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Lake CX402 Review

Fast, stiff, sexy, and awesome. It’s worth the price if you have the money
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Lake CX402 Review
Credit: Lake Cycling
Price:  $550 List
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Manufacturer:   Lake Cycling
By Ryan Baham ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Nov 28, 2018
75
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Comfort - 25% 7.0
  • Weight - 15% 7.0
  • Power Transfer - 25% 9.0
  • Adjustability - 20% 6.0
  • Durability - 15% 8.0

Our Verdict

The Lake CX402 is a striking shoe that demands your attention. And rightly so. It's a super stiff, comfortable thing that will take all the abuse you can muster and it does so with a flashy, stylish flair. The trick to these is in their fit. They come in with a pre-molded carbon fiber sole that usually requires you to remold it in the oven to fit your foot, which can take some work, but it's worth it once you get your fit. If you're after a durable, supple road shoe with great customizability, go ahead and read on to see what these are all about.
REASONS TO BUY
Super stiff
Stylish
Custom mold
Durable
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavier
Less adjustable
Warm
Pricey

Our Analysis and Test Results

We felt like complete rubes trying these on for the first time and finding them to be astoundingly uncomfortable. A little more reading solved it: you have to remold the soles in the oven at 200°F for 5-10 minutes (or take them to a dealer) and then reshape them to your foot. That yielded excellent results and produced a much more comfortable shoe.

Performance Comparison


Take a look below as we break these shoes down across our measures to see how they compare to the rest of our lineup.

Comfort


Finding comfort takes a bit of work with these. They come pre-molded with the expectation that you will remold them to fit your foot. Chances are, your foot will zero percent fit what they send you. Don't get upset that you dropped a ton of cash on something that doesn't fit. Go to their site and find directions on remolding or go find a dealer who can fit you. It can be done at home by removing the insole and throwing them in the oven pre-heated to 200° F for 5 minutes, but Lake suggests you find an authorized dealer as there are risks of overheating, material degradation, and other issues arising from an untrained user.

lake cx402 - that's right, you bake these babies! really. 200 degrees for 5...
That's right, you bake these babies! Really. 200 degrees for 5 minutes. Don't do it more than a few (five) times. Seek help from a dealer if you're in doubt.

Once we remolded the sole, we found that these were super comfortable. A good deal of that comfort can be attributed to the supple K-lite kangaroo leather. Unlike the carbon fiber sole, the upper naturally reshapes to the foot after just a few weeks of riding, improving both energy transfer and comfort. We should also note this model's CX/TX RACE last runs narrow and is designed for high-intensity racing, so it might not suit the entire riding population.

Those looking for a smoother ride will get more from road shoes like the Best Bang for the Buck winning Louis Garneau Course Air Lite II or Shimano S-Phyre RC9 SPD-SL, which won the Top Pick for Lightweight Racing Float.

Weight


One of the only marks against these shoes is their weight. A pair of men's 44 come in at 21.9 ounces, or 311 grams. It doesn't alarm normal guys, but weight weenies might keep it in mind if they're versed in the art of drillium and counting grams.

lake cx402 - the lake cx402s come in at 21.9 ounces (311g), which is at the top...
The Lake CX402s come in at 21.9 ounces (311g), which is at the top of the pile for high-performance offerings, but not too bad in general.

Riders looking for something a little lighter without compromising performance should look to the Editor's Choice Fi'zi:k Infinito R1 or Top Pick for Lightweight Racing Flat Shimano S-Phyre RC9. Both come in about 3 ounces lower, or about 100 grams and 82 grams, respectively.

