Spiuk Altube RC Review: Ruined by lack of Boa IP1 Dials

How badly can you fuck up your top tier product?

Spiuk had me excited at the prospect of decently priced and coloured shoes. But they treat their shoes like Apple treats Smartphones. They think that making yearly updates with minor changes will generate sales. This is not the case with something as sensitive as Cycling Shoes.

You don't just buy a shoe for a year or two. As with a new purchase of shoes comes the Cleat Fitting. If you're as paranoid about bike fit as I am. Several injuries will do that you a person.

My old Spiuk ZS22 (three velcro straps, ~650g) were looking tatty after three and a half years. So I had some requirements for new shoes, in order:

1. White Colour, as plain as possible.
2. Adjustable, the new IP1 Boa System Dials ideally.
3. Replaceable Heel Pad.

I was looking at Fizik shoes range:

• R5B - Ruined by red writing.
• R4B - Too expensive not to have the replaceable heel pad.
• R3B - Ruined by that disgusting Black Strap.
• R1B - €370, although they are beautiful, like sexy submarines.

I happened across the Spiuk Altube range on Bike24. They, for €170, fulfilled the top two requirements, or so I thought. Why would a company release a 2017 product with old Boa L6 Dials?

At the time of writing Spiuk's website doesn't mention the series of dials. I did research on the Planet X shoes, which Spiuk make. They, like Spiuk's Z15 and Z16 range use the ATOP dials, which do not have good reviews. So it seems that Spiuk have only made incremental updates to their Z16RC shoes with the Altube RC.

Now that I just got them, I noticed that they have the older L6 Series of dials. I was hoping for the IP1 Series, as they have the reverse rotation to loosen. The L6, don't have this feature and an over tightening means that you must start again. Not a problem when you're at home and have plenty of time to make the club spin. When you're on the bike and you need to loosen the shoes, this is where the IP1 Series of Boa dials shine.

Spiuk, how could you fuck up your top tier product?

I'll contact Bike24 about exchanging them for the Fizik R4B. I'll take a bet that I'm a size 42 in the Fiziks. I guess there isn't a perfect shoe at a decent price.