Mavic Crossmax Shoe - Review
Mavic's Crossmax Enduro range includes one of the better shoes we have had the pleasure to ride in a while. Simply named, the Crossmax shoe was reportedly co-developed as a racing-specific option by the likes of Jerome Clementz and Fabien Barel. The materials and construction are tougher than most offerings in this range, which lends much credibility to that claim. The lugged soles are made from sticky Contagrip rubber and molded into a pattern that facilitates quick pedal entries. A pronounced rocker aids walking or scrambling up unridable trail sections, and two retention strategies ensure than the shoe fits snugly without hot spots. Both the heels and toe areas are reinforced, which is a must for high-speed runs on technical and rocky terrain. Mesh inserts help the foot to stay cool and give water a quick exit, while a wider toe area and a dual-density insole assure that all-day rides will end on a better note. Mavic offers the Crossmax in a full size compliment and in the flashy yellow team colorway of our test pair, or a much more subdued black version. Weight is listed at 460 grams per shoe (size 42), and the MSRP is $189 USD.
Details:
• Purpose: AM/trail and enduro racing
• Uppers: Synthetic leather with breathable 3D mesh panels
• Reinforced heel cup and toe
• One-pull Quick Lace system for a precise-fitting instep.
• Ergo Ratchet buckle with flip-up release lever
• Tacky Contagrip® lugged sole with flexible nylon stiffener
• Ergo 3D mesh overlapping tongue
• Black or Mavic Crossmax yellow colorways
• Anti-microbial, dual-density OrthoLite® foam inserts
• Weight: 980 grams (pair, size 42, weighed with cleats)
• MSRP: $189 USD
• Contact: Mavic Crossmax
Construction:
Where many shoe makers are switching to welded or glued seams, Mavic's Crossmax is stitched together, which should give it a long and happy life. The uppers are almost entirely made from padded 3D mesh, which is reinforced in key areas by an exoskeleton of vinyl-coated synthetic leather at the mid-sole, and by molded-rubber heel and toe cups at either end.
Inside the shoe, the tongue is generously padded 3D mesh. Fixed laces allow the wearer to fine tune the fit of the shoe's instep. The laces are secured by a clever plastic buckle that releases when pulled and otherwise, remains secure. A hook-and-loop flap protects the laces from mud and abrasion. Like most pro-level racing shoes, Mavic uses a ratcheting buckle to prevent the foot from squirming around inside the shoe. The Ergo Ratchet's small flip-up tab releases the buckle. Unlike many road and XC racing shoes, however, the Crossmax system has no single-click release feature for on-the-fly comfort tuning. But, in Mavic's defense, few enduro racers will be taking their hands off the bar to make shoe adjustments during their race runs. The feature may not be necessary anyway, because Mavic added a generous amount of room in the toe box, which initially feels as if the shoe is too large, especially for riders who are accustomed to ballerina-tight XC and road racing footwear. The end result is a shoe that remains comfortable for hours on end - which is exactly what an enduro racer needs.
The Crossmax's lugged sole makes it a clip-in-only shoe. The "Contagrip" rubber compound grips well on wet and dry surfaces, and a clever design allows the lugs to be aggressive enough to make short work of sketchy hike-a-bikes, while preventing the pedal from hanging up when the pressure is on to get the cleat engaged. Should the rider need to get in a few pedal strokes without clipping in, special grippers are placed strategically in the arch of the sole to prevent slipping.
To tighten the laces, pinch the yellow tab with one hand and then slide the black friction buckle down to achieve the correct tension.
Flip the small black tab of the Ergo Ratchet to release the buckle. The toothed strap is both adjustable and replaceable.
Ride Impressions
Testing shoes is a dread because most require a lengthy break-in period before one can truthfully determine if the fit was wrong from the start, or if the materials simply needed to settle into the shape of the test rider's feet - and then there is the hassle of dialing in the correct cleat position. Fortunately, neither issues reared their ugly heads. Mavic managed to deliver on the comfort from the start. Firm, wrap-around heel cups keep your feet in line with the pedal circle, while generous padding spreads the compression generated by the lacing system and ratcheting buckle over most of the foot to prevent hot spots.
Crossmax shoes have a mid-ankle elastic neoprene wrap-around that helps to prevent small stones from working their way into the shoe. It proved to be more effective than most shoes in the enduro category - but less effective than some ankle-high shoes we have used. The additional comfort created by the Crossmax's slightly lower design, however, may be well worth a little dirt in the socks.
