A lot of emphasis is put on the stiffness of the sole of your cycling shoe. But if the upper stretches when you’re really putting down the power, the shoe is only as good as the weakest link. That’s why Scott teamed up with Carbitex to to create a new type of upper. It’s made from carbon – but it’s also flexible. And while flexible, Scott claims it has virtually zero elongation, which should make the shoes very, very efficient.
Offered in both road and MTB variants, the MTB RCs were co-developed with World and Olympic champion Nino Shurter.
Compared to the MTB RC SL and the RC SL Road, the Ultimates (at the top) feature strategically placed strips of the Carbitex CX6 carbon material rather than the full panels on the SLs which seems like it would offer slightly better power transfer. On the mountain side, both shoes have the same claimed weight of 330g. But for road, the RC SL will save you 10g per shoe over the RC Ultimate.
All of the models use an ultra stiff HMX 10 carbon fiber outsole with a breathable, welded airmesh upper, 3D Shaped EVA tongue, and the Carbitex CX6 upper reinforcement and Boa IP-1 dials for fit. Inside you’ll find Scott’s Adjustable Ergologic insole system, and the mountain bike outsoles run EVA Sticki rubber for grip. Pricing is set at $450 for the RC Ultimates and $500 for the RC SLs.
