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Reflective shoes aren’t ‘new’, per se. But they are a great idea! Mavic has unveiled a new range of products for 2018 that includes the Cosmic Elite Vision shoes with a retail price of AUD$300.
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The reaction from readers was both swift and predictable when we published a story about a ‘quick look’ at the cool, innovative, light and expensive Mavic Comete Ultimate shoes. At $1,600, they prompt comment and the price is what earned numerous mentions during RIDE’s video overview during our first glance at these carbon-fibre beauties.
Still, the opening response to a Twitter about the shoes? “LOL. This is ridiculous. I’m sorry.”
It wasn’t the last. Others would follow: “$1600. You’re kidding. The cycling world has gone mad.”
But then it calmed down a little. It seems that many understand the concept behind what Mavic did with its super high-end showcase shoe: it is a clever marketing exercise.
Create the ‘ultimate’ shoe – hell, even call it that to reiterate the point – and if it costs a lot, then add the price tag to suit. That’s what other niche shoe makers have done. Everyone knows about Adam Hansen’s fancy carbon-fibre footwear; perhaps not everyone knows that he also sells them under the Hanseeno brand, and maybe even fewer people would know that the shameless asking price is listed as “2,000-2,500 euros” (ie. ±AUD$3,200-$4,000)!
They’re state-of-the-art and highly original and yet, as Hansen’s Hanseeno site tells us: “Sold out.”
“If you build it, he will come.” That’s the actual quote from Field of Dreams and it relates to “Shoeless Joe Jackson”. After all those years of rest, perhaps the baseball player needed a few pairs of cycling shoes for the afterlife – handcrafted ones that were really light and actually quite rare.
But, I digress.
The point is: Mavic made a lovely pair of shoes and they ask a lot of money for them. If they float your boat, go for it: buy ’em – you’ve got the option.
At the other end of the spectrum is the Mavic Cosmic Elite Vision (featured below, with and without flash). They retail for a far more realistic AUD$300. They reflect light brilliantly. They fit your foot very well. They’re a little heavier than the Ultimates… and both options from Mavic got us talking about cycling shoes.
Build it, and we’ll talk about it…
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These two images from an iPhone – one without flash, one with – demonstrate the contrast of the Mavic Cosmic Elite shoes.
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As much as I appreciate quality (and good design) it only took a glance at the two pairs of shoes to know which one I’d buy. It’s a simple economic review that sways my decision making: $1,600 vs $300, it’s no contest.
It is possible that one will make me faster up hills but the time difference (or savings of effort), to me, isn’t worth it.
Furthermore, the cheaper product has features that I find more practical and they don’t prompt me to walk away from my bike like I’m treading on eggshells for fear of scuffing the beautiful artisan-laid carbon-fibre sole.
If you watch the clips of my initial appraisal, you see and hear my initial reactions. With the Ultimate shoes, much of my commentary relates to price (upon the opening of the box); with the Cosmic Elite Vision, I talk about the reflective qualities and clever, practical design.
Either way, I’m talking about them now. Clever ploy from Mavic’s marketing team: the brand receives some exposure… their dalliances with high-end design gets people talking, and consideration is given to the products on offer. Job done.
What’s next? Why not add an incentive for the customer to buy into the Mavic program?
They’ve done that through their Australian agent too.
Buy a pair of Mavic shoes or a set of wheels before the end of May and you go in the draw to win a trip to the France to visit the Mavic factory near Annecy and then get to spend the final stage of the Tour de France inside the Mavic neutral spares vehicle!
Sold? Well, at least drop by the local shop and try on a pair.
If the shoe fits and you choose to wear it, let me which one you selected… I’m curious.
– By Rob Arnold
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Watch the ‘unboxing’ of the Mavic Comete Ultimate shoes (above).
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Next week we’ll take a look at new and improved tubeless road wheels by Mavic. They have been expanding the range to include wider tyres and a more manageable inflation mechanism that should finally see this style of wheel adopted by road cyclists everywhere.
In the meantime, below are a few more photos of the Cosmic Elite Vision shoes – the ones with a retail price that’s just a fraction of the Ultimate offering by Mavic.
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