Fizik Ergolace 2 Flat shoes review
My honest review of the Fizik Ergolace 2 Flat cycling shoes. Discover how the updated wide forefoot, asymmetric speedlaces, and Vibram grip handle long bikepacking days and tough hike-a-bikes.
I'll be honest - I have a thing for shoes haha. My shoe shelf has more pairs than my wife's! And the worst part is, I'm never 100% happy with any of them…
But I think I finally know why now. My foot is just a bit wider than usual, which means my little toe inevitably gets cramped a little on long rides. All my life I just kind of got used to it, accepting it as a given fact, especially when it comes to cycling shoes which traditionally run incredibly narrow.
Recently, I stumbled upon a review of the updated Fizik Ergolace 2 Flat shoes and decided to give them a go. And before you ask - yes, I ride predominantly flat pedals on a gravel bike. Fizik does make a variation of this shoe for clipless pedals too, so if you like clicking in, read on because the upper part of the shoe shares the exact same tech.
TLDR: They are awesome.
Design and materials
Instead of looking like a bulky, padded skate shoe, the Ergolace 2 looks and feels much more like a premium, lightweight trail runner. The upper is made from a tough, woven ripstop fabric that resists tears, backed up by PU-laminated reinforcement panels and a robust toe box.
One quick note on the aesthetics: I went for the dark blue version, and it actually looks a bit brighter in the real world than on the pictures they have on the official website. Not a biggie though, it still looks great.
The real magic here is the revised fit. Fizik rebuilt this version around a completely new last that is explicitly wider in the metatarsal area. For anyone with a slightly wider foot, this extra space means your forefoot can splay naturally under load, stopping that painful pinching on the outer toes and completely eliminating hot spots.
The shoe also features a tongue-less design, opting for an integrated foot-wrapping bootie made from perforated Airprene fabric. It takes some getting used to. Because the ankle cuff is a single piece, pulling the shoe on for the first time feels tight and requires an awkward yank. However, once the fabric stretches slightly over a couple of rides, it becomes very easy to put on and take off. By removing the standard overlapping layers of a traditional tongue, you get zero pressure points on the top of your foot when tightening the asymmetric speedlace cord.
How grippy are they?
If you ask any gravel rider using flat pedals what grippiness level is the best, they will tell you that there's a very thin line between "just enough" and "too grippy". You want to feel like your foot sticks securely to the pedal, but you also need to be able to shift your foot slightly to find the best position without feeling completely trapped.
These shoes deliver exactly that balance for me. Compared to some other shoes I've used in the past from Giro and FiveTen - which can sometimes feel overly glued down - these deliver exceptionally well.
Fizik achieved this by using a high-grade Vibram XS Ride rubber compound on a split-zone outsole layout. Under the midfoot, the lugs are lower and tightly packed so your pedal pins can slot straight into the grooves, keeping you stable on bumpy descents.
But where they truly shine is when you're forced off the bike. The heel and toe areas feature much deeper, more aggressive lugs inspired by hiking boots. On a recent ride, I encountered a steep, loose hike-a-bike situation over wet, chunky rocks. Thanks to the low stiffness index (rated 2 out of 10), the sole flexes naturally and contours to the ground like a true outdoor shoe, meaning I wasn't sliding all over the place while pushing the loaded bike.
Weatherproofness
They feel quite warm on crisp morning starts, but what I've noticed is that they don't trap sweat or keep the moisture inside - they breathe remarkably well thanks to that perforated inner bootie.
Waterproofness-wise, I'm not entirely sure yet because I haven't had the need to fully submerge them in a deep river crossing. However, judging by a decent amount of walking through wet morning grass while breaking down camp, they don't let any water creep inside. For normal, unpredictable UK gravel conditions, that level of protection is plenty.
Price and verdict
Yes, at a base price of £149.99 at the time of writing, they are quite pricey for flat shoes. But if my gear cupboard has taught me anything over the years, it's that true quality always comes with a price. I'd much rather buy a single pair that fits properly, lasts longer, and keeps my feet happy, than buy cheap shoes every single season.
That said, you don't necessarily have to pay full retail. There are usually various promo codes floating around the web, and Fizik offers a decent discount if you sign up for their official email newsletter before ordering. If you have wide feet and love rugged, multi-day trail adventures, these are worth every penny.
