At a glance A very durable, hard-working pair of carbon-soled women’s road shoes, with good support, ventilation and anti-smell treatment.
Tested by
Claire Maxted, tester for The Bike List
Performance
Well they say a girl can never have too many shoes, and I do like to live up to that motto whatever the activity. So, I have lately been hammering this pair of road cycling shoes from well-established cycle helmet maker Giro who launched their Performance Cycle Footwear line in September 2010. The Espadas have seen action in five countries now, clocking up almost 1000 miles in England, Scotland, The Netherlands, Germany and France. Scuffed – only slightly; Fabreeze - they don’t even need a squirt; Trashed - they most certainly are not.
I got these shoes just before a cycle-touring trip in Europe and although they’re designed for road rides rather than touring, I thought that wearing them for 10 days in a row in The Netherlands and Germany would be the ultimate test. They were good right from the start - the micro-fibre upper felt good straight from the box with no wearing in required. The shoe mould is designed with ladies in mind and therefore suits a regular, ladylike thickness of foot which tapers to a neat point at the toes.
Sadly, although a lady, my foot is of a lesser thickness so I have to wear a thicker sock or do these shoes up tight, which is very easy, even on the move with the two Velcro closure straps and main plastic rachet buckle. Both of these solutions would have been fine if it weren’t for my oddly-shaped feet which definitely widen rather than taper to the toes, so the above tightening makes my toes a little more cramped.
Don’t be put off by this, I always have this problem with every shoe, so you’ll probably be fine! You can also fine-tune your fit with Giro’s Supernatural Footbed Fit Kit worth £40. This provides slot-in-place arch support in three different heights. They come with the shoes when you buy. I wasn’t provided with them for this test but they sound like a sterling idea.
The Espada is well ventilated both with mesh and holes punched throughout the micro fibre upper, and wire mesh in the carbon sole, which also provides effective drainage for wet rides if you get caught in a downpour without overshoes. They are tremendous for spring, summer and autumn, however for winter or cold days I definitely recommend overshoes to keep out the breeze. I have scuffed the uppers walking around car parks, campsites and (I know I shouldn’t) muddy building sites with these on whilst touring. I’ve taken these shoes to places cycling shoes definitely shouldn’t be taken and they’ve stood up to this thrashing remarkably.
The EVA footbed is supportive and thankfully treated with what Giro call Aegis, an anti-microbial treatment to reduce the smell. While I wouldn’t like to sleep with these on my pillow, they are still definitely sniffable without fainting so I would say that Giro have done an excellent job of reducing the unpleasant feety whiff of shoes I’ve worn day after day, not always with fresh socks (sorry).
This brings us round to the sole of the shoe, through which I feel like every ounce of my leg power is transferred straight through and into my pedals. Giro have used a high quality Easton EC70 composite outsole, and basically all you need to know is that they put a lot of R&D into getting its shape right and making it from a carbon composite to reduce weight as much as possible without reducing its strength. Thank you Easton, I believe you have achieved that. Each shoe weighs a respectable 255g per size 6 and on, they feel as light as slip-ons.
At £160 these shoes aren’t cheap, so you definitely want to try them to make sure your foot will be happy in them day after day and on long rides before you buy. The Sante is the entry level model at £90, almost half the price, and with very similar styling. However, the Sante has a Velcro strap instead of a rachet buckle and the sole is very light, strong nylon rather than carbon composite. Strangely these differences add up to a 25g lighter shoe, but Giro have informed me that it is the Espada Supernatural Fit footbed, ratchet buckle and upper structure and material that make them an ever so slightly heavier but altogether better shoe.
If you’re on a budget, the Sante would be great, but if you want your feet and riding to benefit from the very best materials and shoe construction, the Espadas are just the ticket and will last you for years.
Buy from www.chainreactioncycles.com
Giro says:
The Espada’s elegant style and luxurious fit are the result of a tailored microfiber upper that cradles your foot, and a secure, micro-ratcheting buckle that offers precise fit adjustment. The supportive EVA footbed with Aegis™ anti-microbial treatment is optimized for a woman’s arch profile, and provides a comfortable platform that allows your foot to put power to the Easton® EC70 composite outsole without hot spots or pressure points.
Features:
• Upper: High-quality, breathable microfiber conforms to your foot; Strong and secure ratcheting buckle closure (replaceable); Offset “D-ring” at mid-foot strap helps to prevent pressure points
• Outsole: Easton EC70 carbon composite is optimized for stiffness and power transfer
• Footbed: Molded EVA footbed with women’s medium arch profile and Aegis anti-microbial treatment
• Weight: 255 grams (size 39)
