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review

DMT R1 Road Shoe

8
£220.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Highly comfortable and stiff performance shoes that could do with a little more breathability
Weight: 
315g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The DMT R1's full-carbon fibre sole and soft upper make for an excellent mix of stiffness and comfort, ideal for the racer or those who just like to really smash the power through the pedals on long rides. They can get a little warm in the summer, though.

For shoes with a £220 price tag, the R1s include all the features you'd expect them to: full-carbon sole, top notch build quality, Boa fastening system, and classy looks. Yeah, this all-black version may look a little stealth-like, but if you want to go really snazzy they are available in two-tone yellow/black, orange/black and white/black.

> Find your nearest dealer here

The manmade upper is very soft, probably one of the most supple I have ever worn, which makes for a comfortable fit all-round. The shoes are actually quite wide compared with a lot of others on the market and I did have to tighten them up quite a bit, but the upper just moulds around your feet without any pressure points.

DMT Road Shoe R1 - detail.jpg

With regards to sizing, I found these 45s spot-on in length, and the width was never an issue – my feet didn't move around inside them – though it might be something to bear in mind if you have very narrow feet.

Retention comes in the form of two Boa systems, which are really easy to tweak on-the-fly and you can get the wire tension just right across the top part of your foot. The tongue is quite thin but has a bit of extra padding under the Boa dials, plus one side of it has Velcro to keep it in position when you take the shoes on or off. Thanks to its thinness it doesn't bunch up no matter how tight you do up the Boas.

DMT Road Shoe R1 - boa.jpg

The heel is reinforced for support, and to stop any lift of your foot as you pedal the R1 comes with a rubber dimpled section that grips your sock just above the heel.

DMT Road Shoe R1 - heels.jpg

The sole is full uni-directional carbon fibre and there's no noticeable flex at all, even when under full power. The design is slightly tub-like, where the edge of the sole comes up around the base of the foot a little to add a bit of stiffness and support in all directions. The shape certainly suited me, with a supportive arch that wasn't too high.

DMT Road Shoe R1 - sole heel.jpg

The sole is drilled for three-bolt cleat fixings to suit Look, SPD-SL and so on, and there is a sandpaper-like texture to prevent the cleats slipping. Once you've got everything in position you can use the numbered lines for subsequent cleat changes.

Ventilation is probably the only downside, as there is barely any. The upper has a few pin-prick holes but that's it. Admittedly a mesh panel would spoil the looks, but on hot summer days your feet do get a bit sweaty.

At the front of the sole is a mesh-covered vent funnelling air up under the feet, through 17 x 5mm holes in the sole above where the cleat attaches, and 17 corresponding holes in the removable insole, but it isn't really that effective because there is nowhere for the air to go once it's inside the shoe.

DMT Road Shoe R1 - sole toe.jpg

If hot feet is a real worry, DMT does make a summer version of the R1 – the R1S – so those might be the ones to go for, at a tenner more.

In terms of weight the DMT R1s are pretty average at 630g for this pair of 45s. They can't compete with the recently tested Shimano RC-7 at 604g (size 48) or Giro Factor Techlace at 576g (46), although they don't feel heavy when you're riding.

> Buyer's Guide: 14 of the best performance road cycling shoes

Value-wise I'd definitely pay the full price for these R1s – they are a brilliant all-round package and are really well put together. They certainly feel and look durable enough to warrant the outlay, and in terms of comfort and performance they are up there with my absolute favourites, the Giro Factors.

Add a few more air holes in the uppers and the R1s would be pretty damn near the perfect shoe.

Verdict

Highly comfortable and stiff performance shoes that could do with a little more breathability

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road.cc test report

Make and model: DMT R1 Road Shoe

Size tested: 45

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

DMT says: "The R1 is the height of performance, comfort and style in the DMT road shoe range.

"The full carbon sole provides incredible stiffness, whilst the 2 x Boa® closure and anatomic foam padded upper provides ultimate comfort."

With very impressive levels of stiffness, these R1s are aimed squarely at the performance rider.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

DMT lists these features:

Sole:

New Anatomic Quarry Areated Carbon Sole.

Anatomic + areated + quarry - 3 holes + carbon UDFAW 150 + rear studs interchangeable

Sockliner:

Anatomic + light and breathable + bottom part in polypropilene 100% + holes for a maximum areation of feet

Heel:

Reinforced to close better foot + closure external profile

Closure:

2 Boa®Sole

Upper:

Upper construction close on the top to be perfect for narrow foot + lateral holes areation

Tongue:

Anatomic (with internal P.U. soul) soft with foam inside + performant cover material + transpirant

Padding:

Inner foam for maximum comfort + micro injections antislip

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

They are quite roomy widthways.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

The upper comes clean with just a wipe over with a cloth.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Being very stiff and comfortable makes the R1s perfect for long, fast rides.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The soft upper.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Needs more ventilation for summer use.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

The R1s are very good at what they do and are reasonably priced against their competitors. The only downside for me is the lack of ventilation on the uppers, and if you've got narrow feet they might be a bit on the sloppy side.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 38  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: Kinesis Aithein

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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