Louis Garneau T-Flex 300 Off Road Shoe
Review: Louis Garneau T-Flex 300 Off Road Shoe
By Scott Hackett | Published Jan 25, 2011
We Liked
With out a doubt the flex zone of the T-Flex 300 is the standout feature with this shoe, though still stiff were it is needed for exceptional power transfer while pedaling. Compared to two other off road shoes I currently have, the T-Flex 300 is the most comfortable and when it comes time to dismount and run the T-Flex 300 is superior to all other off road shoes I have ever used. The heel retention system 100 works awesome on the T-Flex 300. While riding and racing my heel never ever slipped at all. This also meant I didn't have to have the rest of the shoe be overly too tight for my heel to stay put, as I have had to settle with on all too many other cycling shoes. The specially angled crampon treads shed mud as advertised, and offer a reasonable amount of grip as well. A solid toecap that wraps around the front of the toe box for those times you bang into a barrier, a rock or stump so no more black and blue toes. One feature I didn’t notice at first is a small pull loop on the intergraded wrap around tongue makes slipping them on much easier as well. As I mentioned before the thermomoldable process can be done multiple times I first molded the T-Flex 300 with some standard cycling socks as we were having a very warm fall here in Colorado. After the first molding the shoe felt like it still had too much room then I checked my oven temperature and it was low by 30 degrees, so I redid the process and they fit perfect. Then we finally got some cold weather just before the USGP New Belgium Cup thicker socks were going to be in order so I remolded the shoes once again with the thicker socks and again a perfect fit. Being able to do the thermomolding at home saves a ton of time as I did not have to go to the bike shop for the special oven and vacuum for the process as I need to for a different brand of road shoes I own. I would really like to see a non-mesh winter CX specific version with a cold weather upper like the 0 Ergo Grip retaining all the other features of the T-Flex 300. The price of $199 is the best value in a high-end off-road shoe out there.
We Didn't Like
There isn’t anything that I can complain about with the T-Flex 300. A suggestion would be to have replaceable crampon treads in different durometers and some longer toe spikes included.
The Final Say
The T-Flex 300 is a well thought out feature packed off-road cycling shoe that offers unsurpassed traction and comfort when running up hills or blazing over barriers while maintaining stiffness needed for putting down the power to the pedals. A repeatable thermomoldable process that can be done at home in less than 45mins for custom fit no mater the season. So if you need to wear heavy socks during the fall and winter and light socks during the summer a perfect fit is always possible with the T-Flex 300 . Of course Louis Garneau quality and style is standard at a price that can’t be beat in a high-end off-road cycling shoe.
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Vitals
- Manufacturer
- Louis Garneau
- Model
- T-Flex 300
- MSRP
- $199.99
- Website
- Louis Garneau T-Flex 300
- Weight
- 353g Size 42
- Materials
- Carbon Outsole Thermoplastic molded toes & heal cup Varnished microfiber japanese synthetic leather with nylon mesh upper and EVA padding
- Sizes
- 36-48
- Fit
- Custom Fit System
- Colors
- Black and white with red accents
- Serviceability
- Replaceable toe spikes Replaceable ratcheting buckle Interchangeable insoles
- Installation
- N/A
- Design
- The LG T-Flex 300 full featured cycling shoe with features you never thought you needed. A superlight and rigid Carbon HM outsole offers exceptional stiffness for power transfer, with a removable carbon “Air Blade” keep it place for added stiffness and to prevent infiltration of water or mud remove it for better cooling and ventilation. For times when it is necessary to dismount and run The T-Flex zone does just that it flexes, combined with the heel retention system 100 your heels will stay put while cycling or running on the steepest of run ups or blazing over barriers. The Molded heel and toe cup provide comfort, increased protection, and durability. The dual-density material treads are shaped and angled for the best mud clearance in any off road shoe I have worn and offer a decent level of grip on hard surfaces. The thermomoldable varnished microfiber upper with cycling mesh looks a great as it is functional and has a new ratchet reinforcement and the lateral and vertical positioning is adjustable as well. The thermomoldable process can be done multiple times at home in about 45mins with no special equipment all you need is a sheet pan and an oven large enough to hold the shoes. The step by step instructions are printed right on the included shoe bag so no searching to find the instructions when you need to remold for a perfect fit.
