Giro Savix Road Shoes

The Giro Savix is a really good all-round road shoe offering loads of comfort, and benefits like the Boa closure system. If you want a stiff sole, though, you might find these a little flexy.

• Pros: Comfortable fit and shape, Boa adjustment
• Cons: Sole a bit flexible

I've always been a big fan of the comfort levels that Giro shoes offer. Some of the first I tested years ago were the company's top end models and they were like wearing your favourite slippers; I wore them until they fell apart about six years later. Slipping on these Savix, it's great to see that same shape and comfort is achieved throughout the range.

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The Savix come in a range of colours – this white, a black or, if you fancy a bit of bling, a red and black finish. The uppers on all three are synthetic with a soft finish and feel to it to help it contour to the shape of your feet.

Assisting this is the Boa system which, if you haven't come across it before, is basically a ratchet dial that tightens a wire criss-crossing where you'd normally find the laces or Velcro. It lets you tweak the tension in 1mm increments so you really can get it spot on.

Underneath it you'll find a single Velcro strap that, once set up, won't need touching again to get the shoes on and off.

The Savix have a soft, thin tongue which is shaped to avoid putting pressure on the top of your foot when the shoe is tightened.

Inside, the footbed has enough thickness and squidge to it that it is a comfortable place to have your feet.

The sole is my only real niggle; it's a little soft if you like to stamp on the pedals on a regular basis. For this money we are seeing plenty of shoes that have a carbon fibre sole rather than the injection-moulded nylon option found here. A decent carbon sole is much stiffer and removes the flex that you can feel here on the Giros.

It's not the worst I've ever worn. For the majority of riding it felt just fine, it was only noticeable when I got out of the saddle to crest a short, sharp hill or if I was going out for a hard ride on the flat. I could detect some flex behind the cleat which can be a little disconcerting.

That aside, the sole is set up to accept any cleats that use a two or three-bolt fixing system and there are markings to keep everything aligned when it comes to replacing them.

You also get plenty of ventilation on both the sole and the upper, so they'll be great when the summer returns.

Sizing-wise I'm normally a 45 in Giro shoes but these 46s actually felt fine. They didn't feel overly big, and it was nice that I could wear some slightly thicker socks for riding in the winter. Giro has a size converter on its website so you can enter your details into there for the corresponding EUR/UK/US sizes.

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When it comes to value, the Giros are pretty similarly priced to others with a Boa setup and a nylon sole – the Bontrager Circuit Road shoe, for instance. They have a lot in common including the weight, though the Bontys come in a few quid cheaper at £99.99.

The dhb Aeron Carbon Road Shoe Dial is a fiver more expensive at £120, but they do have a carbon fibre sole for extra stiffness.

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On the whole, the Savix are a very comfortable, good looking pair of shoes. Give me a stiffer sole and I'd be very happy.

Verdict

Very comfortable entry-level shoes for all but the most powerful of riders