dhb Aeron Carbon Road Dial
£120 ★★★★1/2 Superb-value for carbon soles
WEIGHT 512g (Size 42) SIZES 39-48 WOMEN’S Yes, sizes 39-48 COLOURS Black; white
The Aeron Carbon shoes from Wiggle/Chain Reaction Cycle’s dhb brand have two big selling points
– a price presently well under £100 at £74.99 and a full-carbon sole that’s unusual for shoes costing so little. And unlike some other carbon-sole shoes, you can see the weave of the 3K carbon. This looks great, though it’s a shame it’ll be underfoot and will no doubt eventually become scuffed.
The pair of quite bulky Velcro straps across the midfoot and forefoot give the Aerons a slightly clunky look, but the weight of the shoes is still very reasonable. The Velcro and Atop dial combination allows a very good adjustability, and a snug, secure and very comfortable fit. The Atop works in a similar way to Boa’s system – you twist the dial anti-clockwise to tighten the cable on the left shoe, and clockwise on the right – but, unlike the Boa, you don’t need to pull the dial up to loosen it. Just give it a firm tug, twist it 90 degrees and it’s fully disengaged. The Atop’s adjustments don’t feel quite as fine as the Boa’s, but it’s still a very effective closure system.
The uppers are more plushly padded than most here and the venting is limited to some perforations at the front and a strip along the inside. This wasn’t an issue with winter testing, though could become a factor when riding in the summer. That said, the tongue is fully perforated and dhb has added some decent-sized toe and central vents to the carbon soles.
The carbon sole is protected by a wellsized non-replaceable heel bumper and a tough rubber strip at the front, and you can really feel the stiffness that carbon offers when up against shoes with more flexible nylon soles. This means that the Aerons will suit riders who are looking for stiffness as a main priority, and who don’t want to spend a fortune to achieve it.
Do take note that Wiggle/CRC advises you to buy these a size smaller than you’d usually go for. This is accurate, as our test shoes are about a centimetre longer than other size 42s on test.