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Mavic Ksyrium Pro Thermo road shoes reviewed

Keeping the wet and cold out so you can ride comfortably when before you wouldn't

Mavic Ksyrium Pro Thermo road shoes

 Mavic Ksyrium Pro Thermo road shoes

If cold and wet feet are your downfall on rides, the Mavic Ksyrium Pro Thermo road shoes have you covered. A Gore-Tex and Neoprene construction kept my feet well insulated and dry on some very cold rides. The winter road shoes construction is slim and stiff making them feel very high performance for a winter shoe. Most importantly, they allowed me to ride more without getting cold feet.

With relatively big feet (size 46) for my height, I find shoe covers bulky and unwieldy on the road. Living in a cold northern climate though I do enjoy cycling when the temperature dips well below zero. The Mavic Ksyrium Pro Thermo are a sleek shoe.

Covering the ankle and upper of the shoe is a water resistant fabric and neoprene. It’s a design used in cross country skiing where the feet are constantly assaulted by snow and cold. The inside of the shoe is well lined to keep the feet insulated.

 Mavic Ksyrium Pro Thermo road shoes

To adjust the shoes fit, a Mavic Ergo dial is used. The dial tightens the shoe in one direction and if you twist it the other way it completely loosens off. This allowed easy adjustments with cold fingers. One ride I got back and my fingers were ice cubes but an easy twist got my feet out of the shoe very easily. The fit is very nice on the shoe with the dial evenly tightening for a firm but comfortable fit. The shoes aren’t bulky at all with the ankle the only spot where there’s a noticeable difference between a conventional road shoe because of the water resistant ankle cover.

That sleek design is apparent on the road where the shoe feels stiff and light. The sole was particularly firm. The fiberglass, nylon and Gore-Tex construction is very solid keeping cold wind entirely out. On many rides, I would just wear a thin summer sock and my feet were warm enough. I even noticed a bit of sweat build up in sub-zero temperatures riding on the road because of how well insulated they are.

In slushy and snow conditions, the shoes would be covered in muck thrown up from the road but my feet were still dry. The high neoprene ankle cover and zip really do their job keeping the wet and snow out.

A winter road shoe isn’t ideal for snowy conditions because clipping into a road cleat is a little tricky when they are covered in slush. The shoes are up to the task though and I won’t be reach for my favoured road shoes or shoe covers for cold road rides with the Mavic Ksyrium Pro Thermo on hand.

The Mavic Ksyrium Pro Thermo retail for US$224.95.