Shimano S-Phyre RC9 (RC901) shoes

The Shimano S-Phyre RC9 (RC901) shoes are its top flight, pro-level race shoes and they deliver an excellent mix of comfort, stiffness and an amazing fit. You've got to pay for it mind: priced at £319.99, these are some of the most expensive shoes I've ever worn.

• Pros: Impressive fit, extremely light weight and stiff
• Cons: Super-expensive

The shoes you see here are the second generation of the RC9s (hence RC901) and they've had a few tweaks since we tested the originals.

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First up, Shimano has continued the same Teijin Avail microfibre synthetic leather for the upper but has increased the size and number of holes used for venting to limit moisture and sweat retention.

The RC9s offer plenty of breathability – they've certainly been chilly to wear in the middle of winter without overshoes on – so I can't foresee any issues with damp feet in the heat of summer (I'll update here if there are). You get two vents on the sole as well to help things.

The upper is very soft and supple for a material that also feels to be quite robust, and with the shoe's wraparound design they fit absolutely brilliantly. There is no tongue as such, as it is part of the upper that covers the top of your foot, and then the strap with the top Boa attached wraps over the top. When tightened, it keeps the number of edges to a minimum, which means there is no irritation at all anywhere.

You get a second Boa a little lower down, where you'd find the bottom two straps if the shoes used Velcro.

Between the two dials you can get plenty of bite for foot retention without causing any pressure or hot spots.

When it comes to the shape of the shoe, Shimano has shunned a traditional last shape and gone for its own 'optimised shape' for the sole. It also created the whole main part of the shoe as one piece, which makes for a lighter product – just 542g for these 45s.

Shimano has a stiffness grading range of 1 to 12 for its soles, and these RC9s are right at the top end with a 12. They are easily as stiff as the Giant Surge Pro shoes I've recently tested, but the Shimanos deliver it in a much more comfortable way. They don't feel as unforgiving over long rides, although if the road surface is really rough you do get a bit of vibration and buzz through the sole of your feet.

The carbon fibre midsole has plenty of markings for cleat alignment, like many others, but it is also good to see some guides for angles too. Shimano has also incorporated plenty of front to back adjustment – 22mm in total.

Shimano fits a heel cup externally around the rear of the shoe, and it says that this tweaked design minimises foot twist and roll by stabilising the foot. I didn't really feel any difference to my pedalling stroke compared to wearing those Giants I mentioned above or any of the other top end carbon shoes I wear, but my foot did feel pretty secure.

All the little features on their own don't feel like they are making huge differences to the performance against other shoes I've worn, but they do come together to give a great all-round package.

The shape really suits me and I'd happily say that they are the most comfortable shoes I've had the pleasure of riding in.

When it comes to sizing, Shimano offers a decent range with both normal and wide fits starting at 36 and going up to 48, and for most of those there are half sizes too.

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Cost-wise, they are right up there with some of the most expensive we've tested. Fizik's excellent Infinito R1 Knit shoes are even pricier at £349.99, plus they are a fair bit heavier too. Sidi's Wire 2 Carbon Matt shoes are more expensive too at £330, and 100g heavier than the RC9s.

One point that Dave made in his original review of the RC9s was that their performance over their cheaper RC7 siblings was marginal, for both himself and fellow tester Jez. Steve certainly reckoned the latest RC7s are still excellent.

The new RC9s are literally some of the best shoes I've worn, but there are a lot out there that are very similar for less money; you don't even get free socks with them anymore.

Verdict

An awesome pair of race shoes when it comes to performance and comfort, but you have to pay for it