Those who like the balls of their feet well ahead of the pedal spindle to emulate the classic flat-pedal foot position will find that there is not enough fore/aft adjustment range in the Crossmax's cleat tracks to make that happen. I put the cleat position in the middle for a beta test and, immediately after my first technical descent, moved them back one centimeter. With the cleats slid back as far as they can go, Mavic's shoes should be able to make all but the staunchest DH riders happy, but it is a worthy concern.
Crossmax shoes are not lightweight (at least in the cross-country sense), and there are some flat-soled shoes which weigh slightly less. They pedal very well though, and there is just enough flexibility in the soles to give the feeling that the rider's feet are part of the pedals, and not perched on top of them like a super stiff XC shoe can feel. The snug fitting instep, combined with the roomy toe box adds a slight amount of lateral freedom to the foot that was beneficial when negotiating tricky rock and rooted sections - and it seemed to help smooth out the pedal circle while the bike was bouncing over trail chatter. The overall effect of Mavic's enduro-specific design is that their shoes provide ample support to allow high-watt pedalers to climb and accelerate efficiently, with much less tension in their feet and ankles - and they are pretty OK for skulking about the woods on foot.
Testing shoes is a dread because most require a lengthy break-in period before one can truthfully determine if the fit was wrong from the start, or if the materials simply needed to settle into the shape of the test rider's feet - and then there is the hassle of dialing in the correct cleat position. Fortunately, neither issues reared their ugly heads. Mavic managed to deliver on the comfort from the start. Firm, wrap-around heel cups keep your feet in line with the pedal circle, while generous padding spreads the compression generated by the lacing system and ratcheting buckle over most of the foot to prevent hot spots.
Crossmax shoes have a mid-ankle elastic neoprene wrap-around that helps to prevent small stones from working their way into the shoe. It proved to be more effective than most shoes in the enduro category - but less effective than some ankle-high shoes we have used. The additional comfort created by the Crossmax's slightly lower design, however, may be well worth a little dirt in the socks.
Those who like the balls of their feet well ahead of the pedal spindle to emulate the classic flat-pedal foot position will find that there is not enough fore/aft adjustment range in the Crossmax's cleat tracks to make that happen. I put the cleat position in the middle for a beta test and, immediately after my first technical descent, moved them back one centimeter. With the cleats slid back as far as they can go, Mavic's shoes should be able to make all but the staunchest DH riders happy, but it is a worthy concern.
Crossmax shoes are not lightweight (at least in the cross-country sense), and there are some flat-soled shoes which weigh slightly less. They pedal very well though, and there is just enough flexibility in the soles to give the feeling that the rider's feet are part of the pedals, and not perched on top of them like a super stiff XC shoe can feel. The snug fitting instep, combined with the roomy toe box adds a slight amount of lateral freedom to the foot that was beneficial when negotiating tricky rock and rooted sections - and it seemed to help smooth out the pedal circle while the bike was bouncing over trail chatter. The overall effect of Mavic's enduro-specific design is that their shoes provide ample support to allow high-watt pedalers to climb and accelerate efficiently, with much less tension in their feet and ankles - and they are pretty OK for skulking about the woods on foot.
Mavic uses thin webs and shaped lugs to ensure that the forward soles will not hinder quick pedal entries. Traction nubs in the arch areas do a pretty good job of keeping feet from sliding off the pedals when they are intentionally disengaged from the cleats.
Pinkbike's Take:
 | It is no secret that enduro racing is becoming far more pedally than most racers initially assumed it would be. While there may be arguments to the contrary, substantial numbers of flat-soled riders are switching to more traditionally-shaped cycling shoes in order to gain an advantage where courses demand equal shares of cranking and courage. Mavic's Crossmax shoe strikes a balance between the flexibility of flat shoes and the proven effectiveness of a "cycling shaped" sole. It stays relatively cool in hot weather and dries quickly after a good dunking. After putting some serious miles on a pair in a range of conditions, it comes as no surprise that Crossmax shoes are proven winners on the EWS. - RC |
MENTIONS: @mavic, @pivotcycles
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Member since Mar 23, 2011
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Can't recommend!
After 40 rides, my Crossmax Enduros racked up two replaced buckles, a complete toe cap de-lam, and a snapped midsole in the left shoe (quite common with Crossmax level Mavics). The fit and design are as good as it gets, it's just a shame that they don't have the durability to match.
As You said, they are comfy and work really good but not durable.
Replaced them with 5.10 Kestrels. Will see how it goes from here
1. Mavic ratchets are weak and are unicorns when you try to find replacements.
2. Sole durability sucked.
I've had my Alpine XL's 1.5 years and they are holding up great.
I just ordered a new pair...
