Quoc Escape Road Lace shoes

Tell us what the product is for

Summer road cycling and tap dancing.... probably best not used for supermarket shopping, ice skating or other scenarios with slippery floors.

Quoc says:

"The Escape Road Lace takes the comfort and performance of the dial shoe and combines it with an elegant, laced aesthetic. With a carbon composite outsole that optimally balances stiffness and comfort, this ultra-distance road shoe is not sensitive to the odd section of unpredictable terrain.

"The lightweight, streamlined silhouette is primed for miles of exploration, while malleable heel padding and a foot-hugging fit delivers the all-day comfort needed for leaving no road undiscovered. A reinforced guard protects the toe cap and the upper makes use of a highly resilient, easy-to-clean premium material. Whether stopping to photograph a sunrise, foraging for fruit, or filling your bottle in a cold stream, QUOC’s Escape Road shoe represents an end to tiptoeing around worrying about scratches and scuffs.

"A favourite among those who value style as highly as performance, the lace system allows for reliability on long rides and offers even pressure distribution across the top of the foot. and well-positioned airflow ventilation holes ensure a breathable ride that bridges climates and seasons."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Quoc:

Double lock, anti-slip laces for multi-point adjustment

Carbon composite outsole balancing stiffness and comfort

Durable, easy-to-clean PU upper

Malleable heel padding and supportive, foot-hugging fit

Reinforced guard protecting the toe cap

Organically structured ventilation air holes for breathability

Nature-inspired reflective strip

Reflective zig-zag detailing lace-guide

Replaceable Heel Pad

3-bolt road cleat compatible (Look/Speedplay)

Very neatly put together; no flaws in stitching or gluing.

Extremely stiff sole with no wastage of watts when sprinting for town signs or the cafe stop.

The durable and easy-to-clean PU upper should prove long-lasting. Over the past few weeks I've seen no signs of wear while road riding or accidental gravel path shortcut, though the lack of replaceable heel pads is a shame.

Width is middle of the road, not as narrow as brands like Fizik but certainly not as roomy as the likes of Lake.

The laces allow for optimal restraint and even pressure across the foot.

Much smaller than the labelled size; I'm usually a 45.5/46 but the test shoes were a 47 and fitted fine!

I'd strongly recommend you visit your LBS to try before you buy, if you can.

Super lightweight feel on the feet, largely down to the simplicity of the laces. For comparison, Lake's CX238 Carbons are 674g in size 46 with two Boa dials, whereas these are a mere 611g.

Breathability through the upper material is great, with the sole also offering excellent ventilation.

Only on a couple rides over 160km did I experience very slight rubbing at the top of the tongue due to its minimal padding, though this is mainly down to my relatively high instep.

£130 is seriously undercutting the top tier competition – the S-Works Torch Lace or Giro Empire SLX shoes, for example, are both in the region of £300.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Water, soap, sponge. Done. Easy.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Exceptionally well indeed; these are well-made, comfy daps with the one crucial feature that's vital to high-performance cycling shoes: very, very stiff soles.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Use of laces is both functional and beautifully stylish; confirmed by many admiring comments while on a Spanish bike trip.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Very, very minor rubbing at the top of the tongue.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

They're extremely competitive against other high-end, high-performance shoes such as the Giro Empire SLX and Specialized S-Works Torch Laces, both of which are light, have lace closures and very stiff carbon soles, and both of which cost double.

Use this box to explain your overall score

Aside from some questionable sizing, the exceptional light weight, stiff sole and ease of use are all major positives of the Quoc Escape Road Lace. For the price, they're excellent, verging on exceptional!