At a glance A good value, comfy and durable road shoe with an easy to use buckle and a stiff carbon sole suitable for narrow to regular feet
Tested by
Oliver Laverack
Performance
Is it possible for new shoes to smell fast, or have an aroma of comfort? There was definitely something in the air as I took the R132s from their blue and silver box and removed the tissue from inside them. With a busy year of Olympic distance triathlons and hundred mile sportives ahead of me I couldn't wait to slip my feet into Shimano's R132s to see if their sleek yet sporty looks would be matched by an equally pleasing performance.
Starting from the bottom up, the silver carbon fibre composite
sole is thicker than some but in return offers excellent pedalling
efficiency thanks to its stiffness. A small hole at the front of
the sole allows air to rush in and cool your toes. Although the
hole seems like an obvious point of entry for rogue water droplets
it hasn't caused any issues so far. Even 
over the
wet winter months when I've been using Sugoi's TI overshoes (which
don't cover the holes) my feet have stayed warm and dry.
Well placed rubber pads on both the heel and toe of the sole help keep you balanced as you waddle around once off the bike and also protect the carbon fibre from getting scratched. The rubber pads seem solid and durable however I think Shimano missed a trick by fusing them to the sole and not making them replaceable. Admittedly these shoes aren't made for walking but thanks to the quality construction I can see the rubber pads wearing out before anything else.
The upper half of each shoe is constructed of wipe clean glossy
stretch resistant synthetic leather, combined with mesh vents on
the front and either side which has kept my feet cool while
pedalling hard. The wider silver top strap attaches to Shimano's
micro adjust buckle and is complemented by two Velcro straps that
help keep your feet firmly in place and maximise your efficiency.
With plenty of notches for minor adjustments I've found the buckle
ratchet easy to use and adjust even whilst riding as long as you're
not wearing overshoes of course. The buckle can even be moved to a
lower position, ideal for those with a less pronounced arch. 
Importantly the
heel cups on Shimano's R132s have done a good job of holding my
heels snugly in place which in turn means you don't end up
over-tightening the ratchet and Velcro straps to compensate. The
end result has been a snug fitting pair of performance shoes that
have been comfy regardless of the distance covered or even effort
exerted.
These shoes offer a good fit for riders with narrow to regular sized feet but as always be sure to try before you buy. If you like a bit more colour the R132s are also available in blue and white and as well as being SPD-SL compatible you can also fit Look cleats. At £120 RRP Shimano's R132s are good value with similar specification road shoes from other manufacturers such as Pearl Izumi, Gaerne and SIDI all retailing at roughly £30 more. These shoes are also relatively light at 630g for a pair of size 40's and based on their excellent construction as well as Shimano's reputation for durability, they should last well too.
Buy from: www.chainreactioncycles.com
Shimano says:
- Carbon fiber composite sole for peak power transfer
- Curved, anatomical last for natural shoe/foot interface
- Micro-adjust buckle and dual asymmetrical straps
- Advanced stretch resistant synthetic leather
- Breathable, Durable and Super-secure
- The legacy of Shimano Design, Quality and Performance
Find out more: http://cycle.shimano-eu.com
