On Test: Vittoria "Impact" MTB Shoes
Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 8:02AM On Test: Vittoria "Impact" MTB Shoes: by Guitar Ted
In the area of "contact points" on a bike, (saddle/shorts, gloves/grips, footwear/pedals), personal preferences and special concerns rule the day. That said, I have been "re-introduced" to a shoe brand that has been around for 35 years now, but one that may be new to you: Vittoria.
No- not the same company as the tire brand, (which didn't get started as Vittoria Tires until a couple of weeks after Vittoria shoes), but the Italian company that forged ahead with many innovations including the first colored cycling shoes, the first mountain bike specific shoes (1987), the first cable/rotor closure system (1992), and has been seen on the feet of multiple World Champions, Tour de France winners, Giro winners, and Olympic Gold Medalist, Paola Pezzo. That Vittoria!
The Impact model is the mountain bike shoe from Vittoria's "Performance" line up, and will be the model I will be testing long term here on the site. This shoe has some specific features as follows...
- Upper in Nylon Mesh for ventilation, and...
- "Brilliant" or Matte, (tested) Lorica micro-fiber synthetic leather
- "CRS" Fastening System
- Sole in Nylon High Grip Tech Polymer
I specifically asked for a test model with no carbon sole, since that generally isn't a very "walk-able" type shoe, and I generally find carbon soles to cause more pain than gain. Of course, Vittoria makes a few high end MTB models with the weight saving, performance enhancing carbon sole, and carbon insert technologies, but they just are not my cup of tea. The nylon sole of the Impact is also more in line with experiences I have had in the past with Sidi Dominator shoes which I will be comparing these Impact shoes to.
The CRS Closure Sysytem is based off your typical ratcheting strap with the twist of having a double-width across the instep area which diffuses pressure from the strap over a wider area, thus eliminating discomfort while attaining secure shoe fit. The CRS pad is alsdo body heat moldable to conform to the riders foot and lock the foot in place better. Also, the micro ratchet is replaceable and uses a three-position adjustment to allow a better fit for riders with higher or lower insteps.
The ratcheting device is the silver metal tab shown in the image here. It surrounds the red colored plastic release button which allows you to get the strap undone. Just simply rock the red tab upward and the strap releases.
Of course, the two other Velcro straps are there to further secure the fit of the shoe to your foot. The cut of the shoe is pretty typical of European shoes, (read: Narrow), so if you have wider feet, size up from your normal, or perhaps look elsewhere. That's the thing with apparel, and it is good to have so many different fits for all of the diversity that makes up the human race, no? I know I am glad for the "Euro-fit" of the Vittoria shoes, since I have pretty narrow feet.
Vittoria Shoes responded to the statement concerning "Euro fit" with the following:
All of our standard shoes are an “American Fit”. NOT a narrow fit or for smaller feet. How we do the shoe sizing is as such---narrow= B width, standard=C/D width, wide= E width, super wide= EE/EEE width.) (We offer four widths). The standard for say a Sidi is a B width. We have a larger toe box than that. One of the nice things about Vittoria Shoes is that we make shoes to fit 90% of the people straight out of the box. And have an option for the other 10%. As well as having the Multi-Length option for those who have two different sized feet. AND a LIFETIME WARRANTY against manufacturer defects!
The soles have the typical aggresive tread on a nylon sole, in this case. Again- Vittoria does do carbon soles, so if that is your preference, their are models in the range to satisfy those desires. I like nylon soled MTB shoes for the flexibility they allow in walking, which I seem to have to do, and for comfort on longer rides.
The treaded part of the sole is not real hard either, which I prefer in cases where one needs to traverse rockier terrain, or walk into a convenience store to get a refreshment!
There are toe spike attachments for those who like spikes, (provided with the shoes, by the way), and plenty of cleat fore/aft adjustment. I prefer my cleats pretty far back, and I was easily able to get that with the Impact shoes. Mounting my Shimano Multi-Release cleats was no problem at all.
The shoes are set up and ready to ride. I'll report later with some First Impressions and more on the Vittoria Impact MTB shoes in a few weeks. Stay Tuned.
For more info, see http://www.vittoria-shoes.com
impact, mountain bike, shoe, vittoria in product test
Reader Comments (3)
Hey GT,
Have you tried installing Speedplay Frog cleats on these shoes? I have found the Frog cleats can be difficult to install on some brands, as the sole interferes with their slightly larger size.
@Exhausted Auk: I have not tried a Speedplay cleat, but I could see where that might have interference issues with the narrowish, deep channel this shoe has at the point the cleat attaches. I think if you are a Speedplay user these might prove to be a difficult fit.
Hello all! I noticed the comments about using Speedplay cleats with our shoes. I have tried the cleats on many a set of shoes and while I wish I could say they were a perfect fit, they aren't. You do need to remove some of the sole material slightly. It will not void the warranty of the shoe which of course is for defects in the materials or craftmanship. Traditionally, it is about 1mm on each side and about 8mm in length on each side. I used an Exacto Knife that had a really cool bit in it. Looked like the kind you would see used by artists to dig into lanolium tiles.
The depth of the sole is not an issue, just the width. And yes, many people have asked us to change the sole to accomodate the cleat. I wish I had an answer as to when this will happen, unfortunately I do not.
So please ask away with your questions, I am more than happy to help.
Michael