£30 vs £130 cycle shoes, can AliExpress beat Fizik?

T-Ding cycle shoes from AliExpress, they may be cheap, but how do they stack up against a pair of real Fizik shoes?
I’ve been using my pair of Fizik Tempo Overcurve R5 road cycling shoes for the last year, and they are incredible. The T-Ding ‘Zapatillas Ciclismo’ shoes from AliExpress look remarkably similar to my Fizik pair, but should you get them?
If you’ve watched a few of my videos, you’ll know I love using cheap Chinese cycling equipment and accessories. It can save you some cash, and in a lot of cases, the stuff you get is as good as some of the premium brands, but cycle shoes are something I’ve always spent some decent money on.
I’ve used Specialised S-Works, Scott, and Fizik cycle shoes throughout my cycling career, with both Shimano SPD-SL and Look Keo cleats, so have a pretty good understanding of how a good pair should perform.
AliExpress and Ebay always have some attractive propositions on this front, but they always seem a bit too good to be true. But never one to pass up an opportunity to test some cheap Chinese cycle gear, I bought the T-Ding pair, and put them through their paces.
I this review, I’ll give you my verdict.
Got any questions or comments, stick them below 👇 and I'll try and get back to as many of you as I can!
Timestamps:
00:29 - Intro
02:20 - AliExpress Shoes
03:51 - AliExpress vs Fizik
06:43 - Durability
09:00 - Final Thoughts
Glass fibre reinforced plastics discussion (9 mins in):
• $30 MAGNESIUM pedals, ...
Product links (Please note, I have no affiliation to any of the sellers linked below):
T-Ding Shoes - tinyurl.com/y98ny7jq
Fizik Shoes - tinyurl.com/ybhwjtzv
Intro roll:
Created by Dev Joshi - www.go2dev.co.uk
Music:
Birocratic - Fresh Healthy Perspectives (birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)
Lakey Inspired - In My Dreams ( / lakeyinspired )
BioDrive - Waves of August (biodrive.bandcamp.com/)
About Trace Velo:
I love cycling, and I love getting pro cycling equipment for less. Big brands can charge an absolute mint, so if it’s cheap, from China, and preferably made of carbon fibre, I’m interested!
Instagram:
/ tracevelo
Email:
[e-mail]
Please note:
All products demonstrated in this video have been purchased by me, and I have no affiliation to any of the sellers or vendors shown.
In addition, I am not a professionally trained bike mechanic. There can be risks associated with using products that are unbranded, untested, or come from sources where the provenance is unknown. Please talk to a qualified bike mechanic if you are in any doubt.
In essence, be careful, do your research, and cycle safe!!!

[@ydrinkcoke]

Honestly, shoes are the one thing I'm really not willing to cheap out on. I've dealt with way too many foot related issues this year, and not willing to risk letting something like my shoe be the cause for any of it. As always, loving the informative and entertaining videos man!

[@davidbronstein2040]

That glass fibre plastic reveal was the most hype thing I have seen all year

[@joskes123]

yeah babyyyyyy !!!!

[@abedfo88]

Being a Yorkshireman i'm genetically predisposed to being tight as a nats chuff and parting with my brass burns my soul. However one is inclined to agree with Trace today, i have always bought and worn shimano shoes as the £60-100 premium repays itself.

[@BobNoodlefoot]

Holy smokes... These shoes are an absolute mess. Thanks for taking the hit for us, and preventing people from investing into this garbage. Nice video as always.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah, it's a shame tho. If the cleat plate was more durable, I would probably still be wearing them. A few people have mentioned that I may be able to replace it, so could look into that

[@nialltracey2599]

Well done. I do appreciate the open answer up front. Definitely didn't expect them to be as good, so there's no real spoiler in giving us the answer, but I watched through to find out whether they were acceptable or not anyway. I really, really hate videos that try to use unanswered questions to goad people into watching. It winds me up something chronic, so it's nice to be watching in a chilled manner because I want to, not stressed for being forced into it. That won you a subscription.

