Tested : Pete’s Fox Union Flat Pedal Shoe Review.

·Wednesday 5 July 2023

Fox made their entrance to the shoe battle with the Union range, with a little bit of help from some very fast riders from the Syndicate.

The Fox Union clips became Pete’s go-to shoe for pretty much anything on a mountain bike, so how will their flat pedal offering stack up against the competition?

Photos by Pete Scullion.

Key features:

Ultratac™ outsole
Custom hex shaped lugs
Molded toe cap and reinforced toe
One-piece upper
Weather-resistant welded construction
Molded internal heel
Tuned EVA midsole
High density textured print in high wear areas
Lace closure with front elastic strap lace-keeper system
TPU, EVA, rubber construction
Size 4.5 to 13 UK sizes (Half sizes 7 to 11.5)
327g (pair)
£129.99 RRP
FoxRacing.co.uk

Much like their clip counterparts, the Fox Union flats felt right almost the moment I slipped my feet into them. They feel light in the hand, and on the foot too but without feeling like they’ll evaporate the moment your feet hit a rock.

They feel less stiff from the off than the clips though, with the absence of that glass-filled shank, but at no point do they feel sloppy on the pedals or overly stiff when you inevitably have to shove your bike up something. Grip is impressive, possibly only losing out to the Specialized Roost 2FO in terms of pure grip but it’s only by a hair. They’re far better than something like the Shimano GR5 in this regard though, adding a solid dollop of stiffness into the mix over the Japanese offering.

The TPU upper is hard-wearing and shows little signs of the use they’ve had over the summer, the material is easy to clean, and far easier to keep looking good than the canvas of the Big S’ shoe. The upper also feels far more protective than the canvas as well. It’ll do a solid job of keeping the weather out better too.

Drying fast is something the Unions are good at as well. They’ll see off the liquid sunshine well to a point, don’t feel like you’ve got a sponge stuck to your feet when they do wet out and will be back to dry pretty rapid once they’re off your trotters.

What do we think?

Fox’s entry to the flat pedal shoe market has been a swing and a hit. They’re up there with the best flat pedal shoes on offer, and while the 2FOs might have better grip, they’re perhaps let down in other areas. The Union flats do a better all-round job of keeping your feet on the pedals and you off your ass.