These 760g Bont shoes feature heat mouldable uppers and lowers, with a carbon monocoque construction that make them as close to custom fit as you can get. Pop them in a low heat oven for about 20 minutes, slip them on and tighten them up, then leave to cool.
As a result fit is fantastic, and should be great for everyone, although some testers didn’t get on with the bath tub construction. That was developed from speed-skates and perfected on the road and track, and it’s stunningly stiff.
You can attack climbs at least two gears up and the sole transfers every watt of power to the cranks, making them amazing for pedalling. The downside of a sole that’s so stiff is that walking feels, well, different, because your toes can’t roll.
Thankfully Bont have used a soft rubber in the lugs so the shoes do grip on wet rocks and roots. The lugs are replaceable too. So far, so good – but after four months of regular use our shoes are showing wear that’s really not acceptable.
The sole can be forgiven (a bit) as it’s designed to wear fast and be replaceable, but it’s un-bonding from the carbon mid-sole in places. The uppers are another story – poor design means bonded seams have been placed in crank arm rub zones, and other plastic panels are also coming unstuck. It’s a shame as these niggles mar an otherwise great high-performance shoe.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.