Power Transfer


This is one of the strong points of these shoes. They use a super thick carbon outsole with zero give, even after we remolded it for a few different feet. The K-lite kangaroo leather is supple enough to be really comfortable and strong enough to keep the foot still and stable when laying down the power. Lake even suggests these be used for high cadence work for that reason. They respond really well and there's very little loss of energy whether it's cruising, climbing, or working on tempo.

lake cx402 - it adds a bit of weight, but the super thick carbon sole is...
It adds a bit of weight, but the super thick carbon sole is damn-near unmovable. It's a pretty direct transfer from your foot to the pedals, even after remolding a few times.
Credit: Ryan Baham

It easily scores among the best road bike shoes out there, alongside top award winners like the Louis Garneau Course Air Lite II and Shimano S-Phyre RC9 SPD-SL, but it comes up just short of the super stiff Fi'zi:k Infinito R1, Scott Road RC SL, and Sidi Wire Vent Carbon. If you want power transfer, try the Scotts or Sidis. For something a little more comfortable, try the Louis Garneaus or Shimanos.

Adjustability


These are pretty standard when it comes to adjustability. They use Boa IP1-S dials along the side with three anchors across the top of the shoe and one on a strap covering the tongue to help it gently hug the foot when it closes. It's certainly a sufficient closure system, but it could use some work. It seems the hope is that by molding the shoe to fit your foot, you don't need as much adjustment, but the shoe could be quite improved by allowing tightening of the heel, an additional cleat over the toes, and bi-directional Boas

lake cx402 - the lake cx402 use two uni-directional boa dials that allow you to...
The Lake CX402 use two uni-directional Boa dials that allow you to tighten 1mm at a time, but you need to pull the quick release to loosen it. It's still convenient, but bi-directional dials would be ideal.
Credit: Ryan Baham

Again, these were just fine out on the road and the lack of bi-directionality was a minor inconvenience and really only because we knew that bi-directional Boas existed. Most riders will probably enjoy these just fine, especially if they're looking for a snug, sturdy shoe with a solid carbon sole. But, if you're fidgety or concerned with getting the adjustment just right throughout your ride, there are other options.

Both the Scott Road RC SL and Shimano S-Phyre RC9 SPD-SL do a bit better here because they have bi-directional Boa dials and use additional cleats over their toe anchors to improve control across the toes. However, the ultimate in adjustment is the Sidi Wire Vent Carbon. It uses its own ratchet and dial system as well as an adjustable heel counter to give you an almost unreasonable array of adjustment options. If adjustment is your focus, we suggest taking a look at each of these models before making a decision.

Durability


These puppies outperform a lot of other shoes in this measure. They use K-lite kangaroo leather, which is claimed to be the toughest natural leather out there. Top that off with limited ventilation and mesh in the upper and sturdy threading and you've got an excellent upper that will withstand all sorts of abuse. Add to that a super thick carbon outsole with limited ventilation and the entire enchilada is a tough puppy.

lake cx402 - tough k-lite kangaroo leather, thick carbon, high-quality seams, and...
Tough K-lite kangaroo leather, thick carbon, high-quality seams, and excellent workmanship make these some of the most durable bike shoes on the market right now.
Credit: Ryan Baham

But we understand if you want top shelf and this tank of a shoe still isn't enough for you. If that's the case, you might try the Sidi Wire Vent Carbon or Scott Road RC SL. Both models use super tough materials and limit design vulnerabilities.

Best Applications


These shoes are ideal for laying down the watts and cadence. Their snug fit and moldable sole mean they're well-suited to climbing and crit rides, but we found they were just fine on long, slow, flat rides.

Value


Their retail is a bit steep, especially when other shoes with better comfort, lower weight, and greater adjustability are out there. That said, they look sweet and the moldable sole is a cool feature.

Conclusion


No, the Lakes didn't win any awards, but they're still awesome shoes that came darn close. They're excellent for sprinting and spinning up hills with their super rigid carbon fiber sole and snug, tough upper that helps transfer as much power to the pedals as the solid sole. That's aided by the micro-adjustable BOA dials that allow you to really get the perfect close fit, maximizing both comfort and transfer. The biggest complaint with fastening is that the dial is only a one-way fastener, so to loosen the upper you need to pop the dial and it loosens all the way. The shoe is also a bit on the heavy side, so far as these things go. Weight weenies might be concerned here, but for the rest of us, this is a high-performing bike shoe well worth its premium.

lake cx402 - the excellent power transfer makes these kicks great for your...
The excellent power transfer makes these kicks great for your smooth, fast cadence and improving your spin game.

Ryan Baham