Anyone using these yet?
Looking for some user feedback, esp with your prev shoes and why you picked them.
They look promising for a variety of reasons for SOME cyclists (i.e. very flat Easton carbon sole, 6.5mm low, Teijin molding microfiber, Titanium hardware, 205g!)
For me personally, but also since so many others ask me about shoes (I often rec Specialized S-works Boa or Sidi based on need, foot structure, etc.)
I have been using Sidi shoes for the best part of 15 years and bought a set of Prolights about a month ago. Love them! They are comfortable and light and awesome.
I tried SWorks shoes and they didn’t do it. Felt wierd and the quality didn’t feel high. The Giros appear to be of great quality.and time will tell, of course, but I have confidence they will do the trick over the long term.
The thin sole feels nice and stiff and the flat sole works great with my Esole orthotics.
Love them.
Thanks! What did you think of their Supernatural inserts/fit system? I see you have some eSoles, but did you try them at all? Did the microfiber tops mold at all and does it feel durable? I agree, the newer S-works shoes quality seems to have gone down hill from previous models, despite the better dual Boa system.
I’ve got a pair of the Giro Factors on the way. I’ll try to remember to post when I try them. I think it’s the same shoe but with a buckle.
I’ve got a pair of the Giro Factors on the way. I’ll try to remember to post when I try them. I think it’s the same shoe but with a buckle.
Similar, but different carbon sole (Easton EA90 vs. EA90 SLX) and different Teijin microfiber material upper. Love to hear your opinion as well!
I’ve had them for about 6 weeks - over 500 miles on them. So far, so good. They are super light but still feel very stiff. I was a little worried getting them because I need a shoe with a pretty wide toe box but these fit great. I had a couple small hot spots on my first few rides but switched up the soles and that solved the problem. I have always worn Specialized before and probably won’t be going back.
My only complaint is that it seems the sole scuffs a lot worse than with other carbon soles I’ve had when you walk on gravel, etc. Maybe it’s just because it’s black and you can see scuffs easily?
They look better than any insole that has come with any other shoe I’ve seen, but mine are still in their baggie. With my orthotics, I didn’t even give them a try.
The shoes do mold quite well to the foot and I haven’t noticed any pressure points. I have tried the Factors too. They are also very nice and well made. You don’t really notice that the shoe material is a tiny bit thicker than that on the Prolights. I did think the ratchet strap could have had finer graduations though, to allow you to fine tune the retention force a little better, but I am nitpicking there.
Really impressed with the Giro shoes. Giro has hit a home run with these.
Just got the Factors.
-they look bulky out of the box, could be because I got the all white version but they just look bulky and plasticky
-when you put them on they don’t feel bulky anymore!!
-upper snugs down VERY well all around the foot with a nice tight heel cup and although the center strap needs a hard pull to snug it down, once it’s adjusted it holds very well and because it pulls on a larger portion of the upper than most center straps (also the reason for the bit more leverage needed to tighten it) it does a really nice job of tightening the entire midfoot down versus just the area under the strap.
-ratchet looks super plasticky but works fantastically. The release tab is very easy to use (not a big deal but I hate tricky release tabs) and the ratchet detents and very positive with easy adjustment. I do agree that the spacing between adjustment clicks could be finer but I’m guessing we’ll see better durability with the larger gaps and subsequently larger teeth.
-insoles are very nice with a velcro’d on arch support. I was actually a bit surprised that I’m going to actually use the factory arch supports as I’ve used Superfeet grey insoles in every cycling shoe I’ve worn for the past 8 years but I just might give these a try without.
-shoes are very light and seem pretty airy even with all of the molded microfiber upper material.
-outsole is stiff but has a nice touch of flex in the forefoot so so you don’t get that dead to the world feeling you get in some shoes. In theory I love stiff shoes but they just don’t feel as alive and responsive to me. My Bont’s for instance. Yes they are monsters when you’re standing up and hammering up a hill and not thinking about how they feel but they also just don’t allow you to feel the pedal at all and seem to just take away from the ride a bit. Flex, in the right amount and places is a good thing. Clipping into the pedals withe bonts, I can never tell what I’m doing as I can’t feel a thing.
-heel tabs are non replaceable and look pretty thin… we’ll see what happens when the thin rubber pads wear through.
