Mavic’s Comete Ultimate — the most expensive cycling shoe ever?
Mavic's new $1,000 Comete Ultimate shoe features a removable liner, like a ski boot, which may offer a better fit and improved efficiency.
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We first saw them on Dan Martin’s feet at the 2016 Tour de France, and now Mavic is bringing the Comete Ultimate shoes to market. They can be yours this fall for the eye-popping sum of $1,000.
You read that right. For a cool grand, you get two-piece construction — an outer carbon shell with a swappable liner within, akin to ski boot design — that Mavic says will create a more connected feel between rider and bike. The system is also supposedly more efficient: 4.2 watts saved per pedal stroke, according to Mavic. Two Boa closures snug up the carbon shell over the soft liner.
Concepting and designing the shoe started as early as 2011 based on demand from pro riders who wanted a lightweight, stiffer shoe. Mavic also wanted to avoid the custom-shoe route, which at the time seemed essential to creating a shoe that met every rider’s criteria.
Mavic claims the liner allows for greater ankle movement, which in theory helps your foot move more naturally and reduces or eliminates dead spots throughout the pedal stroke. The design may also improve airflow, with vent holes strategically placed throughout the sole keep moisture at bay.
Several liner options will be available to accommodate different riding conditions (“wet ride,” “cold ride,” “hot ride”), which would be a nice way to avoid bulky overshoes on cold days.
The advertised weight is 240 grams (size 8), and the stack height registers at 4.5 millimeters for the low stack version (7.5 millimeters for standard stack).
