On top of all of that, literally and figuratively, is an upper that looks like a stylish knit (it’s actually a woven polyester) yet is as stiff as any I’ve worn. That stiffness helps me transfer power when I’m pulling up on the cranks or at least keeps my feet from moving up and down in the shoes. The heel cup also has a shape that holds my heels nicely in place. The build quality is exceptional which is to be expected from a halo model of this nature. The micro-adjustable Boa IP1 dials operate incrementally via a series of soft-lace guides that ensure an even spread of tension, which also minimises hotspots and helps with support. True to its name, the shoes stay very cool in warm weather. The pair Nate and I tested have two vented slots in the outsole, one that’s aligned with the area underneath my 2nd and 4th toes and another under my arch. Along with this, the Course Air Lite XZ comes with a cushiony, open-cell foam insole that allows the air to flow through. For cooler days, there’s a second closed-cell foam insole. Along with the well-placed Li2 Boa dials and hooks, this creates a comfortable upper with nary a hot spot to be experienced even on the longest, hottest rides we wore them on. Because shoes are sized differently for the same length foot, and my fellow testers and I have remarkably close but not identical size feet, you’ll see shoe sizes from 42.5 to 43.5 in the chart below. However, the last characteristics are based on wearing the right size shoes for each tester.

Although you see it less often in the newer models, some of the more expensive shoes have heat-moldable insoles, heel cups, and even uppers to customize the fit of your shoes. Moldable insoles make sense if you have feet that pronate unusually. Moldable uppers or integrated upper and outsoles like on Bont shoes can help improve your fit if you have bunions or you have found over the years that you just have a hard time finding shoes that will fit your feet. Garneau also includes different height arch supports that connect with these insoles. We found the highest one works well to effectively give both of with relatively high arches the support we need. The IP1 Boa closure system used in the Pro Team is also no-nonsense. It’s a top-shelf model for sure but doesn’t require a ton of turning to reel in the wire and get your feet snuggled into your shoes.

Giro Men’s Shoe Size Chart

Once you get the right fit, the shoe’s efficiency and comfort performance are more easily discernible. Nate’s feet are a couple of millimeters shorter and narrower than mine. He also regularly wears the S-Works 7 shoes that provide more toe box room than most. In these Garneaus, his toes are a bit cramped, especially on the tops and the forefoot isn’t as wide as he prefers.

For that reason, I’ve evaluated two dial shoes in this review. With the exception of Sidi, which uses its own proprietary dial, lace, and hook closure system, all the shoes reviewed here use Boa closures. Are men’s and women’s shoes different? But the design, materials, and vents in the bottom or “outsole” of the shoe appear unchanged. Likewise, the same dual, Li2 dial BOA closure system with the upper dial attached to the end of a crossover strap still controls the fit of the shoes.At a gravity-defying 215g with the performance and range of adjustability you need to conquer the steepest routes ahead, the Imperial™ is destined to lead a lightweight revolution in road cycling footwear.

I previously rated the RC902 model equal to the best road cycling shoes for their overall performance. But while their snug fit and stiff outsole seemed to transfer your leg power to the pedals as efficiently as any shoe we’ve worn, I and my fellow tester Nate found them less comfortable than other shoes on 3+ hour rides. Phinney wanted the laces because he was looking for a way to keep his shoes as aero as possible. I'm not aware of any wind tunnel testing I can point to but laces minimise bumps and protrusions and Bradley Wiggins seemed to see some value in the design given he chose them for his hour record. It's also relatively easy to cover the actual laces which is something Swenson did, using a chopped up arm warmer, when he won the 2023 Leadville 100 mountain bike race. There's also another advantage to the laces though and that's what the SLX version of the Empire leans into. Weight– Cycling shoe weight is another place where we, as riders and the industry as marketers, put way too much emphasis on something that matters so relatively little. With the exception of a couple of outliers, most of the performance shoes weigh within 50 grams per shoe of each other. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well the white XXX model shoes I’ve been wearing have resisted showing dirt and grease and how easily and well they’ve cleaned up. They're about the same price as the top-end Sidi, which for many is a benchmark performance shoe, but the Italian shoes are grossly overweight for the price. A mark to the Giros there then.The upper is light and airy but somehow tough enough for gravel racing. The laces aren't adjustable mid-ride but the stretch and low-structure upper mean they don't need to be. There are other lace up shoes but none of them are as light, and light shoes on your constantly moving feet feel great. Here again, you can get both – shoes with very stiff and light bottom soles (known as “outsoles” in footwear lingo) and a very precise and comfortable fit. Those that do both tend to be the higher-priced shoes for the more competitive enthusiast, whether it be those looking to go faster or last longer out on the road.

While I’m still not into stylin’, I learned that a comfortable pair of road bike shoes don’t always provide the best power transfer. And while you’d think that comfort comes from a good fit, there’s a range of views on what a “comfortable fit” means, from fit like a glove to a fit like a pair of slippers. Even the right fit walking around in the store doesn’t always or even usually mean it’s the right fit or a comfortable fit for someone pedaling tempo or threshold zone power out on the road. This article begins by talking about how anomalous the Giro Empire SLX is because of its time on the market. I said it because there's no getting around that fact but that's not the only thing that makes the Empire SLX an anomaly. It's also an anomaly because of everything it can do. Venting– To keep your feet from overheating, uppers usually have perforations throughout and are sometimes combined with a mesh area in spots where the feet can get especially overheated. Some shoes are best for the summer temps, while others with less ventilation can be worn three seasons without an overshoe but might be a little warm on the hottest days. Most good shoes have vents in the outsole for cooling, which will be covered over with an overshoe when riding in cooler weather.You can also get the RC903 in a women’s version with a unique last shape but only sold in white. My fellow tester Aiyana rode and reviewed the men’s and women’s versions of the shoe to see how they differed. Like other models in the line-up, the Imperials employ the company's Supernatural footbeds with adjustable instep support (these inserts range from low, medium and high to support all foot types) which further improve fit. Customised orthotics can also be used. The heel cup holds my heel in place with a shape that fits me well and is easy to get into and out of. It has a snug surrounding reinforced by dense plastic ribbing on the outside and uses a flexible material at the top around my heel cord. My discipline for each In The Know Cycling review is to evaluate gear-specific criteria that fit into four groups – Performance, Design, Quality, and Cost. I put an emphasis on Performance and Cost criteria in making my recommendations. Design should mostly be focused on delivering performance rather than merely saying you’ve got some technology, spec, or features no one else does. This suggests to me an even better airflow than the KRO that has cooling perforations in the upper and a mesh screen in the outsole across its toes, and another large mesh screen under the arch.