By Stan Portus

Published: Wednesday, 13 April 2022 at 12:00 am

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Fizik has announced the new Tempo Decos road cycling shoe, said to be “a high-performance road shoe designed to go the distance”.

Fizik says the shoe is suitable for everything from tarmac to cobblestones and describes it as the “nexus” of comfort and performance.

These claims are in line with the guiding principles of versatility, comfort and performance behind all shoes in the Fizik Tempo range, including the Tempo Powerstrap R5.

The Tempo Decos has several characteristics to help it achieve its distance and comfort claims, including a laminated upper, BOA dial closing system, carbon fibre sole and set-back cleat position.

The shoe is available in four different colours and costs £279 / $299.99 / €290. It’s available in a standard or wide fit.

Laminated upper and a single Boa dial

Fizik says the upper of the Tempos Decos uses a polyurethane-laminated material that is layered over mesh material.

This combination is said to lead to a supple upper and a light and supportive shoe.

The laminated material is also said to be resilient, which should mean the Tempo Decos can withstand the odd knock or bump.

The upper has perforation across the toe box and the exterior face. There are perforations on the inside face, but these only extend halfway along the shoe before another panel of material starts.

Fizik

Fizik says the asymmetrical closure of the Tempo Decos – which isn’t drastically unlike the recently launched Terra Atlas gravel shoe in appearance – provides a hotspot-free and ergonomic fit.

This design is said to require only a single Li2 Boa dial rather than a dual-dial or dial and Velcro closing-strap setup.

The Li2 Boa dial is said to have a smaller diameter and a reduced stack height compared to the IP1 Boa dial found on the Tempo Overcurve R5.

The Li2 Boa dial also provides incremental micro-adjustability, enabling the user to find a precise fit, according to Fizik.

Carbon fibre sole with a rearward cleat position

Fizik

The Tempo Decos uses Fizik’s R2 carbon sole, said to deliver low weight and a stiffness index rating of 10/10, although shoe stiffness might not be all that important.

The sole uses unidirectional carbon and Fizik says it is the most responsive sole in its range.

To help with temperature regulation, the sole has a vented inlet and deep internal channelling.

The three-bolt cleat tracks on the sole are further back than some other cycling shoes, according to Fizik, enabling riders to have a “rearward-positioned” cleat.

Fizik says a cleat that is set further back can help optimise pedalling efficiency, reduce knee compression, and is suited to aggressive, aerodynamic riding positions.

Black, white, purple and iridescent blue

The Tempo Decos is available in four colourways: white, black, purple and black, or ‘Iridescent Blue’ and black.

While the white and black colourways are this colour throughout (minus the black heel strip on the white shoe), the purple and Iridescent Blue versions of the shoe feature black panels on the inside face and black tongues.