Test fi'zi:k Vento Powerstrap Aeroweave Movistar Team shoes

When we look at the technology that equips cyclists' shoes in terms of tightening on the most high-end models, we are now much more used to the essential micrometric buckle, or more exceptionally to laces, rather than to Velcro straps. So is it a new fashion phenomenon? Originality of design? Something new in the air? The most newly appropriate solution? Or is it just another shoe in the wardrobe, which completes the collection, but which will not be used? I quickly stopped racking my brain to find the answer, and in doubt I seized the opportunity offered by fi'zi:k to put on a model worn by Movistar riders and check what it was all about. Here is the test fi'zi:k Vento Powerstrap Aeroweave.

By Jean-François Tatard – Photos: DR

And yes, the famous Italian firm does indeed offer an option only with scratches on its new model. And after all, we did have the right to the return of laces for cycling shoes, some time ago… and finally, we had investigated enough on 3bikes.fr to demonstrate concrete benefits. So why would it be any different for the model, now a favorite of Movistar riders, proposed by fi'zi:k, with scratches?

The least we can say is that the Movistar Vento Powerstrap Aeroweave is a purely competition shoe. It is light, and from the first use you can feel that it is very breathable. The one we have testée is also exactly the same and in the smallest details as that used by the riders of the famous Spanish team and we quickly understand why. With a very high resistance mesh upper, it also gives us an extremely breathable reticulated structure at the upper. As for the R2-Carbon outsole ensures great rigidity and lightness, perfectly suited to the transmission of power to the pedals. And so to finish, the famous Velcro strips wrapping the foot: They allow for a nice tight fit that I had uncontestprobably underestimated before you try them. 

The Aeroweave

Thanks to the materials used, fi'zi:ka has managed to significantly reduce weight and increase ventilation. And the feat is perhaps to have managed despite this to maintain the support and protection that are part of our main requirements when wearing such a high-end shoe. And this, thanks to this technology called Aeroweave. It is actually aan advanced woven fabric composed of lightweight nylon fibers and thermoplastic polymer filaments. The Aeroweave has an open, reticulated structure that is both extremely airy, very resistant and very solid. Even socks can be seen through it. But beyond this aesthetic detail, the least we can say is that it effectively holds the foot in place and offers the support and the support necessary for a racing bike shoe as we practice it.

A look at the scratch

The Velcro closure, ingeniously made up of two strips, envelops the foot and provides a very secure fit. The instep and metatarsal are separately adjustable for a personalized fit and compressionThe straps have been optimized to make them particularly light and particularly resistant.

The Velcro straps provide a very effective hold, to say the least. We expected it, but not to this extent to be very honest. And The second positive point compared to laces is that you can adjust the Velcro if necessary while riding. Nothing to say, the adjustment is easy and the support is excellent.

The R2 sole

The R2 sole is lightweight and has a stiffness index of 10/10 according to the Italian brand's standard.. A large air vent and deep internal channels ensure air circulation, which should be appreciated when the hot weather returns.

This is valid on almost all fi'zi:k soles. There is a graduation for the positioning of the cleat, but the fixing holes are also oblong. This allows for a wider range of adjustments. A good point for those who, like me, have never yet managed to be satisfied with a single adjustment and who regularly reposition their cleats.

The fit

fi'zi:k shoes generally run a little larger and wider than some of their competitors. like Shimano, Sidi, Specialized, or Bont for example. No need to take a size below, but here is the assurance of having the "real" size, the one that corresponds to your usual city shoes.

Our opinion

With this model, fi'zi:k engineers have managed to offer us an ultra-light shoe that does not sacrifice any foot support and gives us exceptional pedaling performance. It is also incredibly breathable with an innovative fabric, intertwining lightweight nylon fibers that give the impression of a net-like structure. The Vento Powerstrap Aeroweave also secures our foot well with a simple but ingenious configuration of the lightweight and reliable hook-and-loop strap system that brings the two sides of the upper together. Another advantagetage is a much more aerodynamic finish than a traditional strap system. The sole offers incredible responsiveness, with power transferred to our pedals with exceptional efficiency.

By favoring scratch in the design of the model, we also necessarily thought about its probable interest in use for the triathlon. But after some thought and a few kilometers, we changed our minds. In fact, perhaps in this case it lacks the shoe tongue at the back which ensures quick donning during transitions. So it remains a cyclist's shoe. And more precisely, a competitor's shoe.

In short, the Powerstrap concept, combined with the other materials used in the design of the fi'zi:k Vento Powerstrap Aeroweave, whether in the sole and mesh or in the upper or the shaft, won us over in terms of efficiency. This makes it a supreme shoe for competition. Indeed, Thanks to the rigidity-support-lightness triptych, when we expose ourselves to the need for sudden acceleration, we are quickly rewarded by an immediate return of energy. Likewise, its ultra breathability keeps us away from the risk of overheating. And so now, in the end, only our real physical limits are still holding us back... But otherwise, we can't say that it's the shoe's fault if the performance isn't there.

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