Venting on these shoes is also terrific. The thin, bonded mesh material on the upper and sole keep air moving.

Venting on these shoes is terrific. The thin, bonded mesh material on the upper and sole keep air moving (click to enlarge). Photo by Brian Hodes​

Lowdown: Mavic Cosmic Ultimate Shoe

Key criteria for a high end road cycling shoe? Low weight, stiff sole, ease of adjustment, secure fit - and of course comfort and good looks. The premium priced Mavic Cosmic Ultimate gets high marks across the board - especially if you like bright yellow. Find out more in our full review below.

Upper material: Energy frame carbonCleat compatibility: 3-hole road
Sole: Energy full carbon SLRWeight: 263 grams per shoe (size 44)
Footbed: Ergo Fit 3D+ OrtholiteColors: yellow/black, white/black
Sole thickness: 5.5mmMSRP: $400
Upper: Ergo 3D tongueRating:
4 Stars
4 out of 5 stars
Closure: Ergo Dial lacing system
Stat Box


Pluses

Minuses
  • Low weight
  • Sole scuffs easily
  • Very stiff
  • Hard to clean upper
  • Thin sole
  • Some dial function degradation
  • Great venting
  • Very expensive
  • Solid heel hold
  • Color, if you don't like bright yellow
  • Energy frame upper
  • Micro-adjust dials
  • Cleat position indicators
  • Durable tread
  • Decent arch support
  • Color, if you like bright yellow

Review: Mavic Cosmic Ultimate Shoe

Without reading another word, some of you will be turned away (or at least turned off) by the price of these shoes. Four hundred dollars is a lot of money. It's also right in line with top tier offerings from the likes of Specialized and Bontrager. And a recent internet search turned up pairs of these Mavic shoes marked down to $300 - which is still a lot of money.

Weight for a size 44 is 263 grams per shoe, which is just 3 grams more than the same size Bontrager XXX road shoe I tested last summer.

Weight for a size 44 is 263 grams per shoe (click to enlarge).​

I won't try to make an argument one way or the other as to if they're worth that. That depends far more on your tax bracket than my humble opinion. What I can say is that the Mavic Cosmic Ultimate shoe ticks the right boxes required for inclusion in this high-zoot road shoe conversation.

Continue to page 2 for more of our Mavic Cosmic Ultimate shoe review


A carbon sole combined with wafer thin 5.5mm sole thickness means power transfer is about as efficient as it can be.

A carbon sole combined with wafer thin 5.5mm sole thickness means efficient power transfer (click to enlarge). Photo by Brian Hodes​

Weight for a size 44 is 263 grams per shoe, which is just 3 grams more than the same size Bontrager XXX road shoe I tested last summer. And while I liked the somewhat boxy fit of the Bontragers, I love the fit of these Mavics. Heel hold is among the best I've experienced, meaning your foot feels secure inside the shoe when sprinting for the town limits sign or mashing up climbs, but you don't have to crank it closed to get that security.

Closure is provided by what Mavic calls a dual Ergo Dial lacing system, which is essentially a BOA knock-off, albeit a very good one. The low profile dials adjust in both directions in 1mm increments, making on-the-fly micro tweaks possible. It's a big step up from the hook-and-loop straps found on the first iteration of this shoe, and it's a feature I really like, as my feet tend to swell a little as temperatures climb. My lone knock against Mavic's dials is that as I've worn them more (and ridden on a few wet, sloppy days) they've developed a slight amount of turning resistance, presumably from gunk build-up.

Venting on these shoes is also terrific. The thin, bonded mesh material on the upper and sole keep air moving through. The only issue is that it's a little harder to clean the uneven surface than a flat surface shoe such as the aforementioned Bontrager XXX. Indeed, the yellow parts of the Mavic Cosmic Ultimate is slowly developing darker tints.

The sole itself is full carbon of course, with what Mavic calls Index Energy Transfer 100, which is as high as their shoes go. Or put another way, they're really, really stiff. Combine that with a wafer thin 5.5mm thick sole, and power transfer is about as efficient as it can be. The soles also have the requisite cleat position indicators, which greatly aids in accurate cleat installation.

Heel hold is among the best I've experienced, meaning you foot feels secure inside the shoe when sprinting for the town limits sign, but you don't have to crank it tightly closed to get that security.

Heel hold is among the best I've experienced (click to enlarge). Photo by Brian Hodes​

Other features of note include the plush Ergo 3D tongue that doesn't bind on your foot, and an Ergo Fit 3D+ Ortholite footbed with dual-density foam that provides adequate arch support. Tread durability has also been up to par, though the soles have become a little scuffed from occasional walkabouts.

Bottom line, if you're in the market for a pair of no-comprise carbon soled road shoes (and have the required budget) you wont be disappointed with Mavic Cosmic Ultimate. Sizes run the full range and they come in wide fit for riders who need a bit more volume.

For more info visit www.mavic.us.