Nimbl Exceed Ultimate Glide shoes

Founded in 2019, Nimbl is a relatively new cycling shoe company that has quickly gained a cult following, its products appearing on the feet of riders from the Visma–Lease a Bike WorldTour team. Products are handmade in Italy to a very high standard and come with the pageantry to match. The Nimbl Exceed Ultimate Glides are its premium shoes. While one of the priciest options around, they are supremely comfortable, stiff in all the right places, and come fitted with Boa Li2 dials for a secure and cossetting fit.

> Buy now: Nimbl Exceed Ultimate Glide shoes for £459.98 from Dolan

White on the money

Visually, the beauty of the Nimbl Exceed Ultimate Glide shoes is hard to dispute. While there are three colourways to choose from – including plain black and white/silver – the white/gold combination pictured here hits the spot for me, supplementing form and function with the bling factor. Nimbl has kept things rather minimalist in terms of textures and patterns, relying more on patterns of ventilation holes and contrasting logo colours to enhance the look.

The shoe is built around a lightweight, proprietary carbon fibre monocoque, offset by a white microfibre upper with matching decorative stitching. It truly is a stunning creation – a work of art as far as cycling shoes go. White as a colour isn’t the most economical in terms of maintenance, but it does accentuate the shoe’s form. Here it’s complemented by the brace of gold Boa Li2 dials, an embossed gold Nimbl wordmark logo on the flanks, and a symbol on the heel.

The Exceed Ultimate Glides are compatible with most three-bolt cleat systems and feature a replaceable heel cap. Apart from the traction benefits in walking scenarios, the heel cap and the toe tread strip double up as protection for the carbon-fibre sole. Personally, I’d hate for the sole to get scratched and always cringe when riders walk over gravel and stones at coffee stops.

Technical details and build

Like many contemporary road shoes, Nimbl has done away with the traditional tongue design and adopted a system that wraps over the top of the foot to create a snug fit, improving pressure distribution across the foot.

The Nimbl Exceed Ultimate Glides are incredibly light, with the company quoting 190g per shoe (size EU43). While each shoe came in at 192g on my Park Tool scale, we’re talking a 2g discrepancy here. Much of the lightness stems from the carbon-fibre sole, which makes up a large portion of the shoe.

Unlike some models that utilise similar construction, Nimbl has offset the stiffness by creating a wider, roomier toe box, while refining the way the upper closes and interacts with the top of the foot. All too often, this is overlooked, and the result is a restrictive fit that places too much pressure on the upper tendons of the foot. This typically worsens as the temperature increases – but that’s not the case here.

The upper has shown no noticeable signs of creasing yet. There’s an array of holes dotted over the toe box and down both flanks of the shoe, which offer ventilation and also provide some give in the upper when the Boas are tightened. The shoes run on the cool side, and I’ve experienced no issues with overheating.

The 2mm stack height of the carbon sole is one of the lowest in the category, providing better pedal feel; mitigating energy loss for optimal power transfer; and providing an improved connection with the pedal platform. Cleat adjustability is good with generous fore/aft and side-to-side wiggle room for precise positioning. They are compatible with all three-bolt cleat systems, including Look, Speedplay and Shimano.

Fit for a king

When critiquing cycling shoes, my performance assessments are based on three defining attributes and how they complement each other: comfort, stiffness and weight. In the case of the Nimbls, the designers have managed to balance all three characteristics with aplomb, resulting in a super-light and comfortable cycling shoe that transfers force effectively.

Fit is controlled by the two Boa Li2 dials, allowing for 1mm incremental turns to secure the shoe with a quick release mechanism to release tension.

The fit is superb. Sometimes, it can be tricky finding the right size when it comes to Italian shoes, as the sizing philosophy varies from brand to brand and tends to be on the smaller side. But, after consulting the fit guide on the Nimbl site, I settled on an EU43 – a half-size bigger than usual, as they measure a little smaller than other manufacturers. The shoes are available in a whopping 17 sizes spanning EU39 to EU47

While my testing has been entirely carried out in unusually dry and warm UK spring conditions, I suspect it would be harder to keep them looking their best if used during winter or rainier conditions. White as a colour is notoriously difficult to maintain, and even during dry periods, these shoes will require some TLC to keep them in tip-top condition. Maintenance is key here and a wipe down after every ride will ensure the white stays clean and bright.

In terms of outright performance, the Nimbl Exceed Ultimate Glide shoes are up there with the category’s finest. They provide immediate power transfer to the pedals, without skimping on comfort – and that’s a word that keeps popping up here. While it might sound counterintuitive for a performance cycling shoe, they feel like slippers and this shows what a truly incredible shoe Nimbl has created.

> Best road cycling shoes 2025 — get some light, stiff kicks to help you go faster on the bike

Value

The Nimbl Exceed Ultimate Glide shoes find themselves in the upper echelons, price-wise – and while any shoe over £400 is going to be difficult to justify as a purchase, they do present myriad benefits that are close to class-leading. I say ‘close’ because comfort and fit will be personal for every rider. I will however go so far as to say that they are the most comfortable cycling shoes I’ve ever worn.

The closest rival is the Specialized S-Works Ares 2, which is more of a sprinter’s shoe than a lightweight allrounder – a fact demonstrated by its 263g weight (size EU44) and forefoot lockdown system (the way the Boa dial works in conjunction with the zones of the upper). They’re also more expensive at £479 but come with some bold claims: a 7W power increase and a 44 per cent reduction in forefoot pressure over the Ares 1.

Another contender in this space is the newly released Q36.5 Unique Pro Road shoes (we currently have a pair in for testing). They cost a staggering £550 and come in 19 sizes to accommodate most foot types. Like the Nimbls, they feature a brace of Li2 Boa dials and are built around a lightweight carbon outsole, but are heavier at 225g per shoe. There’s more ventilation on offer, both on the upper and sole, with the latter featuring a sole stack of 4.4mm (2.4mm more than the Nimbls).

It’s a tough call and there’s not much in it, but pricing – especially at this level – is always going to be a significant deciding factor. While the Nimbls are the cheaper option, they’re not inferior in any way. If anything, I feel the performance and comfort they offer places them firmly at the top of my list as the best performance road cycling shoes on the market.

Conclusion

At £465, the Nimbl Exceed Ultimate Glides are pricey kicks, but they are still more affordable than many of their high-end rivals. They offer head-turning aesthetics, a supremely comfortable fit, and an amazingly responsive carbon-fibre sole. They perform to the highest standards and thrive in all aspects, from racing to cafe rides. If you’re looking for a top-performing cycling shoe with the bling to match and have the money to spend, these shoes will not disappoint.

Verdict

Superbly designed cycling shoes that fully deliver in the beauty and performance departments

> Buy now: Nimbl Exceed Ultimate Glide shoes for £459.98 from Dolan

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