-Fit: They look wide to me but I’m going to say that they are actually more in the medium range and will accomodate narrower to medium width feet. Extremely wide feet or high volume feet might want to look elsewhere.
Great, thanks Tai! I have a pair of white Prolight SLX versions coming. Might be rec these to a few others, esp if the toebox is a bit wider (what I was hoping). There is no perfect cycling shoe and I rec 3 main pairs based on fit/foot type. These (Factor or SLX) will likely be another (in addition to Sidi Genius/Ergo and Specialized S-works).
I should have gotten the SLX, these were given to me in return for a bunch of custom gear we printed up for a Cape Epic team so I could have probably gotten any shoe I wanted, darn;)
The uppers on the Giros seem to conform very well so I’d guess that the toe box width actually has more range than most shoes. This is mainly due to the way that the upper is bonded to the outsole. I’d guess that as a foot guy you’ll probably like the Giros. Good support, moderate stiffness with a touch of toe flexibility (seems like you like that feature based on the other shoes you reccomend) and well thought out inserts that often might negate the need for orthotics. Good stuff!
@waitebe… How does sizing compare to your Specialized? Did you need to go up or down a size?
I’ve had them for about 6 weeks - over 500 miles on them. So far, so good. They are super light but still feel very stiff. I was a little worried getting them because I need a shoe with a pretty wide toe box but these fit great. I had a couple small hot spots on my first few rides but switched up the soles and that solved the problem. I have always worn Specialized before and probably won’t be going back.
My only complaint is that it seems the sole scuffs a lot worse than with other carbon soles I’ve had when you walk on gravel, etc. Maybe it’s just because it’s black and you can see scuffs easily?
For me, fit is the same as Specialized - 45 in both.
For me, fit is the same as Specialized - 45 in both.
great… thanks! what US size are you? An 11?
Quick review after a couple of rides.
Initial impression is similar to the first time you hold a lightweight carbon tubular wheel. First amazement, then concern that there is no way this feather is going to work and not break. They are similar amazing in hand. My size 42.5 Proglight SLX were 195g each with insole! That is just stupid light - my Saucony type A4 racing flat was 190g (same scale/size). Most running trainers are around 300+g . For reference, older Sidi Genius 5s were 305g, Specialized BG Pro 318g, S-Works Boa are very light at 270g. That is a 1/2 lb in shoes difference. So, new shoes WITH inserts and cleats with hardware (Look Keo Black Grip) are 233g - wow. You can really feel the difference when on and you first start pedaling (like putting on your racing flats from your trainers).
So, how do they feel? Uppers have that newer, typical slightly shiny appearance (different from the Sidi Lorica/leather stuff) and similar to the new S-works Boa. They are made of a special Teijin microfiber that is superlight and strong. They are well vented. and are relatively low cut (similar to the S-works Boa) and the heel needs snuged down with the ankle/top strap to not slip. Forefoot definitely wider than Sidi and similar to Specialized. There is no varus cant built into these - they are dead neutral. Uses 3 velcro closures with titanium D-ring hardware. Sole is Super stiff, ultrathin (have to use supplied, shorter cleat screws) Easton EC90 SLX nanolight carbon (reportedly the sole is 30g!). Comes with 2 different inserts and 3 sets of arch inserts of varying heights. I’m using the lighter silver microfiber ones and not their supernatural fit ones. Toe and Heel pads are VERY small and NOT replaceable.
So, fit is spot on in size to Specialized. Nice, wide toe box (unlike Sidi), but plenty of room for inserts if needed. As with any new high end cycling product, I immediately felt more “sprightly” spinning up faster - the placebo effect for sure. After a 90 min ride, I tried to fade away from directly thinking about the shoes (which is easy - no hot spots, pinching on the front of the ankle, etc.), but the damn things still seemed like I was coming out of each corner like in the middle of a crit. Cool. Very stiff sole that was perfectly comfortable pushing hard and mashing and no hot spots on the upper when spinning and using the back 1/2 of the stroke when climbing/pulling up. You can get the shoes very tight/snug (which was one of my concerns) and can adjust easily on the fly. Not as easy as an S-works Boa though. Way easier coming on/off though.
Giro came late to the shoe party (about 100 years after Sidi!), but they sure have some great initial offerings!
Hi… just wondering if there is any more feedback on the Prolight SLX shoes? Everything seems pretty positive to date. I was considering the S Works shoe, but I’m now swaying towards the Prolight based on what I have been reading.
