Shimano S-Phyre RC9 (RC903) Shoes

The Shimano S-Phyre RC9 (RC903) Shoes are an evolution of the outgoing RC902s, and as a result they're a tiny bit lighter but just as impressively stiff, secure and comfortable as before. Good venting also makes them ideal for hot rides.

If you're looking for new performance footwear, check out our guide to the best road cycling shoes.

Shimano says this version is more rigid at the back than before, and more flexy at the front. That's in the upper, of course – the carbon sole is still rated 12 out of 12 for stiffness, and it's still extremely good at transferring all the power you can muster.

Despite the sole's stiffness, these are very comfortable even over bad surfaces – there's little of the high-frequency buzzing that some can transmit, and I never suffered any sudden, unyielding spanks from them when accidentally hitting potholes. The insole cushions and supports your feet (and arches) very well, without feeling thick or deadening.

The arch support can be adjusted, as the insoles hold inserts in recesses underneath with Velcro-like hook and loop. You can swap the inserts to different thicknesses (sold separately), or remove them completely.

The heel cup is excellent at holding you firm without any discomfort, despite losing the rubberised grippers of the 902 version – which were themselves replacements for the 'cat's tongue' fabric of the ones before. The shaping is good enough it doesn't want for either, and I had no issues with heel lift.

You still get a considerable vent through the heel and sole (you can see straight through the shoe), plus a wide vent just ahead of the cleat.

The perforations in the upper spread further along your foot than previously too, and the result is a shoe that cools very well. A little too well for springtime in Wales, if I'm honest, especially as my feet are already living experiments in what happens at absolute zero.

Metatarsal glaciers notwithstanding, my feet have pretty average dimensions, but there's a decent amount of room in the broad forefoot, if the amount I cinch in the front Boa dial is anything to go by. Shimano does a specific 'wide' version if it's still not enough for you, though only in sizes 40-46. There's also a women's version with its own specific shaping.

This new version is lighter, but only by 10g overall, or 5g per shoe – realistically that's so small as to be meaningless. The older pair we tested were actually 19g lighter than this new pair, purely because those were size 42 and these are 45. Basically, there's more variation between a few sizes than there is between model years.

I found the sizing just right, as the length is spot on with my heel snugged in tight – that's 'just right' in the cycling sense, where my usual size (45) is one up from my 'street' size (44). There's plenty of room and adjustment for thick or thin socks, too.

The Boa dials are Li2 so micro-adjust both ways (instead of just popping completely loose), which is always a boon.

If you're not keen on black, these also come in white and two spectacularly shiny, metallic-looking colours – blue or blood red. If you want people to know your shoes are properly spendy, go for one of those.

Value

These are £349.99, which is about par for race shoes of this type. That's roughly 10 per cent more than the old version was two years ago, but there's little that hasn't gone up significantly in that time. Except, perhaps, the competence of our glorious leaders...

We recently reviewed the Suplest Edge 2.0 Road Pro shoes, which are more at £369.99, while the Specialized S-Works Ares, which Anna reviewed in 2021, are more again at £375.

Stu really rated the refreshed Giant Surge Pro shoes in his review, and those are a useful chunk cheaper at £299.99 while offering much the same stiffness and weight.

If you want to stick with Shimano, the RC702s that Nick reviewed last year are only a small step down for performance – they're 68g heavier in size 45 than the RC9s, and the Boa L6 dials don't loosen incrementally – but considerably cheaper at £189.99.

Alternatively, the very similar outgoing version of the RC9s – the RC902s – are still around and frequently discounted. At the time of writing, Freewheel (retailer for Shimano importer Madison) was listing them for £239.99.

Overall

These are lovely – stiff, efficient and secure, yet very comfortable, even on less-than-perfect road surfaces – and priced fairly for a top of the range race shoe.

Verdict

Stiff, secure and light yet impressively comfortable race shoes