First Ride: Ride Concepts Vice Mid Flat Pedal Shoes 4

Looking for that soft feel under foot, in a technical riding shoe that offers a little extra protection? Ride Concepts just launched the Mid version of their Vice, a shoe specifically designed for dirt jumping, street riding, and slopestyle. The Vice was introduced last year, but Ride Concepts has signed Andreu Lacondeguy to the team and he apparently specifically requested a similar shoe with more ankle protection. This is that shoe.

Ride Concepts Vice Mid Top Highlights

• RC Fuzion outsole features sloped-angle inverse hexagons, varying in diameter from 9mm at the toe and heel to 7mm at the pedal contact area
• Rubber Kinetics | DST 6.0 HIGH GRIP rubber outsole
• Suede upper with mid-height collar is durable and protective
• Cup outsole design features 3mm EVA for additional shock absorption and comfort
• Perforated ventilation for breathability
• TPU toe protection
• Fully gusseted tongue prohibits intake of dirt and debris
• D3O High Impact Zone Technology insole absorbs impact and reduces fatigue
• Sizing: US: 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 12.5, 13 | UK: 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12
• MSRP: $120 MSRP US | $180 MSRP CAD | €130 SRP Europe | £110 RRP UK

Initial Impressions

When the Vice was launched, it took aim squarely at the dirt and skate park market, so it came as no surprise that it would turn out to be a skate-style shoe. But Ride Concepts also took the opportunity to load it up with pretty much the same amount of tech as their other shoes. Looking at the outsole, Ride Concepts chose their mid-level grip compound, called “DST 6.0” which was molded into an all-new inverted hexagon shape for the Vice. The hexagons are bigger at the toe and heel ends to give a little extra grip when hiking around, while the pattern is tighter in the pedal contact area to give a more functional interface with the pins. 

Since most dirt and street riders like to be able to feel what the pedal is doing under the foot, Ride Concepts opted out of using a shank on the Vice – there is however an extra layer of EVA foam for comfort. As with every other shoe in their line-up, Ride Concepts also included D3O padding in the insole for a little extra cushioning.

The upper part of the shoe is made from suede for extra protection and durability, while a TPU reinforced toe box sits hidden up front where it can help ward off impacts from all those bailed tricks. The tongue is gusseted to help keep debris out of the shoe. The tongue itself is fairly thick, and there is quite a lot of cushioning around the back of the heel as well. On this new mid top version, the cuff extends just above the ankle bones where it can bear the brunt of the hit when you catch that next tailwhip.

On The Trail

When we reviewed the original Vice shoe, we said that “slipping into the Vices for the first time is a bit like sinking into your favorite lounge chair – soft, plush and cushy as you like.”  This remains true of the Vice Mid as well – there is a lot of cushioning in the uppers, and that soft midsole and DVO-padded insole really do provide a great landing pad for your feet, whether it’s just walking around town or stomping huge hits on the slopestyle course (we haven’t really tried the latter but we have it on good authority that it’s true…). During the last couple of winter months we’ve also taken to using our test shoes as our daily drivers – super comfy to wear all day, nice and toasty with the extended cuffs for those colder spells.

Because there is no internal shank, the sole can bend and flex a little bit more than the enduro and DH-oriented models in the Ride Concepts catalog, but there is still enough support under foot to allow for long days out on the pedals. This is one of the aspects that sets this shoe apart from just any old skate-style shoe you could pick up at the local streetwear shop. The other important aspect is grip – the DST 6.0 rubber and the “inverted hexagon” sole profile do a good job of holding onto your pedals (the softer nature of the whole shoe in general also allows for it to conform to the pedals a little bit more, which promotes mechanical grip). The result is confidence-inspiring enough for all kinds of riding, with enough pedal feel to satisfy the tricksters. 

Out in the woods, the Vice Mid gets the job done as well. There is more than enough grip for just about any kind of riding, and the protection on offer is adequate. Of course, if all your riding is in chunky and aggressive terrain you’ll want to reach for something like the Powerline model, but the point here is that the Vice Mid can certainly be put to good use out on the trail as well if need be. The suede uppers run a bit warm and they will of course get soggy when wet, but that is really just pointing out the obvious here – once again, this is not the primary use case for this shoe.

What’s The Bottom Line?

When you sign Andreu Lacondeguy to rep your shoes, you better make sure you deliver what the master blaster needs to do his thing. The Vice Mid is super comfortable and provides just the right mix of grip, compliance and protection – and in Andreu’s signature charcoal colorway, you can wear them all day around town as well. If you’re after a stiffer and more performance-oriented shoe, Ride Concepts makes plenty of those too, but the Vice Mid was designed for riders who like to know what their pedals are doing under their feet. With a price tag of $120 USD and a full set of features like D3O padding in the insoles and a TPU reinforced toe box, it’s good value too.

More information at: www.rideconcepts.com.

Check out the official press release HERE.

View key specs, compare products, and rate the Vice Mid in the Vital MTB Product Guide.

About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord - Age: 47 // Years Riding MTB: 15 // Weight: 190-pounds (87-kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.

Photos by Johan Hjord