[@webbo73]

Looks like you had some t-ding problems there Luke :-)

[@jshepard5840]

Being an Aliexpress customer for several years, I appreciate your videos because you often test things that I'm thinking of buying. And while I'm very happy with my Superteam Chinese carbon wheels and various Chinese cycling kits and bits and bobs I've boughten over the years, there are also things to stay away from.

[@Goonak_]

Always nice to see new content! Keep it up 👌

[@Stuuriaan]

Oeh, I've been spotting loads of power meters on AliExpress lately...something to look into for a video?

[@a10goesbrrrrrrrrrrt52]

Idk about powermeter but cadence meters work really well

[@IronX77]

Yes please!

[@edwardwilliams3731]

Can he one on sausages and shit yeah

[@blorg8206]

@@a10goesbrrrrrrrrrrt52 second the cadence meters working really well, I have a load from Magene, although power meters are a lot harder, there have been so many failed attempts. Shane Miller (GPLama) who after DC Rainmaker is probably the second guy I'd go to for advice on this stuff reviewed the Magene Ridge very well (kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2SblaqAac1girs), and a couple of years ago gave a pretty good review for the 1st gen XCadey as well, in the review he seems to be a bit mixed but he found the actual data to be pretty accurate and was only really worried about support issues. I think reading between the lines of that review, the important bit was, it works. And it's on to a second generation now. DCR hasn't reviewed any of the on bike meters, but he did give a very positive review to the Magene Gravat smart trainer. The flip side to consider, though, is they aren't necessarily THAT cheap- the XCadey starts around $250 and the Magene $275 for a 105 left arm. While I just bought a 4iiii 105 arm for the same $250 from PBK... and I know they work great, as I've been using them for a few years now. The Magene dual side offerings is interesting too, but while it is cheaper than competing options, it's still like $650 or so which isn't nothing.

[@thefullgardiner12]

To be able to test power meters properly, you need to invest in at least one other reliable power meter, ideally two. So it's not quite the same as just spending £30 on some shoes! GPLama does it well and has recently reviewed the Magene one that's on AE.

[@fkrr5]

Very timely video. I was just looking at these on AliExpress. Thanks for the review, saved me some buyers remorse :)

[@Stuuriaan]

Yet another banger!! It's like you just know what I'm browsing on AliExpress 😅

[@seto8]

The first 30 secs already convinced me to give it a like

[@Sofifa-lu6ix]

These R5 tempo overcurves are my first pair of cycling shoes and I am loving it. The sizing of these pairs are great. Next on the list maybe a pair of R1's. Good job on the review Luke! Cheers!

[@RedfieldmediaCoUk]

An entertaining review of some cycling shoes! I've had my Shimano SPD SL's since the early '90s: the left one cuts off my circulation after a while and they've always been slightly too small, but still going strong! :)

[@seanfitzmaurice4226]

Bought a set of dhb Dorica shoes from wiggle, around 50 euro delivered. Had some fancy carbon sole 150euro shoes before hand and i must say really impressed with the DHB shoes, good quality, look the business and havnt broken the bank.

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah to be fair, DHB stuff is pretty legit, and not crazy prices either

[@grapple99]

Solid vid .... great comparison ..... glad there wasn’t a painful story with the bolts striping out ...... really finding your grove with the pace of presentation .... Look forward to what’s next

[@TraceVelo]

Cheers dude, really appreciate it. Yeah I really enjoyed filming this one!

[@rayoperator2699]

I spent 60€ on ali express on clip-on shoes. In a half year i had to glue the bottom twice with special glue that cost me 20€. Some good advice: buy descent shoes .

[@danielthompson3866]

Another great video Luke. Keep them coming! :-)

[@TraceVelo]

Awesome, thanks Daniel!!!

[@ronanmac]

In the (rarely-seen) Venn diagram of cheap Chinese bike product reviews and entertaining KZbin content, Trace Velo sits alone in the centre. Great videos!

[@BrumCraft]

I like your honesty - it's refreshing

[@BrumCraft]

I love my overcurves - can't imagine I'll buy anything else for a while

[@jasonbautista1319]

great video keep them coming !!!!

