First Look: Ride Concepts Livewire Flat Pedal Mountain Bike Shoe | Bike Self Locking Pedals

The small cleat means that there’s a small contact patch but that’s a minor disadvantage unless speed and performance is paramount.

The soft padding in the Maltese Falcon makes for a comfortable shoe—more so than a lot of flat-style models—without sacrificing performance. When clipped in to smaller pedals, the sole is stiff enough that it doesn’t flex uncomfortably, and there’s still good power transfer. And on wider, platform pedals, you get the feel of a sticky sole, even in the wet, with the added bonus of being clipped in. Off the bike, the Maltese Falcon has enough flex and grip to walk safely on steep and slippery terrain. In addition to being comfortable, the mesh padding also holds the foot in place to provide a sense of security. The leather upper keeps water and mud out, and the mesh tongue and side panels won’t pinch your foot.

Granted, that doesn’t take into account the fact that treaded shoes are also heavier than road-specific ones, so the effective difference is larger. Taking the Specialized S-Works 6 road shoes vs. the S-Works 6 XC MTB shoes, for example, you’re looking at another 126g, for a more significant total gain of 164g. But if you were to instead compare the A600s to more budget-minded road pedals, it’s almost a wash.

The A600 pedals even manage to impress on the scales. Actual weight for a pair is just 292g, plus another 51g for the cleats. For comparison, a set of current Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 pedals and cleats weighs in at 305g — a saving of just 38g with a huge increase in cost.

The benefit of Speedplay pedals is that they offer a huge amount of adjustability – cleat position is adjustable in three separate planes, and all can be fine-tuned independent of each other — bike fitters love them, particularly when setting up anyone with knee pain.

The CR2032 batteries in the shifters will need changing on average about once every two years, and there’s a similar LED system to tell you how much juice is remaining.

Unlike more aggressive shoes from FiveTen, the Hellcats don’t feature ankle protection. The upshot is the shoes don’t have all that added weight, and they don’t feel especially hot during summer rides.

As with every road pedal (Speedplay excluded), the A600’s single-sided format is trickier to get going from stoplights and on sketchy terrain than dual-sided designs, and unlike some of Shimano’s earlier attempts at roadie-friendly, single-sided SPD pedals, this is a true single-sided design with a rounded undercarriage that feels unquestionably sketchy if you try to stand on it. And while the A600’s alloy construction is enviably tough, it doesn’t take long before the shiny dark painted surface — it’s not anodized, sadly — starts looking beat up.

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At 333g, these are some of the lightest — and priciest — pedals on the market. A titanium axle helps save 50g (but adds £140/$150) over the less fancy Stamp 7s. Otherwise, they’re more or less the same. 

Measuring in at 114mm x 111mm, the Stamps are pretty huge. Using the same sealed bearings and Igus LL-glide bushings found on their other pedals, they spin insanely smooth.

Going to unbox the missus’ set soon and try lubing the spring and see if it’s easier from the get-go (took me a while to pick up that tip).