Ride Concepts Livewire - Women's Review

The Ride Concepts Livewire won our Best Buy award because it is a tremendous all-around flat pedal shoe and it's inexpensive. After miles of riding, there were only a few moments when we wanted more grip. We concluded that this is a great shoe for someone looking to start their flat-pedal mountain bike shoe journey or the rider on a budget looking for a well-rounded and versatile option.

Performance Comparison

Grip

The Livewire has a patented hexagon pattern on the bottom of the shoe, similar to other models we tested. We were excited to see how this sole would affect the performance of the shoe, and were not disappointed. The hexagon pattern allows you to move your foot easily, but the angles in the pattern catch on the pedal pegs. This means you won't accidentally move your foot too much and slip. RC features a 12mm deep hexagon lug making the contact between the pedal and your foot like velcro.

What makes the RC Livewire stand out is the high-quality, unique ultra-grippy rubber on the bottom. Ride Concepts has developed their own rubber compounds in conjunction with Rubber Kinetics (bike rubber experts). The Livewire features their DST (Dynamic Surface Technology) 6.0 rubber. RC developed a brand-specific scale to rate the grippiness of their rubber, and this 6.0 rubber falls directly in the middle of that scale. We found that the grip was not compromised by water or heavy dirt, making us feel safe on varied terrain.

We think this is the perfect shoe if you are starting to dip your toes into more technical downhill riding. Once we started getting into difficult technical riding, we found that a shoe with a little more grip was preferable. If you are an experienced downhill rider and want something with an unmatched grip for sending to your fullest; we recommend checking out the some of the other models we tested.

Comfort and Protection

RC recognizes that men and women differ in the way their feet are shaped and have developed their women's line to cater to those differences. We love the feel of this shoe and found it comfortable for riding and wearing out all day. Only one other model we tested had a comparable amount of padding. Both provide an ample amount of stability when riding.

The footbed features RC's custom D30 technology with a layer made explicitly for absorbing shock when you land on your feet. Not only is this technology safer for your foot if you are trying new risky things in biking. We also found it very comfortable.

On the toe and heel, there is a molded anti-abrasion material that works well. Compared to the other shoes we tested, the Livewire had the most protection on the heel, which we found necessary if your foot slips off and hits the pedal.

The Livewire runs a little small compared to other brands, so if you are ordering this shoe online, we suggest ordering a half size up.

Rigidity and Power Transfer

The Livewire is much less rigid than most other models we tested. We like being able to feel our feet on the pedal, especially when trying to make micro-adjustments and found this shoe did a great job balancing rigidity and sensitivity.

This shoe weighed in at 754-grams landing right in the middle of all the shoes in our line-up. Weight is an important factor for all-mountain type riding. You want your shoe to be light enough that you don't notice it while climbing, but beefy enough for stability. Ride Concepts does a great job of finding a happy medium.

Breathability

The uppers of the Livewire are made of synthetic material (like most flat pedal shoes), which is great for protection, but sometimes not the best for breathability. Above the synthetic material is mesh with plenty of holes to provide more air to your feet.

However, because this shoe is on the heavier side, that comes with sacrificing some breathability if it is a hot day (above 75 degrees), we recommend wearing a light sock with this shoe.

Durability

After miles and miles of riding through all kinds of terrain in the Sierra along with grabbing the occasional beer afterward, these shoes passed our durability test with flying colors.

Ride Concepts makes a high-quality, durable shoe. Most of the material is welded together (except for some of the material on the side). This method held up through our testing. The soles and side of the shoe suffered some marks from the pins, but not as much as other models tested. The Livewire also features an elastic strap across the tongue to easily store your shoelaces.

Value

With a variety of shoes offered at this price point, we feel the Ride Concepts is a better shoe overall. There is a possibility that your ability may outgrow this shoe if you start to send it down some technical rock waterfalls, but if you are the type that likes taking it easy, they will last you a lifetime.

Conclusion

Looking to buy your first pair of flat pedal shoes, but unsure of what you'll be riding in the next year? These are the shoe for you. This is a great all-mountain shoe for anyone looking to step into some technical riding, and it is a great price. We love this shoe and think you will too.