SHIMANO RC5 SPD-SL Shoes

Product Information

Even if you're riding in warm, dry conditions, your cycling shoes are likely to get sweaty inside. Once you take them off, don't just leave them sitting in a plastic bag, but put them somewhere dry where they can air and dry out. It's a good idea to pull out your insoles too, to make sure that the inside of the sole unit dries out. Many more expensive cycling shoes will come with a net storage bag to keep them in. Touching on the performance element, he added: “The foot and ankle don’t generate any power. All the power comes from your quad and your glute. But you can lose a hell of a lot through badly fitting shoes – for example, if your foot is moving around or over pronating, you can waste a lot of energy.” The sole is a pretty thin carbon reinforced nylon. The white finish is a bit of a pain to keep clean. The Boa dial is a popular closing mechanism for cycling shoes, alongside the more classic Velcro. David Caudery / Immediate Media

On test we found the power transfer to be excellent, and on a par with other shoes found at three times the price. The heel cup wasn't as snug as more expensive options, but heel slip wasn't too noticeable when out of the saddle climbing. The Ares shoes don't work for everyone though - your feet need to be the right shape and they work best if your arches are high. At this price point there is some stiff competition in the form of the Shimano RC3 shoes and the Specialized Torch (see below), but the carbon sole, light weight and overall looks make the dhb Dorica shoes hard to beat and a perfect cycling shoe for anyone no matter the size of their budget. Cycling is a forefoot sport. Whilst the foot itself doesn’t generate any power, all of the watts produced elsewhere pass through your digits. So not only do poorly fitting shoes create pain, they can also limit performance. We’ve had one wide-footed tester - Cycling Weekly's Owen Rogers, put three pairs of the best cycling shoes for wide feet through their paces. However, former British Cycling physio Phil Burt advises that those looking to solve foot pain ensure they’re solving the correct problem before purchasing.These Road Shoes are compatible with road bike pedal systems that use cleats with 3-bolt standards, such as: Look Delta and Keo, Shimano SPD-SL, Speedplay Light Action, Zero, X-Series (via 3-hole adapter plate), Campagnolo Pro-Fit, Mavic Zxellium, Time Iclic/Xpresso and Time Impact. The upper is the same non-stretch Dyneema but with mesh panels that not only deliver on better ventilation but also provide additional give in the upper for increased comfort around areas prone to hotspots. To reduce the price, one of the BOA dials has been swapped out for a Velcro strap and the dials are the L6 model which only ratchets tighter, unlike the IP1 dials on the S-Phyre which allow you to loosen the tension in 1mm increments. An optimised toe spring section using Shimano’s ‘Dynalast’, is said to put less pressure on the plantar by allowing the foot to follow a more natural range of movement. Another unusual feature is the sliding cleat plate that has three settings, and which provides about a centimetre of fore-and-aft adjustability.

As with Shimano’s more expensive shoes, the RC3 is based around Shimano’s Dynalast, which the brand claims produces “an optimised toe-spring section that promotes a smoother, more energy-efficient upstroke”. I’m not sure I could feel any great difference on the road, but these were certainly comfortable. Part of that may be down to the sole – it’s pretty stiff, but not incredibly so.I experienced some pressure at the junction of the upper with my upper ankle joint, but this settled down with use – they just need a little breaking in. The key is that there are no pro-truding mouldings (unlike the S-Phyre) on which to mount the Boa wire lacing system; instead the wire runs through a fabric loop which is stitched directly into the TPU/synthetic leather upper.