VITTORIA IKON | Road Cycling Shoe | 2017 Review

Today we have the Vittoria IKON Cycling Shoe Review you have been waiting for.  What that you say? Never heard of them, who are they?  Well you’re in for a treat.  Vittoria hit our radar in 2011 and have been on there ever sense.

VITTORIA HISTORY

Vittoria hails from Italy and it should come as no surprise that they definitely have a flair for fashion.  Italians and Italian companies know how to create great looking products and match them to exciting color schemes.  Our first adventure into the Vittoria line was a shoe by the name of Vittoria HORA.  At that time, the Hora was cutting edge technology for cycling shoes.  It blended a carbon bottom sole with a synthetic upper.

What makes Vittoria cycling shoes unique in our modern times is they are 100% hand made rather than pumped out of some factory in China.  The Hora used Vittoria’s exclusive rotor closure system.  This also makes Vittoria shoes rather unique, since most cycling shoes on the market today use the Boa closure system.  Vittoria was actually the first cycling shoe company to incorporate a closure system on cycling shoes back in 1992.

Fast forward to 2017 and we came upon Vittoria’s newest creation, the IKON cycling shoe.  As soon as we saw it, we knew it was a must have for review.  One thing that immediately jumped out was how Vittoria changed the location of the closure mechanisms.  Instead of one being over the foot, they placed both closures on the left.  This in my mind has a very positive effect on comfort.  With the closure over the foot, as you tighten it down, pressure is created, which in some cases can make the shoes uncomfortable.

Switching the location means you can tighten the shoe without feeling a pressure point over the foot.

The shoes also appear a bit more streamlined with less areas to trap wind.  I haven’t seen any wind tunnel tests, but I am quite certain, the IKON would fair much better than then HORA.

Vittoria removed all the mesh areas on the shoes that were present on the HORA, with the exception of the carbon bottoms, which seem to be identical.

While the IKON does have more laser cut holes in the upper, the lack of mesh will make the shoe slightly warmer.

One welcome addition to the IKON is a replaceable heel.  Most cyclists will at one point or another walk in their shoes and the heel is often worn down over time.  While not effecting the performance of the shoe while cycling, being able to replace the heel cup is always a plus.

The IKON introduces the next level in closure systems called the Vittoria IKON ROTOR SPP.  Unlike the Boa system that uses metal cables, Vittoria opted for some type of synthetic string.  I assume this makes the system a bit lighter, but may sacrifice longevity.  We haven’t had the shoes long enough to test out my theory and probably will not run into any issue for many years.

Vittoria added a really nice feature to the heal that they call Tallone Anti-Scalzata.  Not speaking Italian, it translates into “Anti-Heel” something or other.  Basically it’s feels like a cat’s tongue or maybe sharks skin.  It’s sort of smooth brushing downward and rough brushing upward.  The Tallone Anti-Scalzata is designed to keep your heel more securely fastened into the shoe by making it harder for your heel to move upward and it seems to work.  A similar feature was used in my older Shimano’s M-315 MTB shoes.  Shimano refers to it as their anti-slip heel lining and it works.

The IKON comes with a heat treated customizable insole.  To mold the insoles to your feet, Vittoria recommends using an oven set to 200 degrees.  Simply place the insoles on a cookie sheet for 2 minutes.  After 2 minutes remove the insoles and put them in your shoes.  They recommend doing it quickly because the insoles can harden within 45 seconds.  Once in your shoes, put on both shoes and stand in them for about 3 minutes.  After that the insoles should be custom to your feet.

Note: You should be wearing socks when performing the molding procedure.

Where the IKON and the HORA have some commonality is in the Full Carbon UD Air system sole.  There are 4 mesh channels that provide airflow and unlike the unlike the HORA, the heel is removable.

Vittoria offers 4 different colors in the IKON including white, black, orange and green.  We were sent the Orange and we came to the conclusion that it is a very bright orange.  A side benefit of the orange color scheme we believe is added visibility while one the road.  Being so bright, the shoes are really hard not to miss.

Vittoria IKON Cycling Shoe Overview

UPPER:

• Microfiber Tech, with nano holes laser cutting technology.
• Nylon mesh upper support.
• SSP micrometrics fastening system.

SOLE:

• Full Carbon UD Air System Sole

WEIGHT:

• 229g
• Available in Orange, Green, White and Black

RETAIL:

• $499

SIZES:

• 38-39-40-41-42-43-44-45-46-47-48

HALF SIZES:

• 38.5-39.5-40.5-41.5-42.5-43.5-44.5-45.5

To give you a sense of how Vittoria makes their shoes, check out this video on the making of a Vittoria HORA cycling shoe.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

Well what can we say.  Vittoria is as cool as ever.  The Vittoria IKON is definitely a head turner in the cycling scene.  The bright orange and green will certainly get some major thumbs up.  We found that the Orange is especially useful while cycling on the road.  The bright color makes being seen very obvious.  A side benefit is you look like a pro, even if your an average Joe or Jane.

Having the 2 IKON ROTOR SPPs on the side of the shoe makes them very comfortable without creating pressure points on the top of the foot.   The lacing system works and your able to tighten the shoes as needed.

The only downside to the IKON is the price tag, but realistically cycling shoes last much longer than running shoes, so you really have to take that into consideration.  Being a big cyclist, skimping on cycling shoes makes for a less enjoyable ride, so for me the IKON is worth it’s price over something less stellar.

Check all the cool Vittoria gear including helmets, apparel and of course the Vittoria IKON.