[@martyparizeau3327]

Educational yet very entertaining 👍

[@kelvindavison3314]

Another cracking video Luke, and good detailed insight into the products too as always. I've had a few pairs of shoes too and have always gone with brands, but in sales - for reference I normally run some Sidi's I got from Sportpursuit for £110 with Carbon Soles (awesome fit, quality etc) but bought some DHB Dorica MTB shoes for touring at £45 in a sale last summer. I ran them for touring and then all winter and short of some scuffs they are still going strong, and are stiff enough, comfy and quality - so there is no need to break the bank for good stuff.

[@simonfreeman2808]

Amazing if you're name is Terry Ding

[@abedfo88]

Hahaha pmsl.

[@paullinnitt5450]

But what if you are Fred Izik?

[@rokibuca]

I like how he is honest in the beginning but then you just need to know way are not

[@danielgallagher429]

Yesss!! This week I had some cheap Chinese shoes in my ebay basket and last minute swung to some shimano rc7's, I'm so glad I made the right choice.

[@markmarshall9204]

Another great video Luke👍. Do you plan on making a long term review of the Farsports wheelset?

[@robw4885]

Love your videos. Gives people an idea on "Cheap Chinese Carbon" is worth taking a risk on. Decathlon do decent shoes for all budgets from their own brands and Shimano. They also have a shops that you can go back to (under normal circumstances) and decent customer service.

[@jonathanjstrand]

Loved that intro 👍

[@sherryspencer1345]

Fake SIDI's next then! Great Vid as always Luke - Love it, superb blend of humour, no bs honest review, and superb production. Keep testing that China stuff please!

[@2Petya]

Im using a 30usd muddyfox from sports-direct for 2 years now. Love them. When i was shopping around, had trouble finding a good fit since my feet is wide. That fits like a glove, was surprised that it was more comfy than all the big brands i tried on. And so far durable as well. So i guess it depends on the model.

[@ATLaracheClub]

Just subbed, great content!

[@starshihtzupuppy3409]

Thanks Mate, very informative review i should say. Anyway you can do mtb clipless shoes as well. MORE POWER to your channel. Dars from the Philippines

[@alleborgo5481]

Man i really love the way you look like kinda crazy!!!! Keep it up👍👍👍 You've just caught a subscribe.

[@hockysa]

thank you for not click baiting me into watching the whole video

[@zaccampos3185]

Love your videos! Their so funny🤣

[@chrisbowman2030]

I have the Scott Comp Boa in the MTB version. I've used them for nearly two years now and they are pretty scuffed up but still going strong. No problems of any kind, boa System works like a charm.

[@NomadFilmmaker305]

Lol!!!! The best review guy on KZbin ❤️❤️❤️

[@dijudematthew3956]

Lol that's the ringtone when I got a message from my phone "T-Ding"

[@Oilyhands749]

Your making this grumpy old northerner smile , keep it up 👍

[@imp822]

You crack me up!! Thanks!!!

[@HaveAGoodHeart]

Impressive review! Tks.

[@hotcakes1117]

I really do like your vids mate

[@TraceVelo]

Cheers Hot Cakes 👊😎

[@LawrenceSeetoh]

thank you Luke for another informative episode, I am actually looking at Aliexpress shoes at the moment

[@TraceVelo]

No problem Lawrence, hope you find something a bit better quality than I did!

[@LawrenceSeetoh]

@@TraceVelo I hope so too but I am not in a hurry I hope you do review more stuff soon

[@Simon_is_not_sure]

@@LawrenceSeetohwhich shoes are you looking for?

[@LawrenceSeetoh]

@@Simon_is_not_sure SPD ones nothing in particular yet, my current shoes are showing their age (the soles are starting to give way) but are still usable atm

[@Simon_is_not_sure]

@@LawrenceSeetoh I have already made quite a bit of research into usable Ali shoes with spd, so if you want tips or models, just write

[@evergistebushayija9017]

One at home...Love it!

[@kimgaugemusic]

Love my Fizik MTB shoes. I had to drill out the holes to set the cleats further back and I can attest to how tough the sole is. Now my cleat position is near perfect. Very comfortable shoe.

