Bont Riot MTB+ – Full Carbon, Heat Moldable, Affordable

Some of the best shoes I have ever ridden and reviewed have come from Australian-brand, Bont. Their top-of-the-line shoes use a full carbon tub sole that is heat moldable, which makes for an incredibly stiff, almost custom-fitting shoe. The luxurious Vaypor+ 2016 is my indoor racing shoe (mainly because the green color doesn’t match my team kit), and the Vaypor G is my go-to for gravel and cyclocross. For the road, I use custom-painted Lake CX403s that have a similarly heat moldable tub sole that I previously reviewed. You don’t have to drop a fortune to get many of the same features. The Riot line offers a functionally similar shoe at a price that is much easier on your wallet.

The Riot line includes the Riot and Riot+ on the road and Riot MTB+ for the dirt. All start with a perforated microfiber upper for comfort, ventilation, and durability, but also include an anti-stretch material to keep the fit the same from day one. The Riot uses a buckle across the top, while the + versions have a BOA L6 dial in place of the buckle.

Underneath, the headline feature of the Riot line is the carbon composite tub sole that is heat-moldable, something that is hard to find at this price point. They blend carbon fiber with their proprietary Epoxy Thermoset Fiberglass heat molding technology, which means that you can mold the shoes as many times as you need to without reducing the strength of the sole. It also offers a 4.8mm stack height to keep you as close to the pedal as possible. The road versions offer a three-bolt cleat mount with replaceable heel and toe guards and the MTB has a two-bolt mount with replaceable tread blocks all around and threads for toe studs.

What really separates Bont from other shoes is their anatomical last. Bont shoes don’t look like all of the others. They have a wider, more blunt shape at the toe than the typical round-toe shoes you see from other brands. This follows the shape of your toes and allows them to spread out more, even without having to resort to their wide/Asian fit options.

So now that you know all about the shoes themselves, let’s talk about what it’s like to ride in them.

Having ridden the Vaypor G, the Riot MTB+ isn’t far off from the top-of-the-line model. Instead of thinking of them as a step-down, the Riot MTB+ is a bit less luxurious, but just as functional. If the Vaypor G is a Land Rover Defender, the Riot MTB+ is the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.

Instead of a full Toray carbon sole on the Vaypor line, the carbon composite sole still boasts all the stiffness you would want. I couldn’t feel any noticeable flex, which is great on the bike. Off the bike, they are a little hard to walk in because of that stiffness, but definitely not the end of the world.

The microfiber upper is a little less supple than the Durolite upper on the Vaypor, but just as durable. Instead of the two-way adjustable BOA dials on the Vaypor G, the L6 allows you to tighten, but to loosen, you have to release the dial, pull on the cable or shoe to loosen, and tighten again. Honestly, though, that wasn’t really an issue as I tended to keep them a little looser at the beginning, and then tightened them as my rides got a bit more spirited. And while BOAs are the premium option these days, the Velcro strap on the front is just as adjustable and effective in optimizing your fit.

When I first slipped them on, they were comfortable, but due to my bunions, I did mold the shoes. It is really easy to do, and you can do it at home. After preheating the oven to 160 degrees, remove the cleats and insole, and pop them in for 20 mins. After that, with socks on, add the insoles back in and slip them on. Tighten them down lightly, and let them mold. If you have anything unique that needs some special attention, like my bunions, use the round end of a screwdriver to push out the sole to make it fit. After a few tries, they are dialed for a perfect fit.

On the bike and on the gravel, they felt familiar. The tub sole was stiff when pushing down on the pedals. Power felt like it was going straight from my legs and into the pedals without any loss. The upper contoured to my feet well, and I felt secure in the shoes. Long-distance comfort was on par with other Bonts I’ve used. Off the bike, I could feel that it was a little harder to walk compared to other shoes with much less stiff soles, but I’ll take that trade-off for on-the-bike power since that is where I spend my time.

The one area I felt the Riot MTB+ was slightly lacking some arch support. Bont has partnered with another Australian company, Cobra9, to offer an upgraded sole. It uses a carbon core to provide support with a dual-density EVA foam for comfort. They offer a low, medium, and high arch option, and definitely add support and even some additional comfort to the shoe. I used the red medium arch in the Riot MTB+, Vaypor G, and Vaypor+ 2016, and found them to be beneficial in all three shoes. The added support is noticeable and they actually felt a little more comfortable on the footbed. If you give them a shot, you might notice that they are slightly smaller, which is expected so they will fit well in your shoe. They are also available for non-Bont shoes as well, which is a shape that works with more traditionally shaped shoes. They do add an additional $99.95 to the overall cost of the shoe, but if you have the budget for them, I definitely recommend it.

At $189.00, the Riot MTB+ is an incredible deal. The heat moldable tub sole and replaceable tread blocks are just something that you don’t see at that price point. It is available in three black options, the stealthy all-black, a flashier black and white, and black with blue straps. Our all-black was extremely easy to clean after a muddy gravel event too.

Overall, the Riot MTB+ surprised me. It’s not often that you can find a product that offers much of the same functionality as the top-of-the-line model for less than half the cost. Don’t get me wrong, the Vaypor G is an incredible shoe that offers even more stiffness and a very comfortable fit. The biggest difference is the weight. The Riot MTB+ comes in at almost 80g heavier than the Vaypor G.

So what is my recommendation? Well, depends on your budget and what you are looking for. If you want luxury and the absolute best of the best, then go with the Vaypor G. If you are on a tighter budget, and value functionality over luxury, then grab the Riot MTB+ and run before Bont realizes how much of a value they really are.

www.bontcycling.com