Mavic Zxellium Cycling Shoe Review

Every once in a while a product comes along that you can really be excited about. You want to tell people about it, share it with friends. The new Mavic Cycling Shoes fit the bill. They’re simply the best, most comfortable, lightest, and fastest shoes on the market.

First a little background. Over the years I’ve spent most of my riding time in Sidi shoes. Great product. I’ve also been in Shimano, North Wave, Pearl Izumi, and most recently, Adidas. Mavic had a licensing agreement with Adidas and last year our CWC team were in Adidas Cycling Shoes. We all loved the stiff carbon sole, but some riders had issues with the fit of the upper.

Now Mavic has released their own shoes and CWC racing has had a chance to try them out. First good news was realized when I came to a team meeting with boxes of shoes. The guys tried them on and I kept hearing comments like, “Wow, these feel like slippers. What did they do?”

What they did was keep the great, stiff, carbon sole of the Adidas shoe and completely redesign the upper. It’s clear they listened to cyclists. Basically, the shoe grips the forefoot firmly without biting in to the ankle. At the same time the ball of the foot seems to have enough room for a personal, custom fit, for ultimate comfort.

For me personally, I’ve had problems with “hot foot” on long rides. The foot tends to swell a bit in warm weather, and if a shoe isn’t forgiving enough in the ball of the foot/toe area, it can lead to severe discomfort.

I’ve been struggling with this problem for years, and with the new Mavic Zxellium, my problems may be solved. I’ve done several long rides with the shoes with no discomfort whatsover. I’ve now sold or given away all my old cycling shoes. I can’t wear anything but the Mavics!

My recommendation? If you’re in the market for a new pair of cycling shoes, you owe it to yourself to try the Mavic Cycling Shoes. Find a dealer that carries them. Try on a few different pairs of shoes to get a feel. Then try the Mavics last. I doubt you’ll need any more convincing.

Note: Our team is riding the Zxellium Road shoe and the Fury Mt. Bike shoe for off road. Same great fit. There are many other models in all price ranges. They all feature the great fit discussed in this article. Visit the Mavic web site for more details. Photos by Paul McKenzie