[@HabeasPorpoise]

The T-Dings have such a chunky, square toe like diabetic shoes. Also, dude, I love your channel. You're doing all of the things I'm afraid to do with all of these cheap Chinese carbon parts, and your reviews are super detailed. Also also very partial to Fizik shoes. I have R3B Uomos.

[@timboha8191]

I got a set of Fizik Aria R3’s full carbon , for £79 in the sales last year, bargain of the century, it definitely pays to shop around, they retail at £249 and the cheapest price elsewhere was £199. I guess it’s because my pair were Black pink and fluoro yellow, but I love the colour 😄

[@jamesmckernan1234]

Finally something I can comment my own experience on haha, I own a pair of Taibao Cycling shoes and Adidas adiistar TT shoes and the chinese ones hold up very well to the adidas ones and at a fraction of what I paid for them

[@danr3199]

Got some Mavic Askium shoes (as a first timer) for around £40 on sale last Spring, done me fine so far. Good to see some other options for when I eventually upgrade from these

[@NARUdaARC]

For a good cheap lightweight pair of carbon shoes, go for dhb dorica. It's a traditional lace shoes but for the price of £50 online it's a steal!

[@avva4090]

Dude, 100% agree shoes are usually worth investing in. I know with the 2-hole cleats you can fix what happened to the cheap shoe by outright replacing the cleat nut with a Shimano one for like 3 bucks per shoe. Usually all you have to do is pull up the midsole and you can replace it. Wouldn't be surprised if in the interest of saving money/weight the cleat nut in a road shoe is inaccessible though. I've always used SPD since I started cycling to commute, but I'm considering getting some super light/stiff shoes for longer rides. If you've ever been inclined to make a video about power meters, please do :) Love your channel!

[@palicar]

I'm with you. I never skimp on shoes or tires or a helmet.

[@NextInTheWorkstand]

About a year ago I took a punt on a pair of X-Wind carbon road shoes (with the double boa) off AliExpress. Totally changed my mind about "more expensive" items off the site, they're about $100 Australian so still really reasonably priced. I've used them on 150km+ days, used them on over 40 degree days in events out in the bush and I honestly cannot fault them one iota. They're surprisingly breathable and robust (have crashed) but most impressively, they weighed in (with my standard shimano yellow cleats) lighter than my friends legit S-Works shoes (as she is sponsored) with LOOK cleats. I would definitely buy again.

[@Maxboyrm85]

Would u mind checking out the cheap “spyder” saddles, basically saddles with holes in them designed to flex to provide comfort

[@denismacfarlane255]

Its a Tioga knock off

[@harryshaw97]

Trace i think it would be awesome if you did a review on the ali express sunglasses. Especially the 100% ones or the POC ones (in my experience these have been good quality). In Thailand EVERYONE gets their sunnies from ali. Ive literally held a real pair and a fake pair and i couldn't tell the difference. Would be great if you could measure the difference in UV protection. I think this would be a good video because i think the difference is so small. yet you could spend £10 instead of £200.

[@richcook5658]

Durianrider got some Foakleys tested at an optician, and the lenses were really good quality. I always go Foakleys, the amount of times I drop my sunnies, it makes sense.

[@mot0s896]

My Sensah groupset is on the way the parts for the china bike are soon together 😍

[@LukasFichtner]

Nice one again. Thank you :)

[@TraceVelo]

No worries Lucas 👊

[@LukasFichtner]

@@TraceVelo With K please ;D

[@AzzuanToha]

Nice video! Same as me... No compromise on shoes... I must get the real thing for shoes... Basketball, rugby, running, leisure... All original products... And we got the same gen of Fizik! Mine Tempo R5 Strap... Just in love with the strap design... Fizik also got very nice shoe box design... And a lovely black note book as free gift... Shoes? Goes for original, even the cheap ones... No problem with cheap ones, but make sure it is original... Santic was my first ones...

[@joshbaxeleven]

Yes trace love your stuff

[@TraceVelo]

Cheers Weever!!!

