Crono CR2 Road Shoes

The Crono CR2 Road Shoes are comfortable, have a great dual Boa closure system, offer a good degree of stiffness and are reasonably priced. I wouldn't say they are the best road cycling shoes out there, but they are a very good choice if you are looking for a slim-fitting shoe.

The CR2s sit in the middle of Crono's road shoes range and benefit from the trickle-down technology from the range-topping CR1 shoes.

Sole

The shoes will accept any three-bolt cleat design, and the sole has adjustment markings to ensure you get the same positioning on both shoes. I found them easy to set up with Look Keo cleats.

The sole is a carbon composite, which is often the case at this kind of price. On the Crono website you can select the shoes with a full carbon sole, but this is more expensive – around £78 (€294 for carbon, €204 for carbon composite).

The sole has a rigidity rating of 7 (the carbon soled version 10), but as each company has its own scale it's hard to compare. There is some flex in the sole, but unless you are racing or pushing some serious power then they should be stiff enough. I found the flex caused a little irritation while dancing my way up the steep climbs of the Lake District, but on almost all other rides they were comfortable.

Boa closure

The closure system on these is a pair of L6 Boa dials, which is very impressive at this price. I found the pressure was applied evenly around the foot. There were no real niggles or hotspots, even on long rides.

While the Boa dials are easy to use, tighten and release easily, it would be good to be able to loosen the dial incrementally. I find in the summer that my feet swell as the ride goes on, so it'd be good to be able to loosen off slightly without having to fully release and retighten. You can do this with the Li2 dials on the high-end CR1s that Steve reviewed – but those are over £220.

The heel and toe bumpers are a good size, giving good grip when off the bike and protecting the sole of the shoe. They look a little scuffed after a few months of heavy use, but there is still a lot of life left in them.

Fit

The shoes have a slim fit and felt snugger than my usual Shimano road shoes. The dual Boa helps you dial in a good fit across the whole foot.

Sizing is about right – these are an EU45 which equates to a UK10.5, the size I'd usually go for, and these were a comfortable fit. There is a detailed size guide including length and width measurements on the Crono website.

The upper is comfortable, with the tongue made of special memory foam material designed to mould to your feet. It's also easy to wipe clean (something I should do more often)! I tested these in black, but they also come in red, grey and white.

To keep your feet cool, there are lots of holes all around the upper. There are also vents on the sole positioned for airflow under the foot. I didn't find my feet overheating, even during the hot weather in the summer. I haven't tested these in really cold temperatures but my toe covers completely cover all the vents on the shoe, so I can't see them being any colder than any others.

The quality of the Crono C2s is good, with just the usual signs of wear after a few months of heavy use.

Weight

The shoes weigh 676g a pair in size 45 which is a little heavier than some road shoes we've tested at around this price, such as the Scott Road Team Boas at 558g (Boa closure, size 42), Shimano RC5s (490g, Boa, 42), the Udog Tensiones (606g, laces, 45) and the Boardman Carbons (624g, dials, 44).

Value

For a shoe of this quality they're decent value, comparing well with others at this price. They cost the same as the Shimano RC5s that George tested earlier in the year, if a little heavier, and are cheaper than the Bontrager Circuits that Alex tested last year.

The Udog Tensiones that Stu liked are a tenner cheaper at £130, but those have laces as opposed to Boa dials.

They're not as good value as the Boardman Carbon Cycle shoes that Stu tested last year, though, which have dual dial fastening and a carbon sole for only £85.

Conclusion

Overall, I have been impressed with the C2s. They are stiff enough for most riding and you get some premium features such as the dual Boas for a mid-level price. The quality is great, though the slim fit might not suit everyone.

Verdict

Comfortable, slim-fitting shoes with some premium features at a mid-level price