Rapha Grand Tour shoes

Rapha's new Grand Tour shoes are superbly comfortable high performers although the price tag will doubtless limit their popularity.

Working from the bottom up, the outsole is Easton EC90 SLX high-modulus carbon as used by Giro (who are part of the same group as Easton) on their Prolight SLX and Factors. It's just 6.5mm thick which means you get a low stack height here (the distance from the centre of the pedal axle to your foot). We're not convinced that stack height in itself makes a whole lot of difference to the performance although the lack of material does keep the weight down – Giro claim that each outsole weighs just 60g.

I couldn't discern any flex at all in the sole during use; it's mega-stiff so all your power is directed straight through to the pedal. The heel and toe bumpers provide some protection for the outsole and after several weeks of heavy use ours look like they're going to last well. There are a few marks from walking on gravel but nothing unexpected.

The uppers are made from yak leather. Yes, yak – those hairy fellas with the big horns. Rapha reckon this is the first time that yak leather has been used in cycling.

The leather is soft and supple, a lot like the kangaroo leather that's used by Lake, for example. Rapha claim it's stronger than kangaroo leather, though. It's certainly tough and hard wearing. After dozens of rides and the inevitable pacing to and from the bike, the leather still looks almost new. There are a couple of scratches around the toes where the uppers and the outsole meet, but that's all. I can see these lasting years, particularly if you look after by applying something like Rapha's shoe cream from time to time.

Most areas of the uppers are dotted with perforations that let moist air out and cool air in and the padded tongue and a small section at the front of the outsole are ventilated too. We've had some hot days already this year and I've not suffered particularly sweaty feet with these on.

There's good padding all around the ankle and Giro's SuperNatural Fit cork/EVA footbed provides more comfort. You get a choice of differently sized arch supports in the box – that really does make a difference to the feel – and the insoles are designed to take on the shape of your foot gradually. Mine have done that a little bit, but not much so far. The top sheet of the footbed is X-Static antimicrobial to help keep odours at bay. Our test shoes smell [does quick sniff test] leathery still; they haven't taken on any unwanted aromas... not yet, anyway.

The closure comprises two Velcro lower straps – the bottom one designed to look like a toe-strap from out of the olden days – and a ratchet buckle at the top. Loads of other brands use similar designs for easy one-handed strap adjustments on the fly, although Rapha's aluminium ratchet is certainly very neat. It works well and looks great.

The Grand Tour shoes are a little heavier than many other high-end road shoes. When we tested the Giro Factors in a size 45, for example, they weighed 510g for the pair. These (the same size) are 676g; light, but not exceptionally light. We guess that's mainly because the leather is heavier than a manmade microfibre and an aluminium buckle weighs more than a plastic one.

These do put in an excellent performance out on the road. The uppers conform to your precise foot shape for a comfortable, stress-free fit while the wide straps hold the shoes firmly in place even when you're out of the saddle and pulling up on the pedals.

I did a couple of short blasts in these to begin with then wore them on an all-day ride and they were perfectly comfy throughout. They've stayed that way ever since. Obviously, comfort will partly come down to how good a fit you get, but the supple leather, the padding, and the quality of the insole are all important factors and these score highly on all those fronts.

The heel cup isn't as rigid as you get with some race shoes, particularly those where the carbon sole extends around to the upper, so if you really do like your foot to be held ultra-rigid maybe these aren't the best choice for you. But for everyone else they provide an excellent combination of comfort, performance and durability, and we guess that the stylish looks are going to provide the biggest attraction for many.

Okay, I am going to talk about price because I know plenty of you will. So here's my take. Lake's shoes are cheaper, Bonts are cheaper, Shimano are cheaper... everyone is cheaper, really, while the Kangaroo leather, carbon, and sail cloth Fizik R1 is the same price - and with all of those you get heat moulding. So, in terms of value, you can put heat moulding up against the yak leather and go for whichever floats your boat. I found these very comfortable without any moulding. Personally, I think that if it comes down purely to technology, you could get better value for money - such as with the Factors. But if you think the style is worth paying for, go for it.

The Grand Tour shoes are available in black too, and in Euro sizes 40-48 from 10 April 2012.

Verdict

Supple uppers, stiff soles, loads of comfort, durability and style... but these shoes don't come cheap