For the most part, finding the perfect of cycling shoes is a supremely difficult feat. By nature, most cycling shoes are uncomfortable, narrow, and have multiple traits you wish you could change, all for the sake of increasing performance. Enter the Bont a-one road cycling shoe. The Bont a-one pretty much eliminates any negatives you’re likely to experience in selecting cycling shoes, and what may be most impressive, they do so while maintaining the attributes most vital in cycling shoes – they’re exceptionally stiff; they’re light; and they have the lowest stack height on the market.
But before I tell you about the Bont a-one, let me tell you a bit about Bont itself. Founded in 1975, Bont began when recreational speed skater Inze Bont decided to fiberglass the back of his leather skates to gain extra support. From there, Bont continued to experiment with various materials, later adding Kevlar and carbon fiber to his designs along with pioneering heat moldable boots, and in doing so, Bont became the first company to make skates where the blade and frame could be adjusted on the boot. Other Bont firsts include using lace covers, no void frames, velcro, and creating aerodynamic skates. Today, virtually all modern day speed skates are based on Bont’s inventions back in the ’70’s.
But back to the Bont a-one road cycling shoe. In 2007, Bont took their expertise in creating skates and expanded it to the world of cycling, and the a-one is just one example of this engineering excellence. Featuring a handmade 100% carbon monocoque construction that’s the stiffest I’ve laid foot on, the Bont a-one is designed from the inside out to maximize performance. Key features include a 3.6 mm stack height, industry leading strength to weight ratio (450 or 500 grams per pair for a size 39, depending on configuration), shiny microfiber or leather uppers, non porous microfiber liners, and 40 air vents with air gills in the arches to ensure optimum breathability.
But what may be the Bont a-ones’ greatest attribute is their fit. Carried over from their skate development, Bont a-ones are completely heat moldable, ensuring your supreme comfort despite their exemplary performance levels. To mold them, simply heat your oven to 160 degrees, add your Bont a-ones for 20 minutes, remove them and wear them until they cool, and voila – road cycling shoes, tailored to your unique foot contours. It’s an ingenious way to customize your cycling shoes, and if for some reason the fit isn’t quite right, you can re-mold your shoes multiple times as necessary to get the fit perfect. The one thing to take note of is that when you heat mold your shoes, be sure to remove the insole, cleats, and cleat mounting screws, and test the shoes before putting them on to ensure they’re not too hot (let them cool a little if they are). Other than that, heat molding your Bont a-ones is about as simple as you’re going to get, and the result is the most comfortable, stiffest pair of cycling shoes I’ve ever worn.
The Bont a-ones are available in your choice of ten colors – eight of the shiny microfiber variety and two in leather – with sizes 36-50 in whole sizes as well as 40.5, 42.5, 44.5 and 46.5. Adding a further level of precision to the fit, you can also select from standard, narrow and wide widths, and for those of you desiring the ultimate in cycling footwear, you can also opt for a full custom Bont a-one at additional cost – one created specifically for you from a mold of your foot. Pricing for the Bont a-one is set at $400. To learn more about the Bont a-one as well as the full lineup of Bont cycling footwear, you can find more information at the Bont cycling website.
