VeloVetta launches "the fastest cycling shoe ever made"... and it's even been through the wind tunnel

VeloVetta has launched what it describes as "the fastest and most aerodynamic cycling shoe ever", manufactured in Italy. The Monarch has been designed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and has undergone wind tunnel testing, the designers claiming that this is the first shoe of its kind. Could this be one of the best road cycling shoes ever if you're looking for marginal gains? Let's have a look at the details...

CEO and mechanical engineer Ed O’Malley felt that athletes spend a lot of time trying to find an aerodynamic shoe, but that no one had made a serious effort to design one in an analytical way and using engineering tools. 

He claims that the Monarch is the "first shoe designed using the same technology and techniques as bike frames, helmets and yes, aircraft.”

This innovative cycling shoe is for the road and triathlon market, aimed at being fast but also comfortable.

> Check out the best cheap cycling shoes 2023

O'Malley's idea for this shoe was to have a closure system at the back, leaving the front of the shoe as smooth and thin as possible, but also ensuring the closure mechanism makes transitions fast and easy for triathletes.

The shoe features a heel lever with the desired tension pre-set by the rider, and closure cables hidden in the sole.

> Will you be saving up for “the world's fastest cycling shoes”?

This isn't the first cycling shoe we've seen making big claims. Lore created the LoreOne 3D-printed cycling shoes using scan-to-print footwear technology and, like VeloVetta, claims that its shoes are the world's fastest. The Lore shoes are incredibly expensive at $1,969 (∼£1,590). The Monarch is around a fifth of the price at $405 (∼£326). 

These also aren’t the first cycling shoes designed to reduce drag. Bont, for instance, offers its Crono Mk2 shoes which have an “aerodynamic cover” over the lace closure.

Bont’s Zero+ shoes also have a cover at the front. We spotted Team Jayco Alula’s Dylan Groenewegen wearing a dazzling pair ahead of the Criterium du Dauphine the other day. They're either very new or he keeps them incredibly clean.

Then there were the extraordinary carbon shoes that racer Adam Hansen made for himself and then for other riders – although they were more about being super lightweight than aero.

> Have you seen Bradley Wiggins’ new custom carbon fibre shoes?

The VeloVetta Monarch shoes are available in two colours, black/black or white/grey, and 15 sizes are available from 38-47. 

What are your thoughts on these innovative cycling shoes? Let us know in the comments section below...

www.velovetta.com