Rocket7 shoes embody a new direction of thinking, where there are “no rules” in designing performance cycling shoes. A long study of cycling shoes in the market revealed that most shoes were made with fashionable displays of colors and useless gadgets ablaze throughout the shoe. The shoes were heavy with thick soles, making for a ridiculous stack height and poor fitting toe box shapes.  It seemed as though nobody was focused on performance.

Making a high-performance cycling shoe was only half the goal. Making shoes that fit virtually everyone was the bigger quest. So Rocket7 went to work in an underground fashion, making custom cycling shoes, one at a time, in a slow, tedious and expensive manner.  Each pair of shoes was fabricated entirely by hand. Raw carbon fiber was wetted and laid one layer at a time. Lasts were hand-shaped using both scientific training and the intuitive art of the cobbler’s trained eye. Cleat holes were hand-drilled, and the cliché of “blood, sweat, and tears” was at the heart of every shoe. Compromise was not an option. Rocket7 had its eye on establishing something that no other cycling shoe company in the world had ever considered. In 2004, Rocket7 began developing the largest “Shoe-Last” library ever assembled for cycling; Shoes in over 40 lengths (30 – 53, in half sizes) and widths AA – EEE. Every fit is now available with a host of customizable options to make each shoe as unique as its owner. Every single shoe-last is appointed for the metrics of that size foot. These are not simple toe-box adjustments, and we do not share any parts over a range of sizes. For example; every cycling company we are aware of uses a limited number of sole bases in their shoes that are designed to be “shared” over several sizes. IE- the sole base plate on your current size 9 is probably the same one used on the size 8 and size 10. This cheats the customer and limits the proper position for the cleat to be mounted. Every single Rocket7, in every half size and width, is proportioned for that size and that size only. No shared parts.

While other companies still dish out huge salaries to persuade athletes to endorse their product, Rocket7 is fortunate to have its top athletes demand our product. If you could only see under the shoe covers of many of today’s top pros…you’d see a lot more Rocket7’s. Probably more than the other companies are willing to admit!  Why do so many pros ask for Rocket7? Well, as with any shoe, it starts with fit. But equally important in the development of Rocket7 is the function. We make the lightest shoes in the world with the lowest stack height. There are no smoke and mirrors with weight and stack height. You’ve either got it or you don’t.  By minimizing the weight and stack height of your shoes, power output is maximized. These are features that you can take to the lab and see the results for yourself.

Material selection is another aspect to consider. Most cycling companies use a variety of nylon injected plastic for their bases, and many are now introducing a “pre-preg” fiberglass/ carbon mixture for their higher-end shoes. The resin used is more “plastic” than “carbon” and the bases have to be sanded in mass in large tumblers, or sand-blasting rooms, then sprayed with clear-coat to retain some aesthetic value. The end result is often a base that is too thick and too stiff but has the “look” of a carbon sole. They will top the shoes with materials that are targeted at fashion first, function second. While some shoes utilize proper micro-fiber materials, most are simply pasting layers of the latest footwear fashion trends for the sake of making “eye candy.”

Rocket7 employs the highest quality materials possible. 3K tow carbon fiber, wet laid by hand, using the highest quality epoxy resins money can buy. Our uppers are hand stitched using the finest micro-fibers and we don’t mess around with high-fashion graphics or useless design. It’s got to look good, but more importantly it’s got to “perform” better. “Function over Fashion” is our design motto.  By using the best micro-fibers (with an emphasis on the right materials) we can create a shoe without the excess bonding of multiple layers of materials. Excess material is redundant and does nothing but ad weight to a shoe. Our hand-made process is also what lets us control our weight with such accuracy. No shoe in the world is as light as a Rocket7. From a performance standpoint, this is critical as the shoe is a component of rotating mass. Rotating mass increases exponentially as the RPM’s increase. A mass-produced shoe built in a factory for soccer or running shoes cannot have the tight quality controls used in Rocket7’s state-of-the-art lab. By taking away the robotic lasting machine and lasting by hand, we’re also able to eliminate the need for a “lasting board”.  The “lasting board” used in traditional cycling shoe assembly is heavy and increases stack height. Pay attention and you’ll notice that a Rocket7 upper actually wraps around the outsole. This is a purposeful design that has a metric benefit to an increase in performance. 

Rocket7’s are not retro, nor are they on the experimental edge of industrial design. They are well planned, designed and tediously hand made using premium materials and construction methods. We’re not trying to trap a wild animal with these shoes, so we avoid shiny, flashy gimmick parts.  We don’t plan on using these shoes for fishing either, so you won’t find any monofilament fishing line holding your feet to the shoes. Just as you are not likely to see a pro runner using fancy air bladders under their shoes, or shock absorbers, buckles, dials or air-pumps for fit, you are also more likely to see a pro cyclist ask for a lightweight, functional 3-strap Velcro closures instead of a mechanical trap designed to “crush” your foot into a poorly fitting shoe. Rocket7’s 3-strap Velcro closure system is still the most reliable and lightweight system available on a cycling shoe.  That’s why we use it.