Product Reviews_________________________________________________________

Shimano R300

When I first started cycling seriously, I went to the only bike store in town and paid about $16 for a pair of leather soled, Rivat cycling shoes with mesh uppers and laces.   I had 3 holes from which to choose to bolt my slotted cleats into.  I remember how the arches of my feet used to cramp up, well after my toes had fallen asleep, after riding for a couple of hours with the Alfredo Binda toe straps cinched down tighter than a straightjacket.  But no one else in town had a pair of cycling shoes like mine, and for that reason alone, they stood out in a good way.

That was more than twenty years ago and in the space of time between then and now, I’ve upgraded my ‘stable’ of shoes so many times and with so many brands that I can’t even begin to tell you which ones sat near the doorway to the garage.  Suffice to say, most (if not all) of the major cycling shoe manufacturers have been guests of a sort in my home over the years.  Each new brand seemed to bring out the same response:  “Wow!  These are the most comfortable cycling shoes I’ve ever tried on!  I’m never going back to [...insert previous shoe brand here...] again!” 

Enter the new Shimano R300      

Wow!  These are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever put on!   The new R300 shoe features heat moldable thermo-form plastic infused in the upper panels that allows the shoe to be custom formed to the foot. This is a new level of stability, fit and comfort.  Even before we heated up the shoes in the ‘oven’, the 2 Velcro straps and the buckle enclosure made them feel like old friends who had been broken in and loved for many miles.  A few minutes of heat, and about 20 minutes of wearing the toasty warm ‘slippers’ till they cooled was all it took to mold them to my feet and my feet only.

With a carbon graphite sole and secure fit from the ratchet closure and two straps, the shoes not only look great but have all the ultimate features needed for high performance use. These shoes are, first and foremost, designed for racing and the rigid sole allows you to put maximum force into the pedals during sprinting and accelerations. Unlike my last pair of Shimano road shoes, the R300’s have a softer, ‘grippier’ heel and I don’t feel like I’m slipping around on ‘Happy Feet’ on the rare occasions that I have to walk in them.  I’m happily sold on Shimano’s line of cycling shoes. 

Now if only I could convince my wife that I need to buy some new mountain bike shoes....

James Carlson