Sliding into a pair of Australian brand Reid's Race Advanced road cycling shoes is a far cry from strapping on the premium $400 heat-moulded, carbon-based race slippers from fellow Aussie maker Bont. At just $89.99 though, they're an attractive option for the budget conscious looking for an above-average performance road shoe.
While based on a ‘white label’ platform and so possessing a rather generic look, the construction quality and comfort of the Race Advanced are anything but anonymous. Although not form fitting or uber stiff like some of the shoe options presented from manufacturers like Specialized and Shimano, they don’t have to be. BikeRadar found the shoe’s reinforced composite sole both effective and efficient.
The synthetic leather upper is well vented along the sides and across the tongue: coupled with vents under the toes and foot arch, the shoe is more than adequate while cycling under Australia’s simmering sun.
A metal buckle adds to the overall durability
BikeRadar was thoroughly impressed with the two-part closure system, which includes two Velcro straps across the lower and mid foot, and a replaceable “micro-adjustable” ratcheting buckle across the upper foot that we found quite robust with its metal tab.
The contoured insole conformed to our reviewer's foot with plenty of room in the toe pocket, and there were no notable hotspots, nor discomfort, while riding – a big plus.
The only real downside – other than a slight feeling of flex while dropping the hammer – is the weight, which tipped the BikeRadar scales at 690g for a European size 42 – a full 150g more than comparable, higher-priced offerings from the larger brands.
Both 3-bolt and 2-bolt cleats are compatible - this means just about every brand of pedal, whether mountain or road will work
With both white/blue and black/red colour combinations available, BikeRadar's preference is for the darker version with its understated stealthy look. The Race Advanced shoes are fully compatible with SPD-SL and other popular three-bolt systems, as well as standard SPD two-bolt setups – perfect for cyclists looking to conduct their winter training at the nearest indoor spin class.
Our final verdict is that the Reid Race Advanced is an extremely affordable, versatile and effective clipless road shoe, with its only drawback being a slight weight problem. But for a comfortable pair of performance road shoes under $100, the pros most certainly 'outweigh' the cons.