Unfortunately I am unable to try these on before I buy, but I have tried on the S Works shoe. Someone noted above that the fit is exactly the same… does anyone else have experience with both shoes and agree to this? I know I am a 42 in the S Works so it looks like the Prolight 42 should be the right shoe.
Thanks for help!
prolight users, what’s your experience mounting the bike with your prolights clipped in? do you undo the top one or two velcro straps all the way? if yes, any problems threading the straps while riding?
Thanks for the review.
These shoes are getting great reviews out there.
I picked one up when I was briefly in the Giro booth at Interbike, and indeed, it’s a “wow” moment to be sure - and I already ride on what are generally recognized as fairly light shoes!
Better the Bont A-1, Fizik R3 or these ones?
after about two months of trying to find a new shoe, i finally tried the SLX and am kicking myself for not doing so sooner. what kept me away was the three strap design instead of a two strap tri specific closure. first, a few thoughts on the two pair i tried that didn’t work:
-Pearl Izumi Tri Fly Octane - i really wanted to like this shoe. sizing was a bit hard to dial in, but i finally settled on a 44 (i wear a 10.5 Nike, 11 in a Pearl Izumi). while this was a bit snug in the toe with a thin sock, the 44.5 seemed too big. the shoe is silly light, looks fantastic, and fits like a dream. unfortunately, after a month of trying, i could never get my cleats dialed in. i always felt like my left foot was leaning outward while pedaling (think little toe below big toe). i purchased the 1:1 fit insole system, but still had no luck getting things to feel right. i’m 99% sure this problem was with my foot / leg angle, and i admit i’m not well versed in correct foot angle / shimming cleats - i’ve always just gone off what feels right. so after selling the size 45s already, i’ll likely be selling the 44.5s shortly. huge frowny face as this would have been the perfect shoe - comfy, light, super easy to enter / exit, and killer looks.
-Bontrager RXL Hilo - like the PI, this was a very comfy shoe. it was a little roomier in the toe box, but fit well overall. unfortunately, the closure didn’t seem to be secure enough to hold my heel in place. further, the cutout around the heel bone wasn’t deep enough, and i found it rubbing after about 5 minutes use. still, a very nice shoe that was rather light. it also appeared to be very well made.
about two weeks ago, the Giro rep stopped into the shop. i asked him about their tri shoe, but he recommended SLX after i told him about the issues i was having with the PI shoes. man was he right. after a 2 minute install of the cleats, i haven’t had to adjust them once and everything feels right as rain. while the uppers were a bit stiff at first, a week and a half on the trainer has them feeling very comfortable with zero hot spots. i am using the supernatural insert, and while my arches are pretty normal, it does give a nice snug fit underfoot. it is a little narrower than my old specialized shoes, but certainly not too narrow for my slightly wide foot. the straps are more than adequate for securing the foot, and the only criticism i have is the fact you need to completely remove the top strap from the metal loop to put the shoe on. i know the Raelert Brothers race in this shoe, and see they have sewn a longer piece of strap onto their shoes to remedy this. i’ll likely do the same to make on the fly mounts smoother.
other than that, the shoes are great. despite their low weight, they offer a very supportive fit throughout. there is no lateral flex while pedaling under load - something i felt in rear half of a few tri specific shoes i tried last year. i’ll likely post back once i have more miles on them, but for now, i couldn’t be happier.
Hi all, I have just picked the Giro Prolite SLX in the sale and I must say that they feel really lovely when walking around the house and are very well made. These will be my first road shoes, stepping up from SPD’s & carbon soled MTB shoes which I have been using on the road bike for years.
However I haven’t tried the SLXs on the bike yet because I am unsure whether I should return them: The issue for me is the heel (and to a less extent toe) grip/pad, or lack of. As we all know this is not replaceable (this was corrected on v2 of the shoe which is out of my price range) but it really doesn’t look durable enough for the job and I don’t wanted to have a pair of ice skates after 6 months of use.
So in your experience how have you found the shoe?
How quickly do the heel or toe pads wear and how did they perform?
Did you save these shoes for best or where they everyday shoes?
Did you attempt to repair/replace the heel pad once it had worn down?
Sorry for all the questions, but this thread seems to be full of SLX owners!
Thanks in advance.
Jz