Giant Shuttle Flat Shoes

Giant's Shuttle Flat shoes may look unassuming and don't particularly sparkle off the bike, but their super-stiff sole and superb pedal-friendly comfort and performance mean that these are some of the most efficient flatties you'll find.

Beware first appearances. Initially, to me, Giant's Shuttle Flat shoes just didn't look that enticing or feel that comfy. I've tested a few flat shoes in the last year or so – such as the Giro Jacket IIs – that offer instant, almost slipper-like comfort, but these Giants are not them.

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Giant says there's a 'super-cushy internal EVA midsole' but that's rather counteracted by a very stiff outer sole with next to no appreciable give, and a super-dense foam inner sole. They're a bit stiff around the collar, too. And that mainly black colourway makes them look like the things kids at school used to get told off for wearing because 'they're not proper school shoes'.

With little-to-no flex in the sole, walking isn't great. Obviously it's nowhere near as bad as clip-clopping with truly rigid carbon-soled road shoes, but in off-bike comfort terms, they feel more like practical touring shoes rather than luxuriously padded flats.

However, these are all off-the-bike issues. Once you hope aboard the saddle, the reason for all that stiffness becomes apparent. Power transfer is really, really efficient – almost no effort feels lost through unwanted sole flex.

Comfort on the bike is fantastically good, too. I had my doubts about that all-round firm construction, but there are very few complaints when pushing the pedals. I suffered no hotspots, rubbing or even slight irritation, and that's despite – or perhaps, thanks to – the Shuttles being a pretty close fit.

While they look like hefty shoes – especially with all that faux-leather black material – hidden among the darkness is a fair dose of laser-perforated air holes, so heat regulation is impressive, too. Waterproofing takes a hit in return, but you can't have everything.

One thing I would say is that you'd be best using them with pedals that feature a decent amount of pins. I initially used the Shuttles with dual-sided Shimano M424 flat/clip-in pedals and found they slipped a bit. With a proper pinned pedal, though, the connection between sole and pedal face is very secure.

The reason for this is down to the busy but shallow tread design – which, incidentally, means they're not particularly grippy for walking round in. However, with Giant's exclusive GRIPR rubber in the pedal contact area, they're very good when the bike is fitted with a suitably complementary platform.

There are a few welcome other features, too. The TPU-reinforced toe box means you won't be stubbing your pinkies anytime soon; the heel's nice and solid, too. The laces feature reflective thread. And there's a stretch mesh pocket at the top of the tongue for storing laces – one of the best answers I've encountered to the question of what to do with loose loops.

Value and conclusion

When it comes to flatties, £90 seems to be the price point du jour. Pearl Izumi's X-Alp Flows are fab all-day, on-and-off-bike shoes for £89.99, and those Giro Jacket IIs I mentioned earlier are the same price for similar, if slightly less effective all-round performance.

For £79.99 Giro also has the Gauge shoes, which offer better on-bike ability than either the X-Alp Flows or the Jacket IIs and can be fitted with SPDs. So £99.99 for the Shuttles does seem just a tad high.

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That said, the Shuttles are fab flat shoes for on-the-bike efficiency and grip, as long as you're using suitably pinned flat pedals. If you're going to spend more time on your feet, and only a bit of time on the saddle, there are better options. But for riders looking for flat shoes that offer the fewest compromises to their cycling experience, these should be near the top of the list.

Verdict

Fantastic flat shoes for efficient and comfortable pedalling, if not quite so impressive off the bike