SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING

Specification

From the top; there’s an MOZ dial adjuster sitting atop a Velcro closure. Beneath this is the gusseted, stretchy knit tongue, which fits smoothly around the foot. The upper is breathable mesh with TPU reinforcement, aiming for a balance of comfort and strength. The inner sole

is fast- wicking. There’s an anti-odour treatment, too.

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The sole is made of Leatt’s new Ride Grip Pro. This is 20% softer than their Ride Grip compound, which is to be found on their SPD shoes. This should be grippier than the harder compound. Whether it is as durable is yet to be seen. The Waffle Grip Pro tread pattern is an inverted version of their Waffle Grip. This aims to enable pedal pins to dig into the tread for additional grip without reducing breadth of contact with the platform. Leatt points out that this also makes them great for “those moments when you need to walk.” Do they mean me? Surely not; “moments” would not describe my mid-ride strolls. 

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Actually, off-bike use is important to me as, whilst doing some decent mileage, I generally take the opportunity to have a look around away from the bike as well as hitting the cafe for a cuppa. There are prominent logos, but I have managed to beat the bosses ever-vigilant eye and get away with them at work.

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Size and fit 5/5

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Check out the sizing guide. I did and it worked out perfectly. It is not always easy to find a UK 9.5, especially one that fits a wide foot. This is more often the case with slim road slippers, but even so, I was pleased. Mind you, I was not so sure when first squeezing them on. A good tug was required to ease the heel in. Yes, I had loosened the closures. Once on, they immediately felt great. Hugging the heel, with the tongue softly curling over my foot with the gusset stretching to accommodate a high in-step. Length was perfect and a quick turn of the dial pulled the upper into place. Rarely have I found a pair of shoes so comfortable from the off.

 

Of course, that snug fit ensures firm tenure, which is very much a positive. It all promised very well for swift and secure adjustment on the pedal as well as not getting dragged into the gloop when things do not go as planned. I did wonder if I’d be able to get them over a pair of waterproof socks. True, there are waterproof shoes available and I’d consider turning to those in winter, but summer should be different – or is that just a vain hope? Actually, I did not need to worry as they accommodated both my DexShells and Seal Skinz socks. Even so, if you were on the cusp of sizing this is something you might want to consider. After all, that MOZ dial does adjust things very well. Given that the ProFlat 2.0 are most likely summer or half-decent weather shoes, any normal sock should pair up very nicely.

 

Care and durability 4/5

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This pretty simple. A wipe over when dusty and the odd brush up with an appropriate polish or treatment. I’ve used GTechniq Tri-Clean inside and given the outer a brush-over with a general shoe or diluted bike cleaner. I’ve not seen anything detrimental from a dose of Grainger’s waterproofing formula. Obviously, clearing dirt out of the Boa mechanism is a good idea, so I have done it after any ride. Really just a check for bits of gravel. The tread is pretty light, so mud has not managed to cling on, but a quick brush and gentle persuasion with a blunt knife has sent any offenders in their way.

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So far, there’s barely a mark after several weeks of regular use, with them being my sole footwear whilst on tour - on and off the bike - for the last three weeks solid. I often find that the back of the shoe is the first to suffer, especially when it’s a snug fit. So far, there’s barely a hint of wear. I suspect that the sole will start to feel thin when off the bike before the shoe starts to feel worn out on the bike. However, that is speculation.

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Performance 4.5/5

The natural habitat of these are broad platformed MTB pedals. Ideally with pins – such as these, sadly discontinued, Velo Orange ones. Leatt are right about the Ride Grip Pro compound and Waffle Grip tread; it really is very grippy – true SPD regulars, such as myself, may take a little while to get used to this. There is nothing in the way of hot-spots, contact being so broadly spread. Despite the grippy sole, there’s no impairment to positional adjustment – something that even a tourist will appreciate on rough surfaces or tricky sections. Of course, there were times when I’d have liked the SPDs back – on stretches of smooth tarmac, for example – as I desperately tried to bring back ‘ankling’ from the depths of memory. However, overall, I found the security of sole- on- pedal very reassuring.

 

Power transfer felt pretty good, too, even though the soles are far from the stiffest I have cycled in. Ideally, on a long tour, I’d take a pair of flats (often, in the past, regular approach shoes, rather than cycling-orientated models) and a set of SPDs with pedals suitable for both. I was pleased to find that the Proflat 2.0 did pretty well with the traditional cage side. True, the softer sole and the peal cage did not spread the weight as well as on the rad platform pedals. However, grip remained pretty good at a steady touring pace, even when shunting a heavily laden machine uphill. The ride Grip Pro compound strike again. Without the tourer, I hit the trail for a couple of afternoons. There are better qualified folkthan me to comment on performance on single-track and technical elements, but from my modest perspective, I really felt comfortable and safe when rising out of the saddle and moving around.

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On rough stuff, the power transfer was not as great as with SPDs, but the ability to adjust more rapidly was really impressive as that compound made things very sure- footed. Thirty minutes of heavy rain and things felt damp, although not gruesomely soggy. True, the Castelli socks probably helped when it came to drying, but things felt pretty good within an hour of the rain ending. On that occasion, I’d deliberately not popped on a pair of overshoes or considered waterproof socks, despite the mixed forecast. For longer spells of rain, I’d probably go for one or the other, especially if the weather were likely to turn chilly.

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Flats have an obvious advantage for the tourer away from the bike, say when visiting a stately home with precious parquet – even without it, my offer to remove my cleated shoes has been accepted on several occasions, at Glamis Castle, for one. The Ride and Waffle Grip, of course, remains very good, great for ascending the spiral staircases leading to castle turrets or cathedral roof. Not a priority for the single-tracker, but very much a plus for me. However, these are not walking or trekking shoes, and I’d be interested to see how they wear when used for walking (will update in due course). In any case, were I planning on walking far away from decent surfaces, I’d use a pair of trekking shoes.

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Value 4/5

There are lots of competitors, of course. I have a lot of time for Fizik shoes, and their Terra Ergoplace X2 comes in at just under £100. Likewise, the Endurance MT500, which can be found for less. Fizik’s Terra Ergoplace GTX are just a tad cheaper than our Leatt Proflat 2.0. Fizik’s Versor 2 would be another strong competitor, being designed for “shuttle runs and technical trails.” There are numerous other flats about, and the Leatt comes toward the top of the price range. Equally, it has a great spec and has, for this user, at least, become the go-to touring shoe for gentler travel (60-80 km/day).

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Summary

If you want great grip with a snug-fitting, comfortable shoe to keep your feet happy on lengthy rides or technical single-track, this could well be one for you to take a good, long look at. I’d see this as a three-season shoe, really, or at least a dry weather one. If touring in wet weather, a set of suitable overshoes will do the job, but in those winter trails, a more weatherproof boot would probably win the day.

Steve Dyster 

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Verdict: 4.5/5 on the costlier side, but highly effective and great on the feet.

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Leatt®️: The Science of Thrill | Protective Sports Gear & Apparel – Leatt MTB UK

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