Trek Velocis Road Cycling Shoes

The Trek Velocis Road Cycling Shoe is billed as a 'high performance shoe design for committed cyclists who need comfort and power on every ride'. And after a few hundred kilometres of riding through a grimy British winter, I reckon these shoes do indeed strike that balance very well. Their carbon soles offer sufficient stiffness but without ever being overly harsh, and the uppers are comfortable with just the right level of padding. It's worth noting that these shoes now fall under the Trek umbrella, whereas in the past these have been branded and marketed under the Bontrager name.

> Buy now: Trek Velocis Road Cycling Shoes for £229.99 from Trek

The Trek Velocis shoes have a polyurethane upper and a carbon sole, a pairing designed for optimal power transfer. That said, the carbon sole contains 30% glass fibre, which comes with a slight stiffness and weight penalty, but the shoes are still pretty light and it does keep the cost more palatable too. And a totally rigid sole can transmit vibration from the road to your feet, which can cause fatigue over time.

Trek has been quite innovative in designing the upper. While PU – or polyurethane leather – is a great material thanks to its durability, it isn't that stretchy, which means it can be difficult to get a snug and supportive fit on your feet.

To get around this, Trek has employed a number of 'METNET' relief zones. These are perforated patterns in the material that allow it to stretch and deform slightly so that it can adapt to the shape of your feet. The upper is also heavily perforated across the toes and tongue, which bodes well for comfort when the temperature rises.

This may all sound a bit gimmicky, but I found it highly effective – and you can actually manipulate the upper in your hands to see the technology in action. It works on your feet too, and I was able to achieve a secure and supportive fit without having to overtighten the twin Boa Li2 dials.

You can both loosen and tighten the Boa closures incrementally, which allows for precise on-the-fly adjustments.

Inside the shoe Trek uses it InForm Pro Last, which it claims offers excellent ergonomics and a high-performance fit, and in my experience it does so. Some high-end race shoes opt for a pared-back approach that makes them feel like they're designed for maximum performance – but they aren't comfortable.

I typically wear size 46 shoes and the size 46 Velocis shoes proved spot on for me. I found the heel cup provided good security and my heels didn't pull out of the shoes even under hard pedalling efforts.

The support under the arch was good too and I found the toe box spacious. I think my feet have quite a normal shape, but if you have particularly narrow feet you may find the toe box too roomy.

Trek rates the Velocis sole at 10/14 on its own stiffness scale. Seeing that nothing is standard in the cycling industry – Specialized's scale goes to 15, Shimano 12 for example – this score means very little when comparing between brands, but Trek rates its more expensive RSL Road shoes at 14. This means that while the Velocis sole is pretty stiff, it's not too rigid for all-day cycling comfort.

They're pretty light too, weighing in at 511g for a pair of size 46 shoes, making them a little lighter than some of the similarly priced opposition. The Udog Cima shoes weigh 560g in size 45 and the Fizik Tempo Overcurve R4s are 556g (size 45). Okay, so a difference around 50g isn't really noticeable, but a marginal gain is a marginal gain – and it means you'll have one fewer excuse when you don't hit that KOM.

Value

In terms of value, I think Trek has struck a sweet spot. With top-end shoes now nudging £400, I think the £229 asking price for the Velocis shoes is reasonable given their carbon soles, twin Boa retention system and their overall quality and comfort.

Similar shoes around this price include the £220 Fizik R4 Tempo Overcurve, which Steve praised for their comfort, but thought they were too flexible for racing in.

The Udog Cima Pure shoes also come in at £220, but while Stu liked them for their stiffness and comfort, the laces may not appeal to everybody.

For more options, check out our best road cycling shoes buyer's guide, which covers shoes from less than £100 to over £300.

Conclusion

The Trek Velocis shoes offer a great balance of performance and comfort, they're a good weight and I think they're great looking. The METNET upper wraps your foot nicely and offers great support, the twin Boas deliver excellent adjustability and the carbon sole should be stiff enough for most of us.

Verdict

Comfortable, well-designed shoes with twin Boa closures and a stiff sole that should be perfect for most of us