When it comes to clipless road cycling shoes it’s hard to beat the performance of carbon fiber shoes with dual dial closure systems. The combination of a stiff carbon fiber sole and dual dials provides the best fit and performance on the bike. Decathlon’s Van Rysel RoadR 900 carbon shoes give you that performance at an affordable price point. At only $199.99, the RoadR 900 shoes combine a full carbon outsole with exposed weave and dual ATOP dials to adjust the fit. The shoes use a perforated synthetic upper material for durability and flexibility. These are designed for 3-bolt cleats like the Shimano SPD-SL or LOOK Keo and even have vents on the outsole to funnel air through the shoes.
The Decathlon Van Rysel RoadR 900 shoes are an affordable full carbon cycling shoe with dual ATOP dial closure system.
| Retail Price | $199.99 |
| Rating | 9.1 / 10 |
| Weight (lb) | 640 (EUR 40) |
| Likes | + Accessible price point + Dual ATOP dials allow for custom fit + Carbon fiber sole is stiff and performs well |
| Dislikes | – Only offered in black – ATOP dial lacks micro loosening feature found on high-end BOA dials |
| Where to Buy (US) | Decathlon |
UNBOXING
As a value-oriented company, it’s not surprising that Decathlon skipped fancy packaging with the Van Rysel RoadR 900 shoes. Instead, the shoes simply come tied together without any additional accessories or packaging material. If you’re lucky enough to have a brick-and-mortar Decathlon store near you, you’ll find the shoes simply hanging off a peg. Although this approach means less unboxing content for us, the lack of excess packaging is nice to see.
FIT & FINISH
Van Rysel is Decathlon’s premium cycling brand that brings top-of-the-line performance at accessible price points. The RoadR 900 shoes are a perfect example of that as they are one of the few dual dial carbon fiber shoes at the $200 price point. As with other Van Rysel gear and bikes, the shoes are only offered in black which looks sleek. There are reflective stripes on the rear of the shoe as well as ghosted Van Rysel brands on the sides. You won’t find any external Decathlon branding on the shoes, just the Van Rysel logos. Visually, the shoes are quite similar to the RoadR 520 shoes but offer a dual dial setup and full carbon sole upgrades.
This shoe features a premium dual dial setup with two ATOP dials. They are very similar to BOA dials and even Decathlon’s website incorrectly lists them as BOA. The big difference between the more budget friendly ATOP dials is that they don’t have micro loosening, you can only do micro tightening and then rotate it the other direction for a full release. Note, don’t pull up on the ATOP dials as you would with a BOA dial. What’s interesting about the closure system is the lacing pattern which has four rows instead of the traditional three row setup. Each dial controls two rows and the synthetic upper material is a one-piece design rather than a separate tongue piece. It’s similar in appearance to the Shimano S-PHYRE RC9 shoes and provides uniform pressure.
As Van Rysel’s top-of-the-line shoes, these feature a full carbon fiber sole for optimal stiffness. They also have a beautiful exposed weave on the entire sole which gives the shoes a premium appearance. These are designed for 3 bolt cleats with no fore-aft adjustment in the shoe itself, instead the bolt holes have only a single mounting location. There are some hard to see indicator lines that help you align your cleats with no fourth LOOK Keo Memory Eyelet hole. Air vents on the front and rear help air flow through the interior of the shoes. There are also non-replaceable toe and heel bumpers to help keep the carbon outsoles from getting damaged when walking with the shoes.
ON THE ROAD
As far as sizing, EUR 44 size shown fit similarly to our other EUR 44 sized Shimano S-PHYRE RC9 and Bont Cycling Vaypor S shoes. With their dual dials and carbon fiber soles, the RoadR 900 shoes have impressive performance on the bike. We found the synthetic upper material to be flexible with the fit being easy to adjust via the dual dials. Similarly, the carbon fiber sole is stiff yet comfortable which allows you to do high-effort sprints or long rides equally well. The main giveaway that the shoe is budget priced is the relatively heavy weight and lack of micro loosening capability that is found on higher-end shoes with BOA Li2 dials. Aside from that, the RoadR 900 shoes feel comfortable and fast.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Decathlon Van Rysel RoadR 900 shoes to be an excellent value and performed well. With their dual ATOP dial closure system and full carbon fiber outsole, the RoadR 900 shoes offer features usually reserved for shoes twice the price. We were impressed with the comfort and stiffness of the shoes and ventilated design. Even though we’d like to see more color options than the all-black design, it’s an attractive shoe with reflective detailing for extra nighttime visibility. The main downsides of the shoes is that the ATOP dials lack micro loosening and the lack of colors. That said, if you’re looking for high performance carbon cycling shoes on a budget then the Van Rysel RoadR 900 are a great option.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Decathlon. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.