Shimano RC5 (RC502) SPD-SL Shoes

The Shimano RC5 shoes offer a fair amount of stiffness, a good closure system, and come in at a decent price. They also have some excellent premium features that have trickled down from the RC9 and RC7 models.

The RC5s sit bang in the middle of Shimano's road shoes, below the range-topping RC9 and RC7s, and above the RC3 and RC1s.

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They're compatible with three-bolt cleats and are simple to set up, with the ability to move the cleats fore and aft slightly (the 'wider cleat adjustment' Shimano lists as a feature). I set them up easily with both Speedplay cleats and Look Keos.

The cleats secure into a carbon fibre-reinforced nylon midsole, which finishes around 1cm from the edge of the sole, running from below the toe box to the middle of the arch. So although this doesn't feature throughout the whole sole, it adds stiffness underneath the ball of the foot.

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Steve tested a previous version of this shoe in 2020 and the centre of the sole looks pretty much identical, and the stiffness is still rated as an 8, as it was in 2020. Basically, unless you're a sprinter or trying to get alpine KOMs on the regular, these will be more than stiff enough for the majority of rides.

A heel and toe buffer add a bit of extra grip when you're walking, and keep the less durable parts of the sole off the ground. I found these worked well, although it would be handy if these were replaceable so you wouldn't need to chuck out the shoes once these wear down.

Boa closure

The closure system on these consists of a single Velcro strap over the bottom of the toes and two flaps tightened by a single Boa L6 dial, one of the premium features that has trickled down from the more expensive models in the range. The design has changed slightly from the previous version, which Steve had some minor issues with, with the dial itself now positioned on the flap. I found pressure was exerted uniformly around the top of foot, and had no noticeable hotspots during the review period, so this appears to work well.

Although the Boa dial is easy to use, tightens well, and releases with ease, it would be good to be able to loosen the dial incrementally. I find, especially at this time of year in full finger gloves, that I tend to overtighten my shoes, and it would be handy if I could just dial it back by a couple of clicks rather than fully releasing the tension and then retightening.

Upper

The rest of the upper is made from mesh/TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) and synthetic leather material and looks really good – something else that has trickled down from more premium shoes in recent years. The material is fairly robust and, importantly, because I reviewed the white version, easy to wipe clean.

One element of the shoes that particularly impresses is the breathability from the large perforated areas around the shoe and the single large vent under the toe box.

A nice touch, whether by accident or design, is that toe warmers completely cover all the perforations, so although these shoe are designed to let air flow over your foot in warmer conditions, I used them in close to freezing conditions several times with just toe warmers without any issues.

Weight, value and conclusion

The shoes hit the scales at a very respectable 490g, which is well below that of some road shoes within this price bracket such as the Scott Road Team Boas (558g, size 42), Bontrager Circuits (576g, 43), and the Northwave Mistrals (616g, though lace-ups, and that's for a size 45).

They're the same price as the Scotts, which Emma tested last year, while the Bontrager Circuits have gone up to £144.99 since Alex tested them last year. The Northwave Mistrals are also £144.99.

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Overall I am impressed by the RC5s. They don't have the stiffest soles but I've found them more than good enough for most rides, and the fact that you get some premium level features at a mid-market price adds appeal. As does the fact they also look great.

Verdict

Well-specced and light road shoes with trickled-down premium features at a mid-level price