New to cycling, Italian brand, UDOG, brings a wealth of experience and knowledge with their shoes. Their designers have served their time creating shoes for some of the top brands in the world, including Fizik. UDOG (short for Underdog) has four options to choose from: two for road and two for off-road riding.
Signature UDOG details
UDOG have several signature design features incorporated into their shoes.
Wrap around technology
All UDOG shoes feature their signature 'wrap around your feet feel', known as Tension Wrap System. Twin inverted-V-shaped ribbons either side of the mid-foot tether to the laces, giving a close yet comfortable fit and helping to transfer power as you lift the pedals. Depending on the model the shoes provide between 16 and 18 points of contact between the upper and your feet.
Cleat marking
Fitting new cleats is never a quick or easy task. Therefore UDOG added clever details such as cleat-position markers extended to the sole edges, making fore-aft cleat setup easy.
Woven upper
The star of the show is the UDOG’s upper. The lightweight woven design is very well thought out. Their Cima shoe, designed for warm weather riding, uses a mesh to maximize airflow, whilst the gravel shoes are treated for weather-resistance. The upper is made of innovative 3D technical mesh, and the material is light, soft and breathable.
Flat laces with pocket
UDOG use flat laces that don’t stretch like a round lace. This helps keep shoe tension on long rides, and means you don't have to stop after a few hours to retie your laces (well that's our excuse for stopping, anyway). The laces can then be tucked into an elasticated pocket at the top of the tongue of the shoe.
Fit and Sizing
The generously-sized toe box is a feature of UDOG shoes, unlike Italian shoe brand, Sidi, who are notorious for having a slim footbed shape, and Italian brand, Fizik, who also have a slimmer fit. The flexible toe box also enables less restricted movement, making these a great shoe for big mileage rides. UDOG shoes fit true to size. If you wear brands such as Specialized, Fizik or Giro, all you have to do is choose same size as you'd usually wear.
To avoid trial and error with shoe fit, the designers developed a measuring system, which you can do at home by downloading a measuring guide and template. All you have to do is measure you foot in millimetres and look up the corresponding size on the chart.
UDOG Tensione Road Shoe
Designed for everyday road riding
Tensione is the first ever shoe that wraps your feet from the bottom to the top. The outsole is a carbon-composite/nylon blend that’s conceived to be stiff enough to transfer power efficiently to the bike, but the sprung flex behind the cleat plate adds a little comfort, too, making them perfect for all day riding. The upper’s tight mesh material has more inherent elasticity (not to mention better breathability).
Available in black or white.
UDOG Cima Road Shoe
Lightweight climbing shoe for warm weather
The Cima is a stiff road shoe with full-carbon outsole and features a single, forward-facing vent in front of the footplate with an exhaust port in the midfoot to keep your feet cool on the toughest summer rides. The Cimas also have a clever, patented lace pocket (PTS) built into the fold-over tongue. This then tucks under a broad, inch-thick elasticated strip, keeping the shoes tidy, and perhaps a little more aero than standard lace-ups.
Available in black, white or limited edition octane blue.
UDOG Distanze Gravel Shoe
Go everywhere, multi-day adventure shoe
The Distanza is packed with all the signature UDOG details, like their woven upper with weather-resistant treatment, tension wrap system, and a flat-lace technology. The full natural rubber tread covers all but the spine of the outsole, and the cleat plate and design is unique to the shoe. The sole is made from compliant nylon with carbon, which is more compliant compared to the Distanza and is better suited to multi-day adventures.
UDOG Distanze Carbon Gravel Shoe
The lightest gravel shoe in it's class perfect for racing
Speed through the trails and claim gravel victories. The Distanza Carbon features an outsole made of composite carbon, making it one of the lightest gravel shoes available and providing slightly more stiffness over their Distanza model.
