In The Know Cycling

How does the Trek RSL Road Cycling Shoe, a new model with a new name, compare to the company’s outgoing Bontrager XXX and other top road racing shoes?

Branding the shoe a Trek instead of a Bontrager, one of the company’s divisions, and the model RSL, the acronym for Race Shop Limited, instead of XXX, an acronym or descriptor I never understood, suggests the Trek RSL Road is a clean break from the past.

Functionally and aesthetically, however, it’s more of a passing of the torch from one shoe generation to the next.

What Trek accomplished with the Bontrager XXX – performance and comfort at the highest levels – and its price – also at the highest levels – are exceeded with the Trek RSL.

In its approach to fit, the Trek RSL Road also surpasses another torch, specifically the Specialized S-Works Torch road cycling shoes, with several of its fit and comfort characteristics

Some of this passing may or may not be right for you and your feet. Other parts, such as the Trek RSL’s US$450, £349, and €400 price tag, may make you want to pass on this shoe or just make you pass out.

TREK RSL GOES BIG UPFRONT

Fit is the most noticeable difference between the Trek RSL Road and its predecessor and competitors.

First, it runs a half size larger than the Bontrager XXX and Specialized S-Works Torch, which are already larger volume shoes in the toe box, across the forefoot, and in the heel cup than most.

While my fellow tester Nate and I both wear size EU 43 road and mountain bike shoes, his feet are a few mm shorter and narrower than mine. But he likes roomier shoes, and the S-Works Torch best suits him.

I want a more closely fitting forefoot and heel cup yet ample toe box room in my shoes. I prefer the Shimano S-Phyre RC 903 and love the sock-like fit of the Trek RSL Knit shoes. The latter share the same “last” or mechanical form as the RSL Road that’s used to mold the outsoles of both shoes.

After initially trying the Trek RSL Road (and RSL Knit) shoes in EU 43, I replaced them with the EU 42.5 that Nate and I tested. Their length is more like wearing the EU 43 in the Bontrager XXX, Specialized S-Works Torch, and almost every other shoe we’ve tested though their width is still more than ample.

If your feet run wide, tend to swell during a ride, have bunions or other irregularities that make them hard to fit in most road cycling shoes, or you just like the feel of a lot of room, the Trek RSL Road, a half size smaller than what you usually wear, will be ideal for you.

Even then, this shoe has more toe box room than any of the dozen current top-of-the-line road bike shoes we’ve tested. From the balls of your feet back through your mid-foot, the sides of the shoes are made of stretchy material Trek calls METNET (short for metatarsal netting) that expands to accommodate wide feet or irregular parts of your feet.

If you have narrow feet or size your shoes based on a long second toe, the Trek RSL Road toe box will likely be too wide.

PLENTY OF DESIGN AND MECHANICAL INTERPLAY

In addition to being wider, the front of the shoe is also more rectangular or less tapered than the Torch, which already has one of the wider toe boxes of the many shoes we’ve tested. The RSL’s lower BOA lacing goes through a guide across the forefoot and another across the balls of your feet that together allow you to dial in the width to your liking. By contrast, the Torch has one guide that runs the lace only across your forefoot area, while the Shimano RC903 has a third set of guides across the toe box in addition to the two above it.

Lower laces and guides on Trek RSL Road (center) vs, Specialized Torch (left) and Shimano RC903 (left)

Nate cranked down the RSL’s lower dial tightly without any short-term discomfort though he did experience some fore-aft sliding with the front tips of his toes coming into contact with the rigid inside of the front toe cap. On the Torch, the top and front of the toe cap material are more flexible, and any contact there is less noticeable.

I could never tighten the RSL Road’s bottom BOA enough to feel like my toes weren’t totally free and that my forefoot was snug.

Similar to most road shoes these days, you’ll need aftermarket footbeds to improve the RSL’s fit and comfort. They’re as flat as any shoes we’ve tested, and the insoles that come with them don’t add any arch support we could discern.

COOL, WELL-PLACED, AND MICRO-ADJUSTING COMFORT

The Trek RSL’s comfort is one of its strongest assets. Nate and I each praised the shoe’s ventilation coming through the many pinhole perforations in the tongue, above the toes, and across METNET that runs down the sides of the synthetic upper material. The bottom sole also has two cutouts below the toes and a couple more below the arch, far more in number and area than you see on other top-tier road shoes.

Plenty of ventilation under your toes and arches

Trek also uses the best BOA closure system available in this model. The dials and guides are placed to enable micro-adjustments without creating hotspots. Unlike the Torch, which requires you to unwind the dials to fully release the lace tension, you simply pull up on the RSL dial to accomplish the same result.

For those who like the comfort of extra toe box room and a shoe that adapts to your unique midfoot area and toes without trial and error customization, these puppies will be a happy place for your feet.

STIFF POWER TRANSFER FOR ALL BUT THE MOST PRECISE STROKE

The Trek RSL’s outsole is about as stiff as one could be, similar to others we rank for top-level power efficiency. However, with the BOA tension adjusted a click or two less than where it becomes uncomfortably tight, Nate got slightly more fore/aft slip of his feet than his Torch shoes.

This could be due to the roomier toe box and forefoot width or the expandable METNET side panels, and it could be an issue for riders who look to get a bit more power by consciously kicking their foot forward across the top of their pedal stroke.

Offsetting this potential movement is a heel cup whose shape closely follows the heel’s varying width from bottom to top and is lined with material that provides enough friction to keep your heel from easily rising. Bottom line: Your heel doesn’t move laterally or vertically throughout the pedal stroke.

AN ENLARGED LOOK ON TRADITION

The Trek RSL Road Cycling Shoe has a traditional center tongue that’s free on both sides. The toe area is broader and more squared-off than most. At the same time, the METNET cutouts are bigger than typical ventilation pinholes, defining the upper’s look, especially on the white version.

Pinhole vs. METNET perforations and heel bumpers with cutout and subtle Trek branding on upper shoe

Like the XXX that preceded it, the RSL has a plastic bumper protecting the rear of the heel with cutouts in their sides, perhaps to save weight. The Trek branding is subtle, appearing in black on one side of the black bumpers.

In keeping with tradition and Trek’s communicated plan to reduce the number of product variations it will produce, the shoe is only available in white and black, likely the most popular colors.

WHO THE TREK RSL ROAD IS BEST FOR

Each shoe that we rate among the best for its comfort and power transfer efficiency is a good option to choose between. They differ principally in their fit and styling.

If you like more room and adaptability for your feet up front, a locked-in heel across a stiff outsole, a highly ventilated upper, and a well-engineered closure system, the Trek RSL Road Cycling Shoe is your best option.

You can order it using these links to Trek or Sigma Sports.

In The Know Cycling is ad-free, subscription-free, and reader-supported. If you want to help keep it rolling without any added cost to you, buy your gear and kit after clicking the store links on the site. When you do, we may earn an affiliate commission that will help me cover the expenses to create and publish our independent, comprehensive, and comparative reviews. Thank you, Steve. Learn more.

Check out my review of the best road cycling shoes to compare this shoe with our reviews and ratings of competitively performing models.