Giro Stylus
£99 ★★★1/2 Balanced comfort and stiffness
WE SAY... Handily, these will work with either two-or three-bolt cleats
WEIGHT 524g (Size 42) SIZES 39-50 WOMEN’S Yes, sizes 36-43 COLOURS Black; red; white
Giro’s Stylus is one of the few shoes here with fittings for both two- and three-bolt cleats, though the three-bolt compatibility means these don’t have a recess for the SPD cleat, so you’d be clip-clopping around just as loudly as you would be on Look cleats. The heel and toe protection is very neatly done, though the heel bumper is on the shallow side, and there’s no venting on the soles.
The outsole is made from fibreglass-reinforced nylon, which feels stiffer than the sole of the Shimano RC3, but not as stiff as the carbon soles of the Boardman, Bont and dhb shoes. This makes them good for big days out and sportive-type rides when you want a reasonable balance of stiffness for efficient riding and all-day comfort. But if you’re after super-stiff shoes for more competitive outings, they’re not going to be a match for shoes with carbon soles. Pick the shoes up and flex them, and these feel stiffer than Shimano’s RC3s but no match for dhb’s extremely hard-to-flex Aerons, for example.
The upper is a very elegant one-piece stitchless affair. There are extremely neatly laser-cut venting perforations running pretty much the full length of both sides, which is more clearly visible on the white and red models, and the tongue is similarly well vented. The three Velcro straps may not have the cachet of a dial but they offer a secure fit and stayed tight even when sprinting – three wide Velcro straps are not going to loosen easily. I was, however, able to feel the metal loop on the top strap. The 524g weight is slightly lighter than claimed, but the few grams difference between most of the shoes here really is neither here nor there. The large reflective heel patch is a nice touch, and something I’d like to see on more shoes.
The Stylus’s two- and three-bolt compatibility makes them a versatile choice, they’re comfortable and well made with decent stiffness and good comfort, and though they’re well priced, they’re up against some very stiff – pun intended – competition.