There are seemingly endless choices when it comes to finding the right road cycling shoes. Our team has put together a list of the best cycling shoes available and there is more than one of my choices in that list. Each shoe included is an excellent choice that is comfortable and perfect for a specific use. There’s still always room for improvement though. I spend long days in the saddle on a regular basis and when a ride stretches to the point where light becomes an issue, every little defect tends to surface. I continue to search for the perfect equipment to ride over long distances.
The Unique shoe from Q36.5 landed on my doorstep late in the summer and completely changed what I thought I understood about cycling shoes. I’ve put them through the most gruelling rides I could think of and each time I came away impressed with the performance they offered. With the testing done, I’m ready to share what makes them so good but also the places where they could use some finesse. If you are looking for a new pair of road cycling shoes, keep reading to see if the Unique shoes from Q36.5 are the right choice for you.
Design and aesthetics
The Q36.5 shoes are, well, Unique. Not from a distance though. From a distance they actually cut a somewhat familiar outline. I have the white version but there’s also an option for a black, orange, green fluro, and silver. At the rear of each colour is a spot of silver as well as a highly reflective, vertical logo tag. As you move closer you’ll start to see a pattern of venting with slits cut in the upper in small groupings of three. There’s a pair of the BOA Li2 dials which represent the best BOA offers and there’s also a bit more branding.
The overall shape comes from a quest for the perfect last. Q36.5 analysed rider data, interviewed athletes and conducted a study on foot dynamics before settling on a proprietary design. The vision is a snug heel, instep, and waist that opens into a wider toe box and it happens to align with trends happening throughout performance shoes of all sports. The details are where it starts to stand out.
To translate the studies and theory into a real-life product Q36.5 started with a 1mm microfibre upper. It’s breathable and it balances stretch with mouldability. It’s also where things start to look a little more unique. You can’t tell with the shoes closed but the…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at CyclingNews RSS Feed…