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FEATURES: ON TEST: LAKE CX401 SHOES
Philip Booth
March 19, 2010
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STORY
Lake Cycling Shoes have been around since 1982, and though not as well known as some other shoe companies, they have found their way onto the feet of Carlos Sastre, Fabian Wegmann, Markus Fothen, Michael Rogers and Danny Pate at various points in their careers. Lake’s top of the line CX401 stands out from the peloton due to its Kangaroo leather construction, customizable carbon fiber foot bed and BOA lacing system.
TECH
The Lake CX401 shoe uses K-Lite Kangaroo leather, with mesh inserts for the uppers and then attaches them to a lightweight carbon fiber sole. The inside of the Lake CX401s are lined with a special Outlast® fabric that is designed to help regulate the temperature of your foot. To get the rider’s foot in place, Lake uses a BOA lacing system that uses a nylon cord to adjust the closure tension via a ratcheting micro-adjust dial. Lake completes the CX401s with a custom heat moldable carbon fiber sole that can be reformed up to eight times using a conventional oven. The shoes feature a three-bolt cleat pattern, but can also be ordered in a four-bolt Speedplay version. The Lake CX401s weigh 310-grams per shoe, (Size 44) and are available in black or white and come in sizes 40-48, with half sizes from 41.5-46.5.
RBA SAYS
The first thing that impressed us about the Lake CX401s was the quality of materials and craftsmanship. The CX401s are clean and purposeful in appearance with flawless stitching, tight seems and thoughtful detail work. To avoid being “just another high-end road shoe” the Lake CX401s has two unique selling points. The first being the custom moldable carbon sole and the other the BOA closure system. The moldable soles is a do it yourself system in which you heat the shoe before forming it to your foot. The instructions are simple and easy to follow (see video below). We do recommend that you visit a qualified shop, or get someone to help and take the time to setup a trainer, mount your cleats, and ride your bike during the molding process. You will get better results and there is less chance you will need to redo the process.
Once the process is complete the Lake CX401s fit great. Since the moldable carbon soles come up around the sides of the shoe it is possible to get a tight, natural feeling hold on the back of the foot. This prevents any heel slip and helps align your ankle for a smoother pedal stroke. The BOA closure system works well, is simple and lightweight. However, what the Lake’s single BOA dial system lacks is zone adjustability. Since the system uses a single cord to adjust closure pressure, it is impossible to tighten the shoe across the top of the foot without tightening the shoes around the front of the ankle. We would like to see Lake adopt a two dial BOA system. This would allow for micro fit adjustments and an even more custom feel.
Out on the road, the Lake CX401s are extremely comfortable with no pressure points or hotspots. The carbon soles are stiff and deliver solid power transfer to the pedals. There is no heel slip or unwanted foot movement. The Kangaroo leather tops are supple and held up well throughout the duration of the test. For cooling, the Lake CX401s feature a large wrap around mesh section at the top of the toe box. This provided adequate ventilation on warm days, but also allowed a lot of water in when riding in wet weather. A minor touch we appreciated was the addition of rubber scuff guards on the front and outside of the shoe.
The Lake CX401s are top-flight shoes that give a truly custom feel. The fit, performance, and craftsmanship rival the best on the market and they should not be left off the list when looking for a pair of high-end road shoes.
PRICE: $489.00
INFO: www.lakecycling.com
WEIGHT: 310-grams per shoe (Size 44)
BONUS POINTS: Fit, performance, and craftsmanship
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