RIDE CONCEPTS ACCOMPLICE CLIP SHOES REVIEW

Words & Photos by Max Rhulen

Can all-day comfort and clipless be mentioned in the same sentence? Over the years, Ride Concepts has brought a lot of shoes to the market that appeal to different riders and different styles of riding. The Accomplice Clip was developed with the goal of offering all-day comfort to clipless riders. I have been putting these shoes to test for the last couple months, and while I am a fan of a BOA lace system due to the speed at which a shoe can be tightened, this shoe may have convinced me to convert back to laces… Read below to find out how the Ride Concepts Accomplice Clip performed.

THE LAB

The Ride Concepts Accomplice Clip shoe is a fully laced, athletic-inspired trail shoe. At first glance they look like comfortable street shoes, and share many features with their Accomplice flat pedal shoe. The shoe is constructed of a nylon tech upper, which aims to provide abrasion resistant protection and comfortability to riders at a low weight. The dual density EVA insole gives support and cushion on long descents to limit foot fatigue. Additionally, the Accomplice features a nylon shank for better pedaling performance and internal TPU toe protection for the hidden rocks and stumps lurking in the brush.

The Accomplice Clip has a CLIP GRIP outsole that features a 42mm wide adjustable cleat track, so riders should have enough room to find a suitable cleat position. There is a four-way stretch tongue that comes up high enough to keep debris out, and a heel pull tab to aid riders in getting into the shoe. This Accomplice Clip is fastened with standard laces, which have an elastic lace tuck to keep them secure on rough descents. If riders are looking for a BOA closure system instead of the traditional laces, Ride Concepts does offer the Accomplice in a BOA for both clipless and flat pedal riders. The Accomplice Clip costs $140 and comes in a size range of 7-15 US or 39.5-49.5 EU. Three colors are available, Off White, Black, and Olive Camo.

THE DIRT

Being my first pair of Ride Concept shoes and due to their street shoe style, I had reservations about the fit and performance. Many of the RC shoes are wide in appearance, and due to my somewhat narrow feet I thought I was going to be swimming around in the Accomplice Clip. That didn’t prove to be the case, thankfully. My shoe size is a 9.5 and in cycling shoes I am typically a 43.5, but that can vary from brand to brand. In the Accomplice I wore a 43 and found the fit and comfort to exceed my expectations. In this shoe the tongue is completely attached to the upper, making it somewhat of a challenge to slip into. However, with use of the heel pull tab, I found that entry wasn’t too hard. My first impression when I put the Accomplice on was how cushy and comfortable the inside of the shoe was. Honestly, they might be more comfortable than the shoes I wore to the trailhead! The padding on the tongue and the heel cup was thick and soft, but still kept my feet securely in the shoe with little movement.

Prior to this test I had been riding in the Fox Union BOA clipless shoes, and had gotten used to the ease of use with the BOA dials and the stiffness that the shoe provided. With the Accomplice I didn’t miss the BOA’s as much as I thought I would, due to the fact that the laces pull through nicely and never really got stuck or stiff, even in muddy conditions. The elastic lace tuck kept the laces from flopping around, rendering the laces un-problematic during the duration of the test. Plus, I am a fan of how lace shoes look. We all know when it comes to shoes, style matters!

Now onto the stiffness of the Accomplice Clip. I found this topic to be a double-edged sword. Ride Concepts claims that “The all-new Accomplice Clip is an athletic-inspired trail partner that has your back when all-day comfort is essential” and that is 100% the truth. Both the cushion on the interior of the shoe and softness of the sole/nylon shank makes the Accomplice a very comfortable shoe overall. Ride Concepts rates the stiffness at a 5 out of 5, but I did not find this shoe to be overly stiff… and I am glad I didn’t! During backcountry missions or high mileage days on the bike, I encountered long-fatiguing descents and hike-a-bike climb segments where I was thankful to have a little flex for damping or walking. When comparing the Accomplice to stiffer soled shoes, I was surprised how much more of a toll your body takes on rough descents when wearing a stiffer shoe. I had a lot less high frequency feedback through the pedals on rough terrain in the Ride Concepts shoes. Pedaling support was sufficient. I never felt like I was losing excessive power to the shoe, but when I would stand up and put more watts through the shoe, they did have some noticeable flex. The downside to this flex that I found was that the plastic on the cleat track was able to come out from under that rubber of the sole.

The only reasons why I wouldn’t choose the Accomplice Clip as my everyday shoe is protection and weather resistance. For protection, the toe box is a bit stiffer than other areas of the shoe, but that doesn’t seem to extend very far. The nylon upper of the shoe is abrasion resistant, however when I scraped my foot along the embankment of a narrow trail, I quickly learned that the outside of my foot had no protection. I felt every rock and root that was sticking out. These are not the shoes I would want to kick a big rock in. With the weather resistance I didn’t get to test this out too much, but with the streams I did cross and mud that was encountered I had some soggy feet.

At the end of the day, I enjoyed riding in the Ride Concepts Accomplice Clip. They are super comfortable. They are stiff enough to provide support, while also having some forgiveness on long, chattery descents. They look good and are made of tough materials.

The Wolf’s Last Word

Overall, I think the Accomplice Clip is a great shoe for someone looking for a casual trail riding shoe or a shoe to ride in when you are expecting a lot of walking. If you ain’t hiking, you ain’t biking! A bike commuter might also very much enjoy this clipless shoe. For me it really comes down to protection and that there isn’t enough for hard charging trail riders, enduro racers, or downhillers.

Price: $140
Website: Rideconcepts.com