Sundried Men’s Road Cycle Shoes

The Sundried Men's Road Cycling Shoes have a classy look to them, the black and white colourway looking smart, and they are well finished around the sole area. They are pricey for the spec, though, and they come up at least a size too small.

At first glance these look to be a quality pair of shoes. The manmade upper is soft and smooth and the way it wraps around the shoe under the sole is neat and tidy, with no excess glue visible.

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You are also getting an Atop dial, which gives easy adjustment by turning it one way or the other, tightening (but not loosening) in increments, and a Velcro strap for added retention.

Inside the shoes you'll find a 'shark tooth' internal liner which is designed to stop your heel lifting when pedalling. It's not something you usually see on shoes at this price point and it works well.

Aside from this, though, the Sundried shoes are quite under-specced for their £130 price tag.

First up you're getting a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) sole – don't be fooled by the fact that it's been moulded to look like carbon fibre underneath the three-bolt cleat fixing point – whereas with these Van Rysels you get a stiff full-carbon sole for the same price. The sole on these Sundrieds is flexible for all but the most sedate of efforts.

Boardman's Carbon Cycle Shoes aren't the stiffest I've ever worn but they do offer more pedalling resistance than the Sundrieds thanks to a carbon fibre sole, and they are just £85.

Not helping matters is the sizing. This pair is supposedly a UK11 – well, that's what it says on the box, but they are nowhere near.

It's all been a bit Cinderella in the office trying to find who they'd fit, and after making their way to and from a size-11-footed tester's house, it fell to me. I'm a size 10, and even then they are tight. With a pair of summer cycling socks on, my toes are rubbing the end.

That's not so much an issue in the winter – though I'd struggle to wear them with thicker socks – but the warmth of summer or a long ride causing swelling would see these well under size.

The size guide (within the product pics) suggests a UK 11 is a 46, par for the course, but Sundried does offer free returns (just don't wear the shoes outside before you're happy with the fit!).

Breathability is decent enough, with vents running under the soles and more on the upper. The wind isn't going to flow through massively in warmer times, though.

> Buyer’s Guide: 10 of the best high-performance road cycling shoes

Comfort on the whole is pretty good (once you've sized up) thanks to the plush padding of the insole. It's quite firm but feels comfortable and supportive, and minimises the chances of hot-spots caused by the flexible sole.

Conclusion

Overall, looks aside, the Sundried shoes don't really deliver on what you'd expect for the price. The flexible sole is below par for the money, once you've sorted out the sizing...

Verdict

Look good, but a higher spec shoe can be had for a lot less, and the sizing is way off...