Swifter, lighter, stronger seems to be the idea behind Northwave’s flashy new Extreme model road and mountain shoes, which will be worn by the Radioshack Nissan Trek team this year.
Northwave attributes this increase in performance to the new 60 g Ultralight Carbon sole which boasts outstanding stiffness while minimizing the distance between foot and pedal. They also claim their new Extreme shoes sacrifice nothing in the comfort category thanks to their Biomap system, AirFlow ventilated microfiber uppers, and minimized stitching, all brought over from previous shoe models.
A nice feature from the consumer’s perspective is the Extreme’s compatibility with all major pedal types (although you’ll need the NW Speedplay Adaptor for Speedplay pedals). The Extreme is available in two road versions: one with three straps and the Extreme Tech with Northwave’s SLW closure system which has a ratcheting buckle on top of the shoe and a dial driven cable for the toe box, as well as an Extreme Tech mountain version. There are less flashy white and Radioshack Nissan Trek black-white-red color schemes available as well. The only drawback we’ve found so far is the size range (39-48) which fits most, but without a women’s specific model, may leave some smaller riders and NBA athletes out.
Hit more to check out pics of all the colors…
The Extreme Tech MTB shoes use Northwave’s Speedlight 3D Carbon sole, pictured below:
