MTB shoes Ride Concepts Accomplice Clip: Comfortable bike shoe for touring, trail and enduro

The young shoe brand Ride Concepts has taken up the cause of mountain bike shoes for trail use. The makers from Nevada in the USA have been working on the ideal footwear for bikers since 2018. What makes them special: The brand makes bike shoes. Nothing else. They are pretty much alone on the market. The current portfolio includes an impressive number of shoes for touring, trail, enduro and downhill use. With or without click inserts. Classic XC or marathon shoes are nowhere to be found.

The Accomplice is the trail all-rounder in the RC portfolio. The sneaker-style shoe is available as a flat version or for click pedals. The Americans theoretically also have a version with a Boa ratchet fastener instead of classic lacing in their programme - but this is no longer sold in Germany. The Accomplice's specifications included a casual look and a high level of comfort with good protection. Interested parties can choose from three different colours.

The facts about the Ride Concepts Accomplice

• Available for click or flat pedals
• Robust toe protection
• Flexible slip tongue
• Elasticated lace tab
• Three colours: White, black, olive/camouflage
• Price: 139 Euro >> at Maciag Offroad or Decathlon available
• Weight: 515 grams (per piece in size 47)

>> Bike shoes for trail and tour? Here are 13 models for click pedals in a comparison test.

The Ride Concepts Accomplice in action

A special feature of the Accomplice RC shoe is the elasticated, sock-like entry, which is visually reminiscent of particularly comfortable trainers. Slipping into the shoe is easy, even if you can't open the tongue wide. This is because the material is very stretchy and the sock slips in easily. The ankle is enclosed quite tightly by the slip-on tongue. This seals the shoe well to the outside. Dirt finds it somewhat more difficult to find its way into the shoe than with classic designs with a separate tongue and stiffer shoe edge. The shoe is neither conspicuously large nor small. As with most other bike shoes, size 47 fitted our tester.

When riding, the Accomplice Clip is inconspicuous and emphasises comfort. The laces allow the shoe to be easily adjusted to the foot and pulled tight. As is usual with a lace-up shoe, you have to tighten the laces piece by piece to get a really tight fit - it's not quite as quick as with a ratchet fastener. The impact-resistant cap on the front protects the toes from unwanted contact with rocks, stones or roots, for example. It does not restrict comfort at all. The toes are not uncomfortably constricted and do not bump into anything.

The sole of the Accomplice Clip is not as hard as you would expect from a stiff race shoe; there are also stiffer constructions in the touring segment. For our taste, however, the shoe strikes a good balance between power transmission and comfort. If you're focussing on having fun on the trails and are less concerned about every second on the climbs, this is the shoe for you. Clipping in and out in combination with Shimano Saint pedals worked smoothly at all times and without any snagging or jamming. When walking, the heel sits a little loose, but this never bothered us in everyday cycling. Overall comfort is high. Even after long test days on the bike, we never had the feeling that we had to get out of the shoes quickly.

Incidentally, don't be fooled by the loose mesh look. The upper material looks particularly airy - but is in fact rather firm and slightly insulating. The Accomplice is not just a summer shoe for hot days, but a classic "three-season shoe" that, with the appropriate thick socks, also accompanied us well on winter rides around 5 degrees. Of course, the shoe is not waterproof, but it can withstand a small splash from a puddle. This is not the case with some particularly airy shoes.

Conclusion on the Ride Concepts Accomplice Clip

Comfortable, simple and robust: the Accomplice Clip is an absolutely successful shoe for touring, trail and enduro bikers. A comfortable all-rounder with a chic look! Don't be fooled by the airy look - the shoe is warmer and more weatherproof than I first thought. It's a shame that the version with a Boa fastening isn't currently available, but even with classic lacing, handling is easy. The price is absolutely fair compared to the market - and on top of that, with the Ride Concepts you get a shoe that's off the beaten track. - Florentin Vesenbeckh, Deputy Editor-in-Chief EMTB Magazine