€ 1,000 for a road shoe? The Mavic Comète Ultimate aims to embody the pinnacle of road-shoe design, saving you decisive seconds on your way to victory with the help of innovative technologies. That’s the theory, but what is the shoe really capable of? As one of the few selected magazines, we received the shoe for an exclusive test.
The Mavic Comète Ultimate is a unique shoe: not just because of its price-tag, but also because of its interesting concept. The shoe consists of two parts, a removable inner shoe and a very neatly constructed lightweight, 135 g-carbon shell. The total weight of the Mavic Comète Ultimate comes up to 498 g per pair (size 44-45).
A 4.2 watt saving per pedal-stroke resulting in a 15 % energy-saving and reduced fatigue – that’s how Mavic promotes their new Ultra-shoe. All of this is meant to be achieved through a combination of a super-stiff carbon shell, a very low stack-height of 4,5 mm and, not least, a 19% increase in foot mobility through a low-cut ankle area.
Put into practice, the very low stack height of the sole is noticeable, as the foot sits closer to the pedal-axle. This gives the shoe a much more direct feel on the pedal. However, this is not a world first, there are a number of competitors who offer a similar, if not lower, stack height. The increased mobility and stiff carbon shell ensures a freer and more precise feel. However, the hard sole lacks comfort on longer rides.
The small selection of sizes is a reason for concern and clear criticism: with only six available sizes (our test shoe is a size 44–45) the outreach to potential customers is limited. The reason for this is obvious: each additional size option requires the production of an extra mould, resulting in a very costly initial investment for Mavic.
An innersole is supposed to solve this issue for intermediate sizes, but unfortunately, the outcome wasn’t perfect. In our case, despite the proprietary Mavic ErgoDial closure-system with quick-release, we didn’t manage to keep the internal shoe securely in place resulting in slight movement within the carbon shell. As the shell presents a stiff, predefined shape, there is no possibility for adjustment, something we really missed especially in the heel area. The relationship between foot and shoe is very individual, which is why the adaptability of a shoe is so important. Without a perfect fit, theoretical advantages cannot be achieved.
Altogether the Mavic Comète Ultimate offers some interesting new concepts and gorgeous detailing presented with an exceptional finish. Considering the actual benefits of this shoe, it’s definitely no bargain retailing at € 1,000. Whoever buys this shoe for reasons of prestige can be sure they won’t go unnoticed, the innovative design and concept takes care of that. The restricted adjustment range and the limited size choice means it is essential you try the shoe on before maxing out your credit card, which shouldn’t be a problem because they are available at selected retailers.
For more information head to mavic.com
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Words: Robin Schmitt Photos: Valentin Rühl
