The Fizik Gravita enduro and downhill mountain bike range gains a new line of clip and flat pedal shoes.
Pete gives his opening thoughts on the top of the line Fizik Gravita Tensor shoes, to see if the new flagship downhill and enduro shoe can cut the mustard in a very competitive market.
Key features:
- Ripstop fabric + TPU reinforcements upper
- Laces + instep velcro closure
- X6 outsole – nylon shank, EVA midsole, Vibram Megagrip tread
- Outsole stiffness index 5
- 410 g per pair
- Sizes: 36-48 (37 to 47 also in half sizes)
- £174.99 RRP
- Fizik.com
Fizik have drawn on their extensive road and cross country shoe-making experience, combined that with the knowledge and feedback from their downhill and enduro athletes to produce their Gravita range of shoes. Pete has been running a set of the Gravita Tensor shoes, the flagship model, through the mill and has some opening thoughts on their first foray into the gravity market.
The Gravita Tensor has been designed as an out-and-out race shoe, with a real focus on low weight. From the minimal upper and a complete lack of padding or EVA foam like most other shoes, there certainly isn’t much too them. They might not be the lightest out there but they’re certainly not the heaviest either at a claimed 410g.
A toe box and ankle support shoe that the other focus was on protection, perhaps two things than don’t always work together, but they do feel solid and the inside heel feels well-covered.
The clip versions of the Gravita Tensor are stiffer than their flat counterparts but don’t feel clumsy when pushing steeper climbs or sessioning, with the cleat track the longest I have used in a while, allowing cleats to be run as far back as you like. The Tensor comes with the same sole stiffness as the Fizik Terra X5 XC shoe Jamie tested last summer.
Slipping your feet into the Gravita Tensors, the first impression is of snugness and limited padding. Luckily, I have a narrow foot, so these fit me like a glove. You do get the impression that the protection has been sent to the ankle and toe area, with the upper above the bridge section of your foot feeling very minimal.
The elastic laces allow you to fine tune the fit, then use the velcro strap to further tweak where you want the shoe to feel tight and how much. It didn’t take long for these to feel like I’d been wearing them forever. Clipping into my Crankbrothers Mallet Es felt ludicrously easy, and often I couldn’t tell that I’d clipped in, even with fresh cleats.
On the long, steady climb to the top of the local hill, the shoes felt stiff enough to get the power down but never uncomfortable. Very quickly I forgot what shoes I was wearing, which I think must be a good sign. The minimal upper did do a good job of getting the breeze about my feet, but might mean they will get wet quickly, though they should dry just as quickly as a result.
Pointing the bike down the way, I was once again able to forget what was on my feet almost immediately. Clipping in and out was all too easy, and even on a longer run, the soles of my feet didn’t get sore. Thankfully, I didn’t clip the toe or my ankles on anything, so couldn’t test them out, so will have to wait for that to find out if they stand up to the job.
At not far off £180, they aren’t cheap, but the comfort and speed at which I forgot I was wearing them puts them in good stead. I’ll update you once I have run them through the mill a bit more.
