Road cycling shoe review
- Team Escapar
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
My current shoes are well past their best and I've been testing several different pairs of shoes over the last few months to see which ones will take pride of place in my wardrobe. NB. I don't sell or have any affiliate links to any shoes or brand, and all items were purchased directly at retail prices and not provided or discounted by any brand, shop or influencer.
Northwave Rockster Size 42
My Northwave Rockster shoes have just about bitten the dust. I've used them for pretty much everything over the last 2.5 years. Lots of gravel, road and even a fair amount of XC MTB. I'd gladly recommend them and would purchase them again.
They're comfortable all day long, look great in white with laces and have taken quite the beating.
Giro Empire SLX - Size 43
These are my old TT race shoes, which back in the day were used for sub 20min, 10 miles and 50min, 25miles times, before the TT world went super aero and bonkers fast. The shoes are fast (I tested them with Xavier Disley at Aero coach), sleek very light weight and have a very low stack.
Most importantly, they're incredibly comfortable. I put the comfort down to two
things. The sole is quite flat where the upper is bonded to it and doesn't curve around too much to embrace the side of your foot. When combined with the reasonable amount of give the shoe upper and laces provide, it means I just don't really get hot spots at the side of my feet, which are quite wide but not so much to need specialist shoes from Lake or similar.
The downside of these shoes is the colour. They were great when I bought them many years ago (2017 I think), but now they don't match our Escapar kit which is mostly blue themed. In-fact, they are not a match for pretty much every other piece of cycling gear I currently own! The patent effect, shiny look is also very easily damaged. They'd sat in a box for 8 years and I'd long since lost the heel (removed for aero performance), which turned out to be impossible to replace in the exact size, as the shoe is now discontinued. Sugru sufficed for a while and I'm now using the wrong size heel tab, which will fail in time I'm sure.
Many new shoes are also now silly prices compared to when I bought these (top of the range) and I'm not going to pay €300 plus for any pair of shoes out of principle. It's really not necessary either, as the there are plenty of cheaper models, stuff in sales or even on Wallapop, often nearly new. (Typically brought online, do not fit and not returned)
Bottom line
Great shoes, super comfy but I'll keep for them for Sunday best or when I go on long rides not in our Escapar kit. 2025 prices for an equivalent shoe are north of €300. I probably would not buy them again for every day use and I don't race any more.
Udog Cima and Udog Tension - Size 42
These shoes are from a relatively new brand, founded by former Fizik folk in Italy. The Cima is the higher end model and Tensione and next model down.
The Salt white Cima is a fantastically well made and great looking shoe. It's pretty comfortable for a stiff and lightweight race show. I did get the odd hot spot in the summer, but this was mainly on longer rides (more than 4 or 5 hours) in very hot weather.
Minor gripes would be the bonding of the lace pocket sides under the tongue, that has come away, but this doesn't really yet affect anything, including tucking the lace away. There's also a white stretchy band, under which you tuck the tongue itself. This isn't treated at all, stains very easily and isn't readily cleaned. The heel pad isn't replaceable either, so I'm not sure what the longevity of the carbon sole will be.
Bottom Line
Not a shoe to be stopping regularly with, to get on and off the bike. (This happens an awful lot when guiding.) Really comfortable in most circumstances and perhaps the best looking shoe on the market in my view, as I love a traditional lace-up. The build quality is otherwise stellar and clearly a step above the vast majority of shoes out there right now. Definitely a brand to keep tabs on.
I did try the 43 (they don't make half sizes), but this was much bigger. I think my hot spot issue would be solved with shoe the width of the 43 and length of the 42. I just remove the insoles.
Udog Tensione 42 and 43
Very similar in feel to the Cima. The tension strap is a bit of a gimmick and doesn't do much, if anything. I didn't notice any comfort difference between the two shoes.
I think it's a good idea to own a least one pair of dark or black shoes. Even in Spain, we do have rain and the occasional puddle and keeping white shoes, pristine white sometimes requires style sacrifices.
Northwave Mistral Lace- Size 42 and 43
Another Italian brand, competing in the mid market. Great shoes across the board, good value and often good sales discounts too.
The Mistral shoe also comes in a double Boa style (their own version of a Boa dial). Like many brands, you'll pay more of a single boa, than laces, and more again for two Boas.
Personally, I prefer shoes with laces. Drag savings may have mattered in the past, but for me it's now an aesthetic. I also don't think dual Boa's are any more comfortable (I have a pair of dual boa, MTB carbon sole race shoes) than laces and I'm never going to be tightening any shoes for a 1500w sprint finish.
The Mistral sizing was a little a disappointing. I've had many pairs of Northwaves in 42 and these felt a little tighter. Perhaps they'll give a little with more use? I did also try a pair of 43s (again, no half sizes were available) and they were slighyly too large.
However, comfort has been great. They're super light, more than stiff enough and I'd put money on them being fast in a wind tunnel. They have a very low stack height and importantly have the option of adapting to Speedplay shoes, without the external Speedplay adapter. For anyone using Speedplay pedals, this is massive. They also cleanup really nicely. And they come in black.
Bottom Line
They're not quite as superbly finished as the Udog shoe, but they are still a very well made Italian shoe. I got mine for an incredible new €70 in the sale. Full price is still well below anything comparable from DMT, Specialized, Giro, Bont etc. They tick every box and the only downside is that they're very breathable and cool. so not a perfect shoe on the coldest days or if you live in a colder, wetter country. I'll be keeping these, to use on my best bike, in full summer full speed set up - Speedplay pedals, deep section wheels and aero clothing. You can at least try to look the part!
Giro Savix II Size 43
An entry level shoe by Giro that on paper at least, ticks lots of boxes. They look OK, but are nothing special or too fancy. They're built well enough and I'm sure they will last long enough. They come with a single Boa dial and a bottom of the shoe strap. I don't mind straps on shoes actually, but the bottom one is nearly always superfluos and it's the case here. The overall feel of the shoe is roomy to the point of being loose / sloppy and they are easily the biggest fitting pair of Giro 43 shoes I've ever tried. There's also plenty of internal bulky padding that makes them warm, oddly counter balanced by mesh sections. I suspect the bulk padding will also make them fit more loosely over time as it wears in. One great feature is that they feature standard SPD cleat mounts and three bolts, something not found in many better road shoes.
Bottom Line
Without doing anything wrong, they don't ever really feel or look like a pair of sleek road race shoes. I do think that they'd make a decent pair of touring or gentle off road shoes, where walking about plays second fiddle to looking like a road cyclist and doesn't stretch beyond the cafe. As general road shoe on a budget, they're good enough and would probably work for 99% of people 90% of the time, but they are not playing in the same style and quality league as other shoes here. Five Ten Kestrel Lace
Positioned as comfortable MTB shoes with a decent Stealth rubber sole that grips. I've used them as touring and bike packing shoes, on account of the walkaboutability and green trainer-ish look, that just about works with jeans.
The only down side is that the bulky heel can strike the chainstay on certain bikes, when the SPD is moved all the way to the midsole. I solved this with a couple of pedal washers and it only ever happened once or twice before that.
On the bike, they're surprisingly (not to me) good for pedalling, especially on long days or over long distances. The weight is not an issue, they are more than stiff enough and they'll take a beating even on a MTB; so much so, that when only road and gravel cycling, they will remain looking like new for sometime. They're also some how warm when they need to, yet cool enough and offer better (unofficial) water resistance than all but very specific Goretex winter road shoes.
Bottom Line
Just great at what they do. I'll be using them as my go to, long distance, any surface, bike packing and touring shoes.
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