How can you improve the classic flat pedal shoe? In many ways, according to OWN – ‘Only What’s Necessary’ – a company with massive experience in the sporting shoe world that decided to make a flat pedal shoe that they wanted to ride in. It’s designed to be light, responsive, grippy and won’t absorb water like a sponge in British conditions.
The shoe is in two parts – there’s an inner bootie: with a choice of a meshy summer bootie or a taped-seam soft-shell one. This has a 3/4 D3O sole to cushion against trail impacts and foot fatigue on rocky descents.
The outer boot is a very svelte number, with welded seams and a lot of technology going on. The sole is a sticky Vibram rubber, with little rubber inverted waffles that will work whether you are a midsole or ball of the foot rider. At the heel and toe of the sole there are some aggressive lugs, which will help when hike-a-biking or just trying to get back up a muddy slope to rejoin your bike.
As well as the tight-fitting cuff on the inner bootie, the rear of the outer boot is stretchy rubber to allow the foot to move, without getting your shoes full of gravel. The front of the boot is Kevlar with only two small sections of stitching, leaving the boot very clean looking. There are padded sections to protect your ankle bones. And the closure system is good old laces.
The boots will appear for sale in the spring and will sell (probably direct) for €200. It’s a aserot of cash, but there’s a lot of tech going on.
For more: onlywhatsnecessary.com
Comments (8)
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Decidedly unconvinced by the aesthetics of the bits around the heel, but I’m liking everything else.
Agree with Bez, the boot idea sounds great, heel looks odd. Shame not available for this winter, my Karrimor cheap as chips boots may not last the season.
They played with black (and will probably do so in the future at some point) but then who’s going to notice them? And they’re going to need to get the word out early on.
I forgot to add that the shoes will be sized using the metric, ski boot system – so it’s your foot length in cm… More details as they get nearer production.
how flexy with the sole be? i like my flat pedal shoes to be stiffer than say Vans or my feet ache after 10 miles or so
They look like basketball boots. Some smart ideas, but I can’t get over the looks.
Hopefully the white bits will look nicer than white grips after a few rides 🙂
yep, I am liking these a lot….except for that white heel (I hear what you are saying though Chipps). Hopefully sizing will go up to uk12.
“They played with black (and will probably do so in the future at some point) but then who’s going to notice them? And they’re going to need to get the word out early on. ”
It’s not the white per se (although being all dark with one massive blob of white looks odd). I like pale coloured shoes and colour is good. It’s just the mass of rubbery stuff at the back, both black and white. It’s as if someone cut the foot bits out of some welly boots and then shoved a pair of slippers in there. Nothing wrong with wellies, nothing wrong with slippers, but a cut-and-shut of the two just looks odd.