Ride Concepts Vice mountain bike shoe review

The Ride Concepts Vice is technical, low profile, and modern. This flat-pedal shoe has an innovative sole design that offers better pedal contact. Because the pedal pins seat inside the shoe’s tread, I could feel the bike better than in other flat-pedal shoes, which helped me control the bike and keep my feet in place.

The Vice’s upper

The Vice is an urban looking shoe with a skate-shoe style. The perforated suede upper is tough enough to handle the abuse of regular riding and contributes to this shoe’s casual looks. But it does feel a little too warm and a little too fancy for big rides. The black suede gets dusty and dirty pretty quickly, but with a quick brush-off or a rinse, it cleans up well. The sides of the shoe from the midfoot back are also padded, and the heel cup is stiff and supportive.

The Vice’s sole

Ride Concepts developed this shoe with what it describes as an inverse gradient diameter hexagon pattern sole that has 9mm lugs in the toe and heel, and 7mm lugs where your foot touches the pedal. That basically means the hexagons taper as they go from the ground toward your foot.

That sloping means the hexagons cup flat pedal pins and brought my foot closer to the pedal, offering better grip. The rubber is sticky enough, but not soft. So even after riding in these and then walking in them for several weeks, the sole still looked pretty fresh.

To keep feet protected from bumps and bruises, Ride Concepts uses D30 in the insole under the heel and ball of the foot. Also underfoot: 3mm EVA foam to cushion the shoe when riding or walking. It makes for a comfortable experience whether on the bike or walking around.

The fit

The Vice is appropriately snug, and it’s low volume with a wider foot box. The more I wore it the better it felt, with the suede conforming to my foot over time. I was able to tighten down the laces and secure this shoe around my foot so there wasn’t any slopping around when I was riding.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a shoe for dirt jumps, pump track sessions, and skills practice, this shoe’s sticky sole, and pedal-connected feeling will help you progress and meet your goals. It’s also a great shoe for hanging out before and after those activities—always ready for bike shenanigans, and sessioning features. While I chose different shoes for big rides, I often wore the Vice to the trailhead for horsing around before and after rides.