Giro Republic SPD Shoes
Giro is a very recognizable name in the world of sports; making helmets, shoes, riding gear for cycling and also having a winter operation for skiing and snowboarding and often make high-quality and comfortable gear. For cycling shoes, performance is mandatory and comfort / durability also rank high in the list of a successful product – But what happens if you ride to work or live downtown and don’t want to look like a racer / competitor and just rock a casual look? Well Giro have you covered for that, too.
The Giro Republic SPD shoe is perfect for urban dwellers looking for the performance of an SPD shoe but want the looks of something you could spill beer and peanuts on after your lap of the city-core.
Featuring a high-quality perforated microfiber upper, suede accents and a rock-hard (well pretty stiff) molded EVA footbed and a standard SPD mount, the Republics come in four colourways with the lead/gum shown here. They are comfortable and getting in and out of them are pain-free – just tie up the laces as you would any other shoe. The difference here being you can hop on your fixie/singlespeed/rum-runner and head off without needing to carry another pair of shoes with you (potentially).
The walkable rubber pads on the bottom of the shoe are replaceable and the sole is still very still compared to other urban inspired SPD shoes – You do still feel as if you are walking in tap shoes when off the bike so be weary of any claims that you ONLY need one pair of shoes off the bike. The Republics do bridge the gap between the ultra-performance and arguably ugly cycling shoes to a more suitable and reasonable approach to “fashionable” urban cycling.
The Giro Republics are a great way to complete the look of a modern, urban cyclist. There’s no denying how popular cycling in urban areas is (just one quick scan of the bike vs. car debate in Toronto and the sheer amount of cyclists commuting is all it takes) and it only makes sense that companies start to offer alternatives to traditional SPD shoes. The Republics do away with Velcro or ratchet straps however and rely on a traditional lace system to get the job done and the result is a nice clean and classical look. Don’t expect these to cinch up and stay there though, they’re more for recreation.
The Republics are a reasonably fashionable alternative to an SPD shoe that are comfortable, durable and stylish. If you ride to work, or tend to ride casually around a metropolitan area (on a lake-front bike path) or even are on and off your bike many times a day the Giro Republics are definitely worth a look if a good looking cycling shoe is one of the last things on your list to completing your “look” as a cyclist.
We recommend them.
Products seen in this post:
Giro Republic Shoes / Poler Waterbottle / Ride Away Bike Shop
