The Ride Concepts Accomplice Boa Clip shoes prioritise comfort over day-long rides. While it delivers comfort in spades and brings the convenience of a Boa closure to a relatively friendly price, it’s not without its compromises – the shoe is warm and rather flexible, and won't please everyone.
- Best mountain bike shoes 2023 - top-rated flat and clipless kicks
- Giro Latch MTB Shoes review
- Cycling shoes: everything you need to know
Ride Concepts Accomplice Boa Clip shoes - Technical details
The Ride Concepts Accomplice Boa Clip is designed for trail right through the downhill riders and is constructed with a rather interesting design. It gets a nylon tech upper with a suede eye row, which looks and feels great but uses a four-way stretch slip tongue, so technically, this is a slip-on shoe.
However, it’s far from your run-of-the-mill Vans Classic Slip On as the decision to use this construction has been made mostly in the name of comfort but it also stops debris from finding its way inside the shoe. It’s shaped with the brand’s Low Volume Last that offers what Ride Concepts reckons is an athletic fit. Basically, this means that it’s pretty snug even before cinching down the Boa dial.
At the toe and heel are abrasion-resistant zones and there’s an internal TPU toe protector. The Accomplice Clip is then closed using a single Boa L6 dial with TX4 textile laces that have been picked for their strength, flex, and lack of friction.
Towards the outsole, there’s a Clip Grip rubber compound. It’s a rubber that’s been tuned to make clipping in easy without sacrificing grip when off of the bike. There’s then a lengthy cleat pocket with equally long 42mm cleat tracks, allowing for loads of fore and aft cleat adjustment.
The insole benefits from a dual-density EVA for support and squish. It sits at level 5 in the brand’s stiffness index in order to provide a stiff platform to reduce foot fatigue but enough flex to remain stable when rattling over the rough stuff.
It weighs in at 493g per shoe which is a few grams heavier than the Fox Union Clip and 36 grams heavier than Crankbrothers' Mallet E Lace.
Ride Concepts Accomplice Boa Clip shoes - Performance
As a direct result of the Low Volume Last and the tongue that’s not really a tongue, the Accomplice has a very snug fit. It’s a shoe that hugs the foot closely but is not uncomfortable in any way. The close fit adds a load of security to the shoe but also keeps padding close to the skin – even with that fit, there’s still a good amount of room in the toe box. Though, it’s noticeably tight around the ball of the foot.
But when the Boa dial is tightened, not that it needs to be, pressure is evened out over the top of the foot. Because of the shoe’s naturally close fit, the dial feels a little redundant but it’s more of a security measure that makes damn sure there's no movement while riding.
There’s no heel lift or any kind of movement, meaning that all the power possible is being transferred straight to the pedal.
However, even though it gets the brand's stiffest platform, it’s still pretty bendy. The upside though, is that it adds to the comfort. The flex does exactly what the brand aimed, and creates stability by helping the shoe absorb bumps and chatter transmitted to the feet. It also improves the feel on clipless pedals that have a larger platform. That also means that smaller platform pedals can be felt and, as such, the shoe bends around them much more – there’s a clear lack of support. But this shoe isn’t built for cross-country mountain biking use, so it’s unlikely users will pair the Accomplice clip with such pedals.
Clipping in is as easy as it gets thanks to the super long cleat channels that make light work of locating the mechanism. I’ve ridden in the Accomplice with the Crankbrothers Mallet Trail and the Time Speciale 12 and I’ve had no issues at all. Those cleat tracks are very long, too. The cleat box comes with handy markings, so setting the cleats in the exact same spot on each shoe couldn’t be simpler.
But there is one niggle regarding this shoe’s compatibility with cleats. The warranty gets voided when using certain cleats without a spacer or shim yet there aren’t any included in the box. This doesn’t affect the performance of the shoe but it’s rather inconvenient if you don’t already have a pair of spacers and would like to retain your warranty. Granted, some cleats come with shims included.
Although the close fit and nylon mesh upper is attributed to the Accomplice’s supreme comfort, it’s not the coolest shoe in the world. On warmer days, the shoe’s got noticeably toasty compared to others but that comes with a surprising curveball in that it resists weather and water ingress rather well. It’s far from a waterproof shoe but it has easily shrugged off steam crossings, scrapes against wet leaves and even deeper puddles. Because of this, I can forgive a lack of airflow and instead wear thinner socks.
Most of the Accomplice’s build stacks up in the durability department with the sole showing the usual pedal pin scars but still looking almost new except for the inner ankle. As is common with loads of riders, I rub my feet on the cranks as I pedal and the Accomplice hasn’t taken too kindly to that. The inner ankle area is showing frayed threads and the innermost end of the suede eye row has lifted from the shoe. The latter happened after my very first ride and the fraying is relatively minor but it does raise a question mark over this shoe’s potential longevity.
As the shoe’s upper and flexy sole result in a very comfortable shoe, those two traits also translate well off the bike. It feels like a pair of your old favourite Vans when walking about and presents all-day comfort that’ll please a large range of riders.
Ride Concepts Accomplice Boa Clip shoe - Verdict
It’s not often that a shoe at this price point is sorted with a Boa dial, so if that’s your thing, the Accomplice Clip is already showing pretty good value for money. Then when compared to other shoes, it offers quite a lot.
Leatt’s 6.0 Clip shoe gets more of a summer focus and it’ll set you back £10 more. It’s more breathable and stiffer, it’s also great to walk in. However, it’s not as ridiculously comfortable. The 6.0 Clip’s cleat tracks don’t go as far back either.
In this sector, Fox’s Union Clip is a class leader for its all-out performance and excellent design. Fortunately for the Accomplice Clip, it stacks up very well indeed, it just goes about things a little differently. The Fox Union Clip is stiffer and feels more like a performance shoe, whereas the Accomplice feels much more casual.
In terms of comfort, Crankbrothers' Mallet E Lace brings the heat but it combines that comfort with a stiffer sole and there's a set of Crankbrothers cleats included, which is awesome if you're a fan of the pedals. Its cleat box isn't quite as lengthy however and it doesn't come with the super secure Boa dial. This shoe will set you back £145.
If you’re a rider who focuses on all-out performance, the Ride Concepts Accomplice Boa Clip won’t be for you. It’s a little too flexy, it can quickly get warm and its fit simply won’t suit everyone. For those who like a more relaxed shoe and aren’t fixated on squeezing out every watt, it's one of the most comfortable clipless shoes on the market, which is why it's earned a place as my go-to shoe. Although it has its niggles, namely the cleat warranty issue, its wear concerns and the aforementioned points, it’s ideal for those who prioritise comfort and security over anything else.
