Gaerne Carbon G.STL road shoes

The Gaerne Carbon G.STL road shoes are powerfully stiff-soled shoes with excellent heel retention – the latter thanks to a narrow, rigid cup combined with anti-slip fabric. The Boa dial gives plenty of incremental adjustability, done up sprint tight I found they could pinch. For all other efforts, though, these are comfortable and secure.

Made in Italy, the G.STL is Gaerne's new top-end road shoe, taking top spot from the G_Stilo. The G.STL uses Gaerne's EPS Carbon 12.0 Sole, which gets the full 12 out of 12 on its stiffness index.

This translates to an ultra-stiff platform. As you bury yourself, it feels like no watt is wasted – there's no detectable flex. It also has a very slim design that brings your foot closer to the pedal for a more efficient stroke.

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Cleat position options have been increased by 9mm over the previous sole. I found this range easily enabled me to set up my preferred position. An alignment scale is also included, which is useful.

There's a dainty anti-slip insert beneath the toe box, while the heel is replaceable to boost longevity. Both of these are small, but work well.

Supple upper

The supple, thin upper has tiny laser perforations for ventilation across the whole foot. This works with four reasonably-sized vents in the sole; three in front of the cleat, and one just behind. While the test period was not remotely warm, during intense indoor sessions my feet remained a comfortable temperature and didn't overheat.

The traditional tongue design has been improved by using variable thicknesses to provide comfort where needed and perforation for breathability. This seamless construction has a low-profile soft layer that provides just the right balance between comfort and locked-down security.

At the top end of the tongue there are two cutouts which split the tongue into three parts. This allows the tongue to bend comfortably with the foot – there's no pinching here at all.

The updated Anatomic Heel Cup is rigid and narrow for a close and secure hold. This works alongside an internal anti-slip fabric which is smooth as you slip your foot inside the shoe, but has a rough texture when pulling back up. This is designed to prevent heel lift, and it does so very effectively. Kicking the pedals in all-out efforts, I never noticed my heel slipping one bit.

Boa closure

The incremental adjustability of the dual Boa Li2 dials really allows you to get the tension just right. These can be micro-tightened and loosened, so you can finetune either direction. The Boa laces weave between eight fixing points (four for the upper, four for the lower) to evenly distribute tension across the foot.

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The upper dial works with a wide strap for spreading pressure across a large area, and it does this very well. The other dial deals with the mid to low foot. Tightened up for endurance rides all the way to threshold efforts I was held comfortably and securely, but really cranking these up tight for VO2 efforts and sprints, the G.STLs pinched the edge of my feet at my outermost metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint.

When loosening back down to a fit that felt comfortable, my forefoot didn't feel quite as planted as I'd like in short, snappy and intense efforts.

Quite often white kicks can be a pain to keep glistening clean, but these proved easier than most to keep smart. This is thanks to the small perforations that don't trap dirt so easily, and the absence of mesh sections that discolour and can't be wiped down. They are also available in matt iridium and matt black, and all have a reflective 'G' logo on the rear for a touch of visibility.

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I found the G.STLs twin-Boas made these a lot easier and quicker to take off and put on than some, such as Specialized's Ares sock design or Sidi's Shot 2 Tecno-3 Push Flex closure. The G.STLs are go-to shoes for training, as well as the all-important race days – they combine top performance with practicality.

Weight

At 592 grams (EU 43) they aren't particularly light for a top-end shoe. The recently-released Specialized S-Works Ares are 564g in the same size. That said, Sidi's Shot 2s are a chunk heavier at 616g (again in EU 43).

Value

At £379.90 the price is high, but it's ballpark against the serious competition. Specialized's S-Works Ares shoes and Sidi's Shot 2s are both £375, for instance, while Lake's CX403 CFCs are £425 – thought they're also custom-mouldable.

These all make Shimano's S-Phyre RC9 SPD-SLs look a bargain at £319, especially as Liam found they deliver so well on stiffness, heel retention and comfort.

Overall

The G.STLs are great fun for smashing it on training rides and race days. They're very comfortable unless you really crank up the lower Boa for sprinting, but it's really not so bad as it's just for a short period – and the Boa can be micro-loosened afterwards. They're easy to wipe down and slip on/off, too, so very practical for everyday riding – assuming you're happy using such expensive shoes so regularly.

Verdict

Excellent stiffness matched with practical design that works for both training and racing