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Tech review - November 19, 2003
Northwave Revolution T road shoes
A Revolution in Ti
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Cycling shoe manufacturers are continually trying to produce a comfortable, yet stiff, shoe for the demanding road market. Cyclingnews Chief Online Editor Jeff Jones takes a look at Northwave's latest model - the Revolution T - which includes a titanium sole.
Italian company Northwave specialises in shoes and clothing for cycling and snowboarding . Over the years Northwave has sponsored riders and teams such as Mario Cipollini, Andrea Tafi, Fred Rodriguez and Mobilvetta-Northwave, and it has staked a claim as one of the bigger players in the shoe industry. The Northwave Revolution T is one of the company's top road shoes, with the distinctive feature of having part of its sole constructed from titanium for added stiffness and reduced weight. The model I tested was actually a non-standard one - the sole was slightly different and the red/black colours were the same as the non-titanium Revolution. It's the same shoe as used by Victor Hugo Peña (US Postal Service).
Finding the perfect fit
Shoes are perhaps the most critical bike accessory in terms of getting an exact fit. Poorly fitting shoes are not only uncomfortable and inefficient, they can also lead to injuries. Many professionals have had seasons ruined due to wearing the wrong shoes. Although it's obvious that one size doesn't fit all, that rule can also be extended to one brand doesn't fit all. Some types of shoes are wider where the foot flares out, some are narrower, some have different internal fits and curvature and so on. Even if a shoe is extremely good technically, if it doesn't fit you properly then it will create more problems than it is worth. Take good care in selecting shoes and don't be afraid to spend a lot of time setting up the cleats.
Revolution T features
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The Revolution T is a fairly complex piece of cycling footwear. It's very solidly built, and my preliminary examination revealed no obvious weak spots, in particular the critical sole/upper interface. The upper is constructed of three layers of "Aeromesh" - a soft and highly breathable material. The toe is made out of what's called "Compact Mesh", which has a polyurethane web reinforcer heat sealed onto it. The heel is the solidest part of the upper, being made out of a contoured piece of polyurethane, which is stitched and glued to the rest of the shoe. There are three straps which are of the usual velcro variety, and lock the foot firmly into the shoe.
The "TLS System Titanium" sole of the Revolution T is constructed out of a combination of titanium and DuPont Zytel nylon, which is glued onto the upper. It's designed to be very rigid while maintaining a light weight and keeping the foot close to the pedal. My model came with a built in sliding three/four hole cleat adaptor, which suited Look and Shimano SPD cleats.
The weight of the shoes was approximately 770 grams per pair (without cleats), which is about 150 grams heavier than a pair of shoes such as the Nalini Aluminiums or the Pearl Izumi iBeams.
On the road
Given the caveat above about properly fitting shoes, I was fortunate that the Northwaves fitted my size 44 feet rather well, and even more fortunate that my orthotic insoles slotted in without too much drama. I was able to ride with none of the dreaded "numb toes" feeling, provided I didn't over tighten the straps. Also, with some shoes I've had to wear them in for a couple of weeks before they felt comfortable, but this was not the case with these Northwaves, which were comfortable right away.
I have to admit that I can't be completely objective about these shoes because I tested them at the same time as a pair of Time Impact-Mag-Ti pedals. Thus any "new" sensations I felt when riding in them were bound to be a combination of the shoes plus the pedals. But there were still things that could be solely [ahem] attributed to the shoes.
I rode the Revolution Ts for a period of six months (approximately 15,000 km) in temperatures ranging from 35 to -5 degrees celsius, in rain or shine. I found the soft, breathable upper layer to be very comfortable, especially on hot days. Of course, overshoes became necessary when the temperature dropped to 5 degrees or so. No shoe is going to make riding in the wet comfortable, but I found that the Northwaves at least dried quickly after a ride if I used the time honoured technique of stuffing newspaper in them overnight.
The rigidity of the sole was noticeable, and helped give the impression that my legs were bolted to the cranks. There was also no slippage in the heel, another critical facet of any shoe design. Shoes and pedals have evolved a long way since clipless took over from toeclips and straps, and a flexy-soled road shoe is an exception rather than the rule nowadays.
After six months of solid wear, the shoes were still in quite good shape, showing no signs of failure in any critical areas. Given the minimal amount of care I afford my cycling equipment (I did wash the mud off them when necessary!), I was impressed by this and am sure I'll be riding many more kilometres on them.
Conclusions
The Northwave Revolution T fits well into the category of top end road racing shoes. It's comfortable, a snug fit, well built, has a stiff sole, and is not overpriced at US$219/pair. I feel in these shoes that there is a tradeoff between solid construction and super light weight, but I'm happy that they've withstood the punishment I've dished out to them so far. And let's face it, an extra 150g isn't going to make that much difference to me.
Recommended retail price: US$219 (Available in the U.S. through Trialtir-USA
from January 2004)
Weight (per pair): 770g (per pair, size 44)
Colours available: Titanium/Silver, Blue/Silver, Black/Yellow
Sizes available: 39 to 47 (39.5 to 45.5 in half sizes)
Pro: Rigid, secure and comfortable (for broader feet)
Con: Not a super-lightweight shoe
More information: Northwave's
website
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