Tested: new Trek Velocis mid-range road shoes

The Trek Velocis Road mid-range shoes are comfortable, functional, and look good too.

I was a little concerned about the bright white uppers, which look like they’d be scuffed in no time, but after many wears, they still look brand new (with a few marks wiped off from time to time).

I was curious to know why they were not Bontrager-branded, as Trek has previously used that brand for accessories. I was told that the Trek global team decided to move all ‘body accessories’ under the Trek brand. Bontrager will still be the brand for wheels, tyres, and other parts.

Now we’ve got that cleared up, I’ll share my experience of the shoes.

The Velocis’ carbon soles offer enough stiffness for my liking without ever being overly harsh, and the uppers are comfortable with just the right level of padding. Just for reference, my usual shoes are a high-end pair from a rival brand with a high stiffness rating, and they felt no different to me. Perhaps if I were a different type of rider, this might be more apparent, but for a typical recreational rider, they are just right.

The soles have a carbon appearance, but I’m told they are a composite of carbon and fibreglass, the latter being 30 per cent. Trek says the shoes offer excellent power transfer. Another advantage is the replaceable heel pad, which will inevitably wear down over time.

The uppers are made from a mixture of TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) and nylon, with lots of small ventilation perforations. This is great for summer riding, where feet stay well-ventilated and cool, but not so good in winter. I know I’ll be covering these beauties in shoe covers as soon as the temperatures drop.

The perforations on the side are the shape of three-point stars, making them look nice, and Trek says it makes the upper more flexible. This METNET technology reduces the chances of pressure points, hotspots and foot discomfort. I found them comfortable during testing and didn’t experience any food pain or discomfort.

The shoes also feature a foam tongue designed to effectively distribute pressure across the top of the foot, which can be a common area for pain. Once again, I found them comfortable from the first wear.

The Velocis shoes’ closures are twin Boa dials, which made tightening and releasing them super easy. To tighten, push the dials until they click and rotate to your comfort level. To loosen, the Boa dials click up and fully release. I found them very intuitive and easy to operate from the first wear.

My one criticism is the lack of arch support, although this could be easily fixed with aftermarket arch supports from Trek or another brand.

Trek Velocis Road Shoes are available at Trek retailers and online at trekbikes.com for $449.99.