Quoc Pham New Fixed shoes

The Fixed from Quoc Pham has been around for a fair few years now. This is the second iteration of the design – the New Fixed – with a slightly wider lacing area and an unpatterned sole. What you see is what you get: a lovely looking lace-up shoe made from leather, with a rubber sole.

There are no technical features to speak of – foot in, do up laces, ride. Snappy looks aside, the only nod to any hint of modernism is the reflective silver strip on the heel. Let's call it a racing stripe.

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The fit is narrow, and QP admits they are about half an EU size down. I normally go for a 45, but a 46 was right for me – and that's with borderline-Hobbit wide feet, Precious. Being natural leather as opposed to a synthetic they will give over time, so don't go too loose at the outset.

Ten holes down each side and six at the front aid ventilation, and the six rows of lace holes allow for small adjustments in tension before or mid-ride as needs dictate. As this is a shoe made as much for off the bike as on, the ability to adjust is welcome.

Walking in the Fixed shoe is perfectly do-able, the balance between stiffness and flexibility just right for me. I'd call this perhaps the ultimate Busy Day On A Bike shoe – if you have plans for work, then a few meetings, then lunch, then work, then a drink in the park, then some shopping, then off to the pub, these will do you right.

It's easy to lapse into hipster-bashing but the fact is the Fixed shoe paired with a set of rolled-up jeans or three-quarter shorts on a decent steel steed looks quite the business, and they are eminently practical for on-off-on the bike days.

Do you need toeclips to carry off The Fixed Look? No. But they add a certain something. The natural rubber sole grips the pedal perfectly, with enough stiffness to feel firm under a sprint from the lights. The thinness of the leather aids a snug feel when laced just so but doesn't feel fragile, and although initially I was hesitant to bang them into stainless steel cages, this worry quickly departed.

Over the summer months these became the Old Bike Club Pub Run go-to shoe, and I'd have no hesitation in thinking they would be the perfect shoe for a day out among vineyards, along towpaths or other cycle-touring delectables.

'Designed in London, Made in Taiwan' is what the insole tells me, also that they are 'Identity 368' in hand-written script. You may not be paying a London handmade price, but you're getting that level of looks and quality.

>> Check out our guide to the best casual cycling wear here

Quoc Pham does other shoes with SPD cleats, but the chunk of the sole detracts from the looks, and I can't imagine they would be nearly as nice to stroll about in. The Fixed is a shoe to get you somewhere To Be Seen, then Be Seen In. They are unlikely to be an everyday shoe, and certainly you'll be wanting thick socks for an English winter, but days when you do pull them on should be a bit more special.

Verdict

Shoes for toeclip devotees who want to look a million bucks on or off the bike for considerably less