike snob – and somebody who desperately needs to eke the last ounce of effort from every pedal stroke – my first question upon being presented with a new pair of cycling shoes is: does it have a carbon sole? The answer, in the case of the Mavic Cosmic Boas, is: sort of, but not really.

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The sole here is a composite concoction, made from a mixture of fibreglass and carbon. Consequently, it doesn't have quite the unfiltered, instant attack of carbon-soled shoes but, then, the Cosmic Boa SPD is not a race shoe. For leisure, touring or commuting purposes, it's certainly rigid enough and power transfer feels better than a typical nylon sole.

Another difference with more performance-orientated footwear is width. If anything, cycling shoes tend to be a little bit on the narrow side but the Cosmic Boas are notable for their substantial girth, especially in the toe box. These felt like wide shoes from the off (for the record, I don't have unduly narrow feet) and on terra firma there was even a bit of difficulty adjusting the Boa closure system enough to make them feel ultra secure.

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That could also be due to just one Boa dial being used to tighten the full length of the shoe. Perhaps, as with rivals products, Mavic should think about using a Velcro strap at the bottom or perhaps two Boas just to make things feel slightly more firmly fitted.

In the saddle, though, they're very good. Comfort is superb, with the Ortholite insole doing a fantastic job of cushioning. Despite my hesitations about shoe width – and some concerns that my feet might move about within them – my feet actually stayed resolutely in place with no slippage or rubbing. The highest compliment I can give the Cosmic Boas is that, from the first ride, I completely forgot I was wearing new shoes.

A particular bonus for people who aren't dedicated to spending absolutely every second in the saddle is the on-foot grip. Although the Mavics only use a horseshoe of under-sole rubber at the toe and a smaller amount at the heel, thanks to the anti-slip tread it's more than enough to let you walk without skittering about like a duckling on ice.

As the name suggests, this model will only accept SPD cleats – speed demons using dedicated road cleats need look elsewhere (the non-SPD version perhaps) – but that's thoroughly in-keeping with its general design and demeanour. As an easy-to-live-with cleated road shoe, it's ideal.

Value

There are actually quite a few decent all-purpose cycling shoes around at the moment, even if they tend to be marketed more as off-road kit rather than practical road footwear. Bontrager's Forays are officially gravel shoes but actually share a lot of the Mavics' qualities, including being a bit wide, for a bit less (£129.99).

For a bit more, at £169.99 there are the more mountain bikey Shimano MT7s, and for £179.99 there are the beautiful touring and commuting-friendly Giro Republic LX Rs.

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In this company, the £149 Mavics look like a good deal, particularly as all these other shoes use a nylon sole with nary even a whiff of carbon. The Mavics are lighter than all of them, too.

Conclusion

In the Mavic Cosmic Boa SPD, what we have is very much in keeping with a traditional touring shoe: a dedicated road bike shoe with specific extra features to enhance comfort and permit a spot of walking. To that end, if you want to make as few performance compromises as possible in the name of practicality, these are a really fine choice.

Verdict

Excellent touring or commuting shoe with stiffness, comfort and off-bike grip, just be aware they're on the wide side