[@DomokosBalazs]

Thank you!

[@yspegel]

again a big thank you for this information. I have a pair of expensive Bont shoes, with moldable carbon sole.... Sadly, I lost a lot of weight over the last 2 years and now the fit is too lose. They have imitation of the Bont with those moldable sole..... But I don't fully trust the quality of those either....

[@stevenagel6096]

Thanks for the vid bud

[@TraceVelo]

No probs Steve! 🙏

[@viccycling7862]

Love a review of some decent ali cycling jerseys and bib shorts. New 20d bib shorts look decent. FYI, knockoff wheels get warped often as 83kg rider. Found going to disc ali wheels and bike being only solution.

[@Ey_up]

Anogyer cool vid. I love the look of Fizik shoes but is it true that they're made on a pretty narrow last?

[@DoNuT_1985]

There are only a few things in cycling on which you can't buy smart but a good pair of shoes definitely pays off. However, even though my Sidis are fine and just a year old, this video made me wanna buy some fancy Fiziks. 😅

[@nivekvb]

I stuck heals on mine when they wore out. Mine are the recessed type, so I resoled them too. I had to use leather for the soles as the rubber wore out within weeks. Plus, I had to use epoxy resin to stick them on as every other glue wasn't up to it. It made them heavier, though, but they are so much easier to walk on, and as I do about 15 minutes of walking on my favourite cycle rides, that's a big bonus. These shoes might last near forever now.

[@Sicktus]

....so I almost, almost bought these at Wish (pretty similar to Ali).... I just thought "Well, let's just do a quick search "T-Ding cycling shoes" first, I mean, can't hurt to check..." and your video popped up. Sooo.... Yeah, I closed that Wish Store tab with a gratifying caah-lllick even before reaching the halfway point of the video. Thanks for saving me the money / hassle!

[@leeroychang]

This got you a subscriber!

[@YourOwnAdventure]

You could still dig out the mounting plate and replace them. Might as well run them to the ground!

[@Arfonfree]

Another difference, I'm sure, is service. I had a Boa system fail and Boa had a replacement to me in 2 days. Fantastic customer service!

[@Mikicomi23]

For winter commuting, rainy days and indoor training I don't like to destroy my nice cycling shoes. So, in the last 3years I bought 2 pair of Tiebao shoes on aliexpress (with laces not the fake boa) for 35$ and they are working fine. I never done long ride with these, but the quality seems slightly better than the one you show here.

[@minidaveuk]

Shame your money got wasted with the shoes, if they didn’t break they could have been good as a back up pair, thank you for trying them out, like look forward to more reviews 👍

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks dude, yeah I was a bit disappointed. I love being able to reccomend cheap alternatives. But in this case, steer clear!

[@minidaveuk]

Trace Velo i also keep looking on aliexpress but I manage to get a pair of hardly used Shimano RC7 second hand for £54! Off eBay, just gotta carefully pick when going second hand though if people do, Those Scott’s you recommend was also recommended to me by my cycling friend so yeah that would be a decent show for first time cyclists

[@TraceVelo]

Yeah for sure, the Scott shoes are a decent price, and a cracking pair of shoes. Anything with the legit boa lacing below £70 is a bargain IMO

[@verdeboyo]

Great review👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 I would steer clear from Aliexpress as there is so much rubbish on there, and anhything that is a copy of the genuine stuff I would never waste my money on. Those Ting Tong shoes are best placed in with the waste

[@TaskSwitcherify]

I can't stop watching 4:44. You also remind me of the younger Lucifer Netflix show actor with the voice and body language, you devil you :-))

[@WhatInTheActualHealth]

I've been debating buying some shoes off of AliExpress.. I'm glad I didn't.. Thanks for the heads up!

[@TraceVelo]

No worries Tony!!!

[@ashleymcavery4132]

Currently rocking some Boardman road shoes, very similar in design to yours and cost me £45 been great so far in 4 months of use.

[@bijouxmusic]

I’m also very frugal, but the problem with buying cheap is that you have to buy it twice! I got a pair of Bonetragers for about $120 US but I’ve had them for 8 years now and still going strong!

