Ekoi has launched a brand new pedal system and these catchily named Ekoi PW8 C12 Pro Woven Full Carbon Leather shoes are part of the small range currently compatible with it. As a shoe, it’s comfortable, it has an incredibly stiff carbon sole, and its full leather upper is well made and pleasurably subtle. It’s a hell of a lot of money for a pair of shoes though, and the aero claims of the PW8 combination are impossible to quantify outside of the wind tunnel.
In 2025, Ekoi launched its new PW8 pedal/shoe system. PW stands for ‘power’ and the 8 references the distance in millimeters from the pedal axis to the sole – or the stack height as it’s better known.
I’ve also written a full review on the PW8 pedals, so the main construction and design details are covered there, but basically the cleats are in two small parts. The rear section is similar in size to Shimano’s SPD with the front piece about half the size. The mounting position for both is then integrated into what is quite a deep carbon sole.
That depth adds to the weight, with this pair of EU 45s weighing a chunky 722g. For comparison, Ekoi’s cheaper Perf R4 shoes that I reviewed last year weigh 586g, and something like the Mechanism PNS X Fiziks that I often wear are 561g.
Offsetting that, the PW8 pedals and cleats are about 100g lighter than something like Shimano’s carbon bodied Ultegra R8000 pedal and yellow SPD SL cleats, but as a package the Ekoi system is still on the weighty side.
Is it noticeable on the bike? No, not really, but if you are spending this sort of money then saving grams is probably something you are conscious of. The shoes are noticeably weighty when you pick them up in your hand though.
Thanks to the small cleats and the fact that they are recessed, Ekoi has been able to add Michelin made TPU blocks around the front of the shoe and the heel, which means that this is probably the first road cleat/shoe system that you can walk in without looking like a newborn calf taking its first steps.
They do a great job of protecting the soles from marks, even on gravel surfaces, and walking up or down a flight of steps isn’t the health insurance risk it can be when using other setups.
The sole itself is a full carbon fibre build and it’s incredibly stiff. Its shape is comfortable too, and while I found the arch to be a little higher than I’ve been used to in other shoes, it’s not so high that it causes any kind of discomfort. In fact, after a few hours of riding my feet had completely adapted to the shape.
There are a couple of gauze covered vents for heat removal with small holes throughout to aid airflow. There are measurement lines for positioning the PW8 cleats.
To improve comfort, the Ortholite X40 insole has a meta pad – a slightly raised section that sits just behind the ball of your foot. It’s designed to promote blood flow by spreading your toes slightly, therefore reducing hot spots – something I will agree that it does.
Hard efforts in very stiff shoes can often leave pressure points and I do suffer with this when wearing some shoes, but I didn’t when wearing these.
From a performance point of view, the C12s are impressive. I’m not going to comment on the physical attributes of the PW8 pedal system here – I’ve covered that in the other review – but when it comes to the stiffness and foot support, I’ve been very impressed with these shoes.
Unlike most shoes, which use a PU upper, these Ekois have gone for natural leather, which will be tough and hardwearing, but for the first couple of months I found it to be not as supple as the manmade offerings.
Get plenty of miles in though and it becomes much more malleable and starts to mould to the shape of your foot. From then on, I found the C12s to be very comfortable indeed.
To help get a slipper-like fit, the C12s are pretty much created from one continuous piece of leather, and that means there is no separate tongue. It’s just part of the upper.
The open end of the upper then wraps around it over the top of the foot and it is secured in place with twin BOA Li2 dials. I like these as they have incremental adjustment in both directions – ideal if you need to loosen them off mid-ride due to your feet swelling, which tends to happen in the hot temperatures we saw this summer.
This design, with the leather and everything, does mean that the C12s are an incredibly comfortable pair of shoes, and they are exceptionally well made too, in Italy.
I found the sizing to be absolutely spot on, and Ekoi has a detailed measuring system on its website. Sizes cover from EUR 39 to EUR 48 in full sizes only. There are no wide options.
Being white, they are obviously going to get dirty, but that isn’t really an issue. I found the upper cleaned up fine, especially if you give them a wipe over with a cloth as soon as you finish your ride to prevent anything staining.
When it comes to pricing, Ekoi has an RRP on its website, but things are often soon discounted by around 50 per cent.
Prices fluctuate with the exchange rate, but at the time of writing these are listed at £445.80 (discounted to £178.32). That’s a hell of a lot of money for a pair of shoes, but arguably in keeping with many other brand’s range toppers.
Specialized’s S-Works Ares 2 shoes, for instance, were £479 when we reviewed them, although for 2026 they have seen a price reduction to £399.
Fizik’s Vega Carbon are steeply priced too at £399, though not as steeply as Nimbl’s Exceed Ultimate Glide shoes at a whopping £487!
So these are pricey, but in keeping with the competition. Many of those other shoes use man-made uppers too, whereas quality leather isn’t cheap.
Conclusion
Regardless of the pedal system, the Ekoi PW8 C12 Pro Woven Full Carbon Leather shoes are very impressive in every aspect. The quality is great, as are the comfort and performance. If you want a pair of shoes that fit like your favourite worn-in pair of slippers then these are the ones to choose – if you can stomach the weight and the price.
Test Report
What does the manufacturer say about this product?:
The C12 Pro Full Carbon PW8 is the first shoe on the market equipped with a sole specifically designed for the PW8 concept.
It incorporates the major strengths of the 3-point version, combining the highest level of performance and comfort in our range.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of this product:
UPPER:
• Pro fit close to the foot: maximal support
• Volume at the front of the foot: ideal for long and hot rides in summer and during races
• Wrap-around construction / slipper effect
• Genuine leather material / durable / breathable because it is 100% perforated
CLEATS:
• Thermo-compressed Michelin® studs in durable TPU
CLOSURE:
• BOA® Fit System with Dual-Dial Li2
ORTHOLITE® INSOLE:
• Dual-density to provide support to the arch and heel
• Meta pad to promote venous return while pedaling and prevent discomfort at the front of the foot by slightly spreading the toes
• Breathable through open-cell PU foam and perforations at the front near the sole openings
• Lycra mesh for maximum comfort under the foot
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested?:
These are more expensive than many other brands’ range toppers, but not by a huge amount.
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 overall score
If you are looking to use Ekoi’s new PW8 pedal system then these are great shoes to compliment it. I was impressed with the comfort and performance, although they do bring some added weight over many shoes, even when you include the low bulk of the PW8 pedals and cleats compared to other brands.
About the tester
Age: Height: cmWeight: kg
I usually ride: My best bike is:
I’ve been riding for: I ride: I would class myself as:
I regularly do the following types of riding:
1 thought on “Ekoi PW8 C12 Pro Woven Full Carbon Leather shoes”
Am I the only one who is concerned that it looks like the pedal & shoe brands are making systems that tie you into buying a whole load of things that only work together and remove your ability to shop around or experiment with alternatives?
This shoe / cleat system and also the new Shimano SPD-SLR look like you need to buy not only the pedals but only their products (so far) to work with them? And even if they get more third party support, I cant just swap one system out and try another like I can with SPD-SL , Look Keo and even Wahoo/Speedplay.