These are their top shelf mountain bike shoes, so I was very keen to see if the T-Flex's were packing the necessary punch to step up to the table.
At about 330g per shoe they are actually quite svelte. For comparison, have a set of Shimano XC60's, not top end but not entry level either, and they are about 150g heavier for the pair. The fit was slightly on the smaller side too Where I usually run 44.5 or a 44 with a wider toe box, a 45 in these was spot on.
First Impressions
I've never had a pair of shoes feel so fantastic straight out of the box. Details like the one piece upper, quality insole and integrated toe reinforcement hint at a significant amount of design and careful thought that has gone into crafting these shoes. The upper is super supple too and conforms to the foot perfectly. The party piece of course is the dual BOA lacing system. Having never used a BOA setup before I was concerned about the potential for damage out on the trail. They have a very low profile that should see them stay out of harm's way and, if the worst does happen, you can source replacement dial kits at a pretty reasonably price. Using the BOA is a snap, pull the dial out a couple of mm to release the system and the titanium wire is free to spool open, pop the dial back in and turn to ratchet the wire closed and secure your foot. The only concern I really have now is how to go back to Velcro and buckles.
All of the other features you would expect to see on this type of shoe are there too, unidirectional fabric in the heel cup to stop your heel from slipping, grippy lugs for dismount work and a carbon sole for stiffness. Not too stiff though, the T-Flex part of the name refers to a concept whereby the front portion of the shoe has some flex designed into it to aid both walking/running while also preventing hotspots. I haven't done any significant running in these (and I hope not to) but I am happy to confirm that on on the second count at east the claims are spot on. I raced in these for 5 hours from new and didn't have a single foot related complaint. Now if LG could only make a saddle...
Our Take
Although there were a couple of loose threads on the inside lining after the first half dozen hours or so, once these were removed there has been no further signs of degradation. They do everything as advertised with a minimum of fuss and manage to look damn fine in the process. Hard to ask much more than that is it? Shoes are one thing that you can't really skimp on no matter how much time you spend in the saddle. They only come in black too which is, as everyone knows, is the new black. If you can't quite stomach the RRP either, the good news is that LG's next model down, the T-FLEX LS-100 comes with almost all of the same features but in a more friendly $250 package. They miss out on the second BOA and don't appear to have the same level of integration (read: increased weight). Hard to see your feet being disappointed either way, these are a truly quality piece of kit.
