Giro Women’s Ventana Fastlace Shoes

The Giro Ventana Fastlace Women's shoes pair casual looks with enough stiffness to allow efficient pedalling. They offer good levels of comfort on or off the bike, making them a great option for touring, commuting or rides where walking is on the cards.

Intended as a casually styled mountain bike shoe, these will have a lot of appeal for those who like to ride with two-bolt pedals rather than road pedals, whether that be on or off-road or somewhere between the two.

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In use, I've found them among the most comfortable cycling shoes I've worn, with just the right amount of space at the forefoot for toe wiggling room and walking comfort, without feeling like there's any compromise on pedalling performance from a loose fit.

The heel cup is well padded and keeps the heel nice and secure, while the Fastlace system – a single-pull design, which secures under an elastic tab to keep the excess out of harm's way – makes fastening them... well... fast and easy. The broad Velcro tab which covers over the lacing adds a bit of extra security, too.

Designed with comfort and walking in mind, these build on a trainer style with a grippy rubber compound outsole and aggressive lugs for traction. A reinforced toe and heel section offer protection if the going gets rough, making these ideal for mixed terrain rides. There's enough flex in the sole to allow for a sensible walking gait, yet they still feel good and rigid when clipped in.

The ruggedly treaded outsole makes for a fairly unobtrusive cleat positioning, but it's still tangible when walking on hard surfaces. The outsole is pretty grippy too, with little in the way of problems on slippery or wet surfaces as far as I experienced.

One little niggle was that when pulling hard, on a hilly route, the lacing loosened off just a little over the course of the ride, requiring tightening up after some time. During a couple of hours of riding over hilly terrain, it only needed to be tightened once, though, so not a serious irritation.

The build quality of the Ventanas is impressive, giving a real sense that these will last a long time. The upper is made from a rugged mesh fabric paired up with toughened sections. The fabric saw off a heavy shower or two with no problems, but it isn't designed to be a waterproof shoe, so prolonged rain would almost certainly result in soggy feet.

Price-wise, they're at the higher end of the 'budget' spectrum – a bit more expensive than Shimano's MT5 SPD shoes and Specialized's Recon 1.0s, but the same price as Bontrager's GR2s, which are more akin in terms of quality and function.

> How to choose the right shoes for your cycling

It's tricky to find a technical shoe that offers the optimum balance of on-bike performance coupled with off-bike walking ergonomics and genuine comfort, but the Giro Ventanas deliver just that in a package that's not bad value either, especially if you consider price-per-wear – with their low-key looks and excellent comfort I reckon these will fast become a go-to shoe for all but the most demanding riding.

Verdict

Casual styling, excellent quality and superb comfort on and off the bike, but lacing could be more secure