[@normen416]

Agree with this one Me also a gigantic cheapskate, but when it comes to shoes oh Boi I don't go cheap, or at least less cheap lmao Been using Giro and Shimano. They are absolutely fantastic and worth every penny Nice video mate as always

[@DescubriendoCostaRicaRigoLara]

Friend, what brand are your bicycle rims? I am interested in carbon ones where you bought them. Can you help me?

[@bensaund]

I brough 'speed' shoes from which which looked identical. Lasted 10 weeks before they failed, the sleet came loose and just rotated, my foot failed to detach and I had a crash. Tightened it up, for it to happen again. What didn't was walking on them as they didn't have the protection for my MTB cleethorpes. Just ordered some fizik.

[@jackdumanat49]

i find the same thing... i've realised as well that most decent shoes for different sports are about the same price range. Climbing, cycling and running shoes are usually in the £120 mark.

[@Hrothgrar]

I found a pair of Fiziks on amazon that were all full price, but randomly the red color in ONLY my size were $45. Literally all of the other color/size combos were over $100. Lucky AF. I've got about 700ish miles in them and no problems whatsoever.

[@kantongkresek3261]

Hy luke, i hope you can review something "big" parts too called Groupset. Chinese product gs sensah and sensah pro have price like sora and weight just like 105 or ultegra which is very good for value to price. Anw I like and always watching of your new content, always mindblowing. Keep the good works!

[@a10goesbrrrrrrrrrrt52]

Nah they are all garbages

[@eulogiocastano]

Hello, I saw you said nice things about carbon chinese stuff, but I have a question that could make a point. It's about how do you use your bike. It's not the same commuting than training. I mean, the stress of higher speeds in the frame but also in the wheels for example. I love watching your videos, nice job!

[@9034833838]

that name is so good though. T-ding

[@DaveCM]

I have those Fizik shoes and have had them at least 7 years. The only real difference it seems is that mine has a carbon fiber area that is a bit larger than the cleat. (It is good to know that doing away with that didn't effect the stiffness.) Anyway, the shoes still look great and work as well as the day I bought them. I've contemplated on buying a new pair as mine are red and I've changed bikes since which is green and black. But, they still work so well that I'd hate to waste the money.

[@TimJapan]

You are frickin' hilariious!

[@TraceVelo]

Thanks dude, glad you liked it! 🙏

[@denismacfarlane255]

You should be on GCN with Si. You two would be awesome riding and reviewing products together.

[@Tonytruand09]

😂😂😂😂😂 thanks for your review again! I am more into mountain bike shoes myself because I prefer being able to walk around off bike. Problem though, when the road bike shoes can be very colourful, which I like.... mountain bike shoes are most of the time gloomy and dark............ do you have any brand recommendations? Thanks!

[@paololiquigan520]

shout out from Philippines🇵🇭

[@fabiocorreia4272]

Hi Luke, and greentings from Portugal. Love your videos, and would love to see you cheapskating on an electric bike. Cherio!

[@emdblues]

This is what I was waiting for :D. And youtube fucking me over once again - I didn't get the notification... Can you try some other Chinese brands?

[@chrisvanbuggenum871]

Yeah shoes are where you really need quality and often that costs but in your examples they are really well priced. I wear giro prolight techlace, as I'm a weight weenie.

[@marcelg.546]

Yep gone the same green pair. Great.

[@mauriciorosales1259]

100% Agree, don’t skimp on shoes. It’s the main contact point with your power output and the bike. Even the fellow on ‘China Cycling’ uses European cycling shoes.

[@romanarnold4064]

I love the boa system thought i broke the boa dial off on my specialized torch 2.0 but no the company put a designed failure point in making the boa dial able to pop off if it catches on something.

[@smartnothard2400]

The screws and the electric bike 😂

[@riolus2230]

Still waiting for the magnesium axle cleat review 😁

[@itscliffvtr]

Boa rock. Have it on my Giro shoes and it works flawlessly. Fantastic system but you do have to pay for it. My shoes were £80, worth it 100%.