Giro Techne road cycling shoes

The Giro Technes are very comfortable, reasonably stiff entry-level shoes with easy-to-use Velcro closures and effective venting around the toe. They're sturdily built and take two-bolt cleats as well as three – useful for gravel and adventure use. They sit comfortably mid-range for weight, efficiency and price, and while they don't really excel anywhere, aside from marking easily there's little not to like.

Giro pushes the Techne as much for indoor spin class use as road riding, and that – along with the comprehensive cleat fittings – is a clear sign of their all-rounder intent. And largely it's mission accomplished.

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The three Velcro straps are sturdy and very easy to adjust, and as you don't even need to touch the toe strap after an initial tensioning, the Techne is super-easy to get on and off. The heel cup is very secure and actually fairly thickly padded – it's immediately comfy. On the downside, the heel is noticeably warmer than the very effectively vented toe, and can get a bit sweaty on hot days. It would only be worse indoors with no airflow, too.

The toebox is roomy and the sole is well shaped, creating a very secure fit with no pressure points or hotspots. I can sometimes feel an edge digging lightly into my insole when walking, but it's nowhere near enough to be a problem during cafe stops or the usual faffing. The sizing is just right, and I found the fit roomy enough for any socks, but never loose.

I fitted three-bolt cleats and was concerned the two-bolt mount would be free to rattle, but having wedged them to one end of their travel and cinched my three-bolts down on top, I had no issues. The alignment marks are large and clear, and the adjustment range is good.

The nylon outsole is great for long-ride comfort, and the large toe vent works well – at speed you can actually feel the breeze. There aren't any vents further back, though, which only adds to the relative warmth of the rear half. The upside of this is that, once clad in toe covers, the Technes stay comfortable in fairly cool air. The mesh between the straps and the vented tongue mean they can't do much about rain, though.

That nylon sole deadens road vibrations very well and, while not hugely stiff, is never flexy enough under power to distract. It just feels a bit mushy when you sprint. At such times their 640g weight is also noticeable, but only over significantly more expensive shoes – their heft is absolutely on a par for their price.

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They don't skimp on quality, either, with tough, accurate stitching over the faux-leather panels and very neatly bonded soles. The Velcro gets a thick synthetic backing with useful texture for grip on the ends, while the matt/gloss finish adds impressive style. If you don't like this super-bright yellow one (because, and don't take this badly, you're wrong), there are black and white or just plain black options.

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The Technes' one real weak spot is that finish, and how easy it is to mark. The inside heel suffers the worst with crank rub (the thick padding makes it almost impossible to adjust out), while the adjacent shiny heel panel wears to a dull spot. While mud wipes away pretty easily, I could never quite scrub away more than 90 per cent of the grimy heel rub. Still, there's always the tedious all-black version...

If you really must have Boa dials you can get them at this price. Specialized's 2020 Torch 1.0 is a good option, though it lacks the two-bolt cleat fitting the Techne rocks. Giant's Phase 2 road shoes are also £90 and also take either cleat style, and augment their Velcro with a clever little ratchet system. To be fair, I never missed either dials or ratchets on the Technes.

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The Techne is a likeable do-everything shoe with a simple, effective design and a trustworthy build. You can get lighter, stiffer and more fancily secured shoes, but you'll pay for it – this is an excellent, entry-level road and gravel shoe that's good for a lot of real-world riding.

Verdict

Simple, effective and very comfortable – great entry-level shoes that don't even have to be black