2009 Mavic Chasm Review
hase
Posts: 9
(I don't usually get a chance to review stuff but the dearth of reviews for these shoes compelled me.)
After much difficulty in finding a store that had my size in stock or could successfully get replenishment from Mavic (which combination of slow production or hot seller, I don't know), I finally got my US size 12 Mavic Chasm shoes.
I ride mostly road and have been using an old pair of hand-me-down Lake MX130 mountain shoes for three or four years now. Not only are they coming apart at the seams, but they are nearly unventilated and heavy. For all the weight, they don't flex too bad. (Caveat: My only other pair for flex comparison was a $25 pair of Shimano mountain shoes I had before them that may as well have been running shoes with holes in the sole.) I'm riding more often and longer distances than I have years past so I thought I'd look into road pedals and shoes for the larger platform. Unfortunately, I've also been riding RAGBRAI every year (this summer will be the fourth) and even around St. Louis, tend to “live” in my riding shoes. I also love my five-year-old Ritchey SPD pedals. So, my sights returned to mountain shoes but still wanting a stiffer platform, decided upon something with a carbon sole.
Now, my options were many; until, that is, I started trying them on. I had a hell-of-a-time trying to find shoes that fit well across the top of my foot. I'd never though of myself as having “skinny feet” before and have never had an issue with other kinds of shoes. As much as I pull when riding; however, I need snug. The LBS suggested buying thick insoles but that wasn't really what I wanted to hear. They also looked down and dug their toe into the floor while suggesting Sidi, a brand they didn't carry anymore.
Across town, I found that Sidi's normal width did, in fact, fit me fairly well. But they also had some of the new Mavic shoes (not the Chasm in my size, though). They too fit quite well, and, near as I can tell wandering around a shop, might have been more comfortable on my feet than the Sidi.
A month ago, heavily influenced by the price, the shop took my name for the next pair of size 12 Chasm shoes to arrive. They never did. Still haven't as far as I know.
So, the shoes. They came with four toe spikes, an installation tool, a thicker pair of sole-protecting cleat plates and a thinner pair of sole-protecting cleat plates, a right shoe and a left shoe, each with removable insoles.
I've never used sole-protecting cleat plates before, but I've also never had carbon fiber on my soles. Looking at the sole around the cleats on my Lake shoes, I decided to try the thinner plates.
After the cleats were installed, they weighed around 20% less than the Lake pair: 594g to 466g. (To be fair, the Lake pair still had the toe spikes in but are ground to nubs so the additional weight is likely slight.) While I didn't really notice the weight difference riding around the neighborhood, I did notice the stiffness. Not an astounding difference, but tactilely apparent. There is still a slight gathering of fabric across the top of my foot when I snug them down. Not too bad during brief wear, not tactilely apparent.
I have no reason to doubt the durability of the aramid kevlar cable-strap mechanism but I do wish that they were user-serviceable. Most of the other parts on the shoe appear to be. While my old occupation instilled in me a great deal of faith in aramid kevlar, its strength and longevity, I don't share that faith in the way the aramid kevlar cable is attached to the shoe. I guess we'll see.
I am not impressed with the insole. After seeing all the new fancy insole technology, they are pretty plain. Couple different densities, vented, molded. I'm sure they'll be fine, maybe even great, but at first blush not as impressive as the eSoles new Bontrager shoes ship with.
Feel free to shoot questions at me. I will report additionally this weekend after I put a few more miles on them.
After much difficulty in finding a store that had my size in stock or could successfully get replenishment from Mavic (which combination of slow production or hot seller, I don't know), I finally got my US size 12 Mavic Chasm shoes.
I ride mostly road and have been using an old pair of hand-me-down Lake MX130 mountain shoes for three or four years now. Not only are they coming apart at the seams, but they are nearly unventilated and heavy. For all the weight, they don't flex too bad. (Caveat: My only other pair for flex comparison was a $25 pair of Shimano mountain shoes I had before them that may as well have been running shoes with holes in the sole.) I'm riding more often and longer distances than I have years past so I thought I'd look into road pedals and shoes for the larger platform. Unfortunately, I've also been riding RAGBRAI every year (this summer will be the fourth) and even around St. Louis, tend to “live” in my riding shoes. I also love my five-year-old Ritchey SPD pedals. So, my sights returned to mountain shoes but still wanting a stiffer platform, decided upon something with a carbon sole.
Now, my options were many; until, that is, I started trying them on. I had a hell-of-a-time trying to find shoes that fit well across the top of my foot. I'd never though of myself as having “skinny feet” before and have never had an issue with other kinds of shoes. As much as I pull when riding; however, I need snug. The LBS suggested buying thick insoles but that wasn't really what I wanted to hear. They also looked down and dug their toe into the floor while suggesting Sidi, a brand they didn't carry anymore.
Across town, I found that Sidi's normal width did, in fact, fit me fairly well. But they also had some of the new Mavic shoes (not the Chasm in my size, though). They too fit quite well, and, near as I can tell wandering around a shop, might have been more comfortable on my feet than the Sidi.
A month ago, heavily influenced by the price, the shop took my name for the next pair of size 12 Chasm shoes to arrive. They never did. Still haven't as far as I know.
So, the shoes. They came with four toe spikes, an installation tool, a thicker pair of sole-protecting cleat plates and a thinner pair of sole-protecting cleat plates, a right shoe and a left shoe, each with removable insoles.
I've never used sole-protecting cleat plates before, but I've also never had carbon fiber on my soles. Looking at the sole around the cleats on my Lake shoes, I decided to try the thinner plates.
After the cleats were installed, they weighed around 20% less than the Lake pair: 594g to 466g. (To be fair, the Lake pair still had the toe spikes in but are ground to nubs so the additional weight is likely slight.) While I didn't really notice the weight difference riding around the neighborhood, I did notice the stiffness. Not an astounding difference, but tactilely apparent. There is still a slight gathering of fabric across the top of my foot when I snug them down. Not too bad during brief wear, not tactilely apparent.
I have no reason to doubt the durability of the aramid kevlar cable-strap mechanism but I do wish that they were user-serviceable. Most of the other parts on the shoe appear to be. While my old occupation instilled in me a great deal of faith in aramid kevlar, its strength and longevity, I don't share that faith in the way the aramid kevlar cable is attached to the shoe. I guess we'll see.
I am not impressed with the insole. After seeing all the new fancy insole technology, they are pretty plain. Couple different densities, vented, molded. I'm sure they'll be fine, maybe even great, but at first blush not as impressive as the eSoles new Bontrager shoes ship with.
Feel free to shoot questions at me. I will report additionally this weekend after I put a few more miles on them.
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Comments
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Hase good evening,
So how have they been? After two years of riding, have the aramid kevlar cable-strap broke? Please let me know as I am considering to get a pair.
Many thanks!0 -
<Insert random Holy Thread Resurrection, Batman pic here>cadel89 wrote:Hase good evening,
So how have they been? After two years of riding, have the aramid kevlar cable-strap broke? Please let me know as I am considering to get a pair.
Many thanks!
The op hasn't been back since 2009. Doubt you'll get an answer.I don't do smileys.
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Parktools0 -
Perhaps he was involved in a fatal aramid Kevlar accident whilst testing?0
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As far as I know, Mavic Shoes are basically Salomon shoes. They fit wider feet better (not as wide as Northwave, but still wide). I ve had a few Salomon trainers and I'm a big fan. The last well and are comfortable.
That's all I can give you unfortunatlyWe're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0