Those are MOUNTAIN BIKE SHOES , not road shoes. They should be designed to withstand abuse in the mountains. That include mud
I'm happy they work for You
Go get your groove on with maximum running man and electric boogaloo efficiency.
Sham-o.
Mine are 45 1/4?? wtf haha
Had them since they were intorduced and they are still holdin on, without any problems.
I've had my Crossmax shoes for 6 months now. After 1000+ miles of serious trail to all-mountain flogging, they're still going strong. The ratchet buckle is every bit as sturdy & functional as on my Shimano & Specialized shoes. Whether these last 15+ seasons like the old, bomber Shimano 300-series shoes they're replacing remains to be seen, but so far so good.
As far as comparisons to other shoes in this class goes: the Crossmax feels nearly twice as stiff through the shank and is better ventilated than Giro's Terraduro. Compared to Specialized's Rime Experts, the Mavic uppers are far more breathable & supple, and their ratchet closure caused far less "ankle bite" than the stiff plastic strap & boa combo on the Specializeds. Stout padding covers both the inside and outside of my ankle bones, and the protection against loose rocks, crank strike, and chunky rock gardens is noticeable. The Specialized Rime Exp. only has padding on the inside of the ankle, whereas the Terraduros & 510 Kestrels have zero padding in this area.
These shoes perfectly fit my needs as an efficient pedaling shoe for rough terrain that walks & breathes well. The full rubber sole is well thought out & hooks up well w/ my XT Trail pedals. Even when things get hectic & I find the top of my pedal but not the cleat, these hold onto the pedals better than any shoe I've owned.
The Crossmax are not 510s, and are not designed for flats or downhill pedals like the CB Mallets. If you're pedaling for more than 5 minutes, however, they will vastly outperform any soft-soled shoe out there.
YMMV, horses for courses & all that...
Sidi is the way to go
That's why I'm quite confused when reading about problems with Mavic's shoes (although the old Salomon XA Pro 2D was a complete disaster of the shoe due to lousy toe cap).
"The calf’s high-speed, fast twitch muscle fibres are huge energy sappers – they are great at delivering burst energy at high intensity but not so useful for long, slow stability work. Hence, it is worthwhile to minimise calf muscle recruitment unless you are sprinting hard or changing speed regularly (ie crit racing for example)."
Mtb pedaling is all about short bursts and speed changes, so I don't this you'd see the pedaling benefit the way you do in road/tri riding. I will say that on long road rides (30+ miles) my calves tend to feel like the weak link after a while, but trail riding is so sprinty and active that losing the ankle extension would suck. I think it would be especially awful on my hardtail. Riding through chunky tech without the use of my calves to absorb the shock... no thank you.
Basically he says cleat back, heel inward was better for DH but puts you at a disadvantage for pedaling/climbing.
www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ergo+lite+buckle
or
www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mavic+buckle&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Amavic+buckle
or
www.google.com/shopping/product/11927605139661369386?biw=1920&bih=930&q=mavic+ergo+lite+buckle&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.&bvm=bv.93112503,d.cGU&tch=1&ech=1&psi=6dtTVdejJZXYoAS9rIDYCg.1431559146803.7&prds=paur:ClkAsKraXzJwxk2_WX01rj9Z526ZOYeN7NTcIifzFiGmkMAQiv59rnz9xt97FjIysDpRt1Zj1l_szJAP0MdHX_EdN5FLSP61WQGIjX0TdrqgOMbmj7wzJCIEKRIZAFPVH71WlCMXtypu9umZxTWkUoEwo-aWaA&ved=0CAQQpis&ei=CNxTVd-eEIHvoATy_IDYAQ
I love those trail shoes so much i wear them as my normal every day shoes.
Folks like you that have had a favorable experience with Salomon products might be more likely to purchase the products. I also feel like that could make a big difference with novice riders that might be entering the sport from another outdoor discipline where they're familiar with the Salomon brand. Multi-sport athletes (read: Tri and X-Terra participants - ugh) would be good targets as well. There's also some folks (probably not many, but enough to possibly make a difference) that might be dissuaded from purchasing Mavic because they don't use their wheels or rims. This is akin to brands like Bontrager having difficulty making inroads to aftermarket customers that aren't on Treks (although, that's changing slowly).
Anyway, just thinking out loud. I have a feeling that the parent company thinks that the Mavic brand holds more cache amongst cyclists than it actually does.
"If all the companies eventually got together to collaborate on making products it would be amazing."
I was really only speaking to the branding of the existing soft goods, but you're right; together they could make a really amazing product.
But my giros comin apart at seams where they rub norco range rear end, lil heel slippage.
Interested to see how the new shimanos are.