RIDE CONCEPTS LIVEWIRE FLAT PEDAL SHOE REVIEW

Words by Travis Reill | Photos by Drew Rhode

Ride Concepts has made a significant splash on the mountain bike footwear scene considering they’re a brand with only six years under their belt. RC started strong, has pushed the envelope, and continues to focus on delivering competitive and high quality shoes. But RC isn’t afraid of innovation, as it looked to improve even on company cornerstones such as their Livewire flat pedal shoe.

The new Ride Concepts Livewire shoe has been revamped from the flat pedal shoe that goes back to RC’s founding years. And, frankly, I think RC did a good thing with the new look of the Livewire. But style doesn’t mean much if the shoe doesn’t perform well! Thankfully, that wasn’t the case with these new shoes, as RC seemed to knock it out of the park with the design and performance of the new Livewire.

ABOUT THE RIDE CONCEPTS LIVEWIRE SHOES

The Livewire has been a staple in the Ride Concepts lineup since the company launched its Session Series for their introduction to the industry in 2018. From the beginning, the Livewire was intended to be a do-it-all flat pedal mountain bike shoe, providing excellent performance on the bike and a casual and comfortable everyday shoe off the bike. Since RC’s original iterations of the Livewire, we have seen the shoe transform to a more modern look, having a lower profile overall but gaining roughly 10 grams from the previous model. The current Livewires weighs 445 grams per shoe for a size 10 – a weight that isn’t noticeably heavy or particularly light.

Another change Ride Concepts made to the Livewire was moving away from their grippiest rubber sole – Max Grip – to their High Grip outsole compound. High Grip utilizes a similar hexagonal pattern on the bottom of the shoe, allowing for pedal pins to easily find spaces to lock into the rubber and stay put. RC stepped away from its softest and most grippy compound to the more versatile High Grip, making the Livewire an excellent option for dirt jump and slopestyle riders who may need to take their feet off the pedals.

Between the rubber of the High Grip outsole and the insole of the Livewire, Ride Concepts uses EVA foam to create the midsole. EVA is a lightweight, supportive foam made from thousands of tiny bubbles that compress and absorb upon impact. The Livewire also uses EVA to construct the shoe’s insole. Two layers of the foam add support to the foot and help to disperse energy sent up through the pedals.

Impacts from trailside hazards have been considered, as Ride Concepts has built-in custom-molded heel and toe protection into the Livewire. Annoying little rocks, sticks, and dirt are taken care of by the addition of a gusseted tongue, as they do on many of their shoes. This extra material on either side of the tongue extends to the shoe’s upper part, helping prevent trail debris from coming in.

Ride Concepts gave the new Livewire a vast range of sizes, from size 7 all the way up to 15. Half sizes are found from size 7.5 up to size 12.5, with no half sizes for the largest sizes. The same size range is found on the previous iteration of the Livewires (2022), but Ride Concepts informed customers to size up ½ a size on the previous generation, as those shoes ran a little small. This isn’t the case for the new Livewires I tested, as the shoes are true to size.

THE DIRT

When it comes to flat pedal shoes, grip is always the most crucial aspect. Although the Livewires are absolutely comfortable to wear, I don’t care as much if mountain bike shoes are uncomfortable to walk around in. I am not someone who uses my riding shoes as a daily driver. Frankly, I just need them to be comfortable while my feet are on the pedals, and for the occasional hike back up the trail for a feature I missed.

With that in mind, I will always choose the sole with the most grip out of a shoe lineup. So, when I saw that RC went away from their Max Grip sole to High Grip, I had some initial concerns. I understand creating a shoe with slopestyle and dirt jump needs in mind, but at this point in my life, I intend to keep my feet on the pedals. However, I found that a range of different aggressive flat pedals stuck to the High Grip soles with no problems. From the longer 6mm pins on e*Thirteen’s Base Pedals to shorter 4mm and 5mm pins on various other pedals, the Livewire’s High Grip sole had no issues finding a spot on the pedal and locking in. And while I didn’t remove my feet for any no-foot cans or supermans, I discovered that I could still adjust my foot’s position on the pedal relatively easily.

Despite grip always being the most important factor, I found the RC Livewire shoes to be comfortable to wear. However, what is more important than how comfortable they were to wear as a daily shoe is how supportive they were on the trail. EVA is a common midsole found in many shoes, from performance to casual footwear. Perhaps it was the EVA midsole combined with the additional EVA support on the insole, but I noticed my feet and legs being less fatigued on longer descents when I wore the Livewires. Less fatigue could also be attributed to the High Grip rubber compound that perhaps gave me more confidence, allowing me not to have to dig my feet into the pedals as drastically.

I also appreciated the gusseted tongue in the Livewires. While other shoes I’ve used have also had a gusseted tongue, it seems like Ride Concepts brings the material a bit further up the shoe, helping to ensure debris is really kept out. The gusseted tongue perhaps contributed to the one downside I noticed though. The RC Livewires felt a bit warm on my feet. The reality is that we’ve entered into the summer months, and all rides leave my feet – and body for that matter – a sweaty mess. However, beyond the sweat, I noticed that my feet felt warmer in the Livewires than in other shoes I’ve worn. And while this wasn’t a deal breaker for me, having the Livewires be a bit more breathable would have been an excellent addition.

The Wolf’s Last Word

Ride Concepts has given the Livewire a new look, and we like it. While they chose not to use their grippiest rubber compound on this latest iteration of the Livewire, their High Grip rubber is more than adequate for the trails. Oh, and at just over $100, we like the price too!

Price: $110
Website: Rideconcepts.com

WHERE TO BUY
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