FIZIK TEMPO ARTICA GTX WINTER CYCLING SHOES
Fizik Tempo Artica GTX: For road riders who want the convenience of purpose-built winter cycling shoes for long rides between 34F and 45F (1C to 7C) and shorter ones down to 25F (-4C) or up to 55F (13C), the Fizik Tempo Artica GTX gives you a well-built option, best in a half-size larger shoe than what you normally wear.
Available for US$260, £260, €309 from BTD (BikeTiresDirect) and Sigma Sports.
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While not the Arctic, New England winters deliver enough cold, wind, and precipitation to be a suitable test environment for the Fizik Tempo Artica GTX. My fellow tester, Miles, claims to enjoy road riding in those conditions. So he gladly raised his hand to test these winter cycling shoes last winter.
Size and fit adjustments yield comfort
There’s typically less toe box volume in Fizik road shoes than in other brands that Miles and I have tested. While there was initially enough side-to-side room in the forefoot of the Tempo Artica GTX he wore in his regular Fizik size, the space above his toes was notably limited.
After about an hour of riding these shoes in near-freezing temps, his toes got numb, similar to what he experienced wearing his regular road shoes wrapped with overshoes after about 90 minutes in similar temps the next day.
Switching to a half-size larger pair of the Tempo Artica GTX and stretching its toe box out with golf balls stuffed into that area overnight gave him warm toes in summer-weight socks on the 3+ hour outdoor base-building rides he loves doing during the winter.
Upsizing and stretching also provide enough room for the aftermarket insoles that give you sufficient arch support, the kind of support that insoles coming with these and most shoes these days don’t provide.
Despite sizing up, the heel hold is comfortably snug in these Fiziks. Indeed, from the aftermarket insole arch back, the fit is spot on. It’s from the arch forward where those who prefer generous toe box room will want more in these shoes.
Mild winter riding best suits the Fizik Tempo Artica GTX
Don’t take the ‘Artica’ name too literally – these fleece-lined shoes start to lose effectiveness when temps go below freezing. Miles did ride them down to 25F (-4C) but limited that ride to 90 mins. Above 50F (10C), his feet felt warm, though not uncomfortably so. Between 34F and 45F (1C to 7C), you’re riding in their sweet spot.
The Tempo Artica GTX’s one-piece, Gore-Tex lined upper material keeps the moisture out from above, though it isn’t very flexible. A smooth, rubbery bumper covers the outside of the toe area and continues around the upper’s lower edge to keep water out from below.
There’s also a flexible foam upper section that wraps around your ankle and is secured by a Velcro strap. Fizik didn’t pay enough attention to the collar of that piece or the top edge of the tongue, as they can dig into your skin above the ankle if you aren’t wearing heavy socks or haven’t stuffed your tights or leg warmers into your shoes.
Expect training, not racing-level performance
These are training shoes, not true racing shoes, and perhaps that’s appropriate since there isn’t a whole lot of road racing going on in the winter. The outsole is a fiber composite that even Fizik rates only a 6 on their 10-point stiffness index. Ever the sprinter, Miles confirmed that he felt the stiffness deficit of the Tempo Artica GTX compared to racing shoes with a carbon fiber sole.
They also aren’t great for clacking around at a café stop, not that you’ll likely want to do much of that during a winter ride. Being road shoes, there’s no tread to navigate the frozen ground beneath you, and the hard plastic toe and heel pads didn’t give Miles much confidence navigating even his tile-floor kitchen.
Along with the warmth and moisture protection it brings, the Tempo Artica GTX’s padded, insulated tongue allows you to crank down the single L6 BOA dial and three rows of guides and laces to a comfortably snug fit without creating any hot spots. It’s also fairly easy to adjust on the go and frees your feet at the end of the ride by simply pulling up on the dial.
Trade-offs abound with winter kit, and there are certainly several to consider with these Fizik winter cycling shoes. Compared to wearing overshoes with your regular season cycling shoes and the limited foot access and ride duration they bring, the Fizik Tempo Artica GTX is far better for winter training at above-freezing temperatures and on wet roads.
Check out my review of The Best Road Bike Shoes for comprehensive and comparative reviews of a dozen top models.