Test: Giro's portfolio has been constantly evolving for over 30 years, and it hasn't stayed with helmets. Shoes, clothing lines and all kinds of accessories for cycling and snow sports have been developed from the idea to series production. The Californian brand can be found everywhere, so anyone who has anything to do with cycling or winter sports cannot ignore Giro's wide range. If you type in the search window on Google road bike shoes, you will stumble straight across the Giro Factor Techlace that we have in mind.
It should be light, have a stiff sole for perfect power transmission, be functional and also look stylish. Just a few criteria that a shoe in this price range should offer the new owner. We tried to find out for you in a 5-month test phase what the Factor Techlace offers and whether it can hold its own against the other competitors on the market.
The first impression
"Fresh out of the box" or, as in our case, the supplied carrying bag, you can say the workmanship looks very high quality at first glance, all glued areas are clean and without traces of processing, which is not always the case with other manufacturers. The 210g (for size 42,5, per shoe) light racing shoe doesn't have much on the ribs, this low weight is already an announcement.
The lacing is also noticeable, a twist lock at the top, shoelaces at the bottom that are held in place by two Velcro fasteners, a very successful combination in our opinion. One of the ideas behind the newly developed lacing system is to be able to easily adjust the shoe while driving in order to ensure optimal support and a secure fit at all times. What also immediately catches the eye is the bright yellow color scheme, but the Factor is also available in black, white or orange/black.
Im Tested
Even putting on the shoes can be a test of patience with some competitor models. In our case, the upper flap can be opened very wide, which allows for easy entry.
As for the fit, one can say that it wears well, really very well, once it's strapped on, the foot sits firmly in the shoe and doesn't come loose anymore. A reinforced padding in the heel area prevents it from slipping out upwards, so the foot always stays fixed in place. Giro also supplies inlay pads to support the arch of the foot in order to do justice to as many different foot shapes as possible and not just to satisfy the standard foot wearer.
The arch pads can be changed very easily via Velcro. It's a cool thing that these are already included in the scope of delivery. At first there were still small places that pinched a bit, but the material quickly adapted to the foot, so the shoe fit like a glove after a short time. A large number of ventilation holes ensure a pleasant climate and the removal of heat, coupled with the breathable materials, we didn't get too warm even on hot summer days over 30 degrees and our feet didn't drown in sweat.
For the sole of the foot, the Americans trust a specialist in carbon processing and place the sole of the foot on a very thin, light and stiff Easton EC90 SLX2 sole. We quickly noticed that there are no compromises, there is no twisting or giving in, all of the power is converted 1:1 into propulsion, thanks to the low construction. A good sole alone does not make a good shoe, which is why hard-wearing and durable materials such as the Premium Evofiber SL outer skin were used. They were convincing in our test because we could not provoke any cracks or other damage. The color, which tends to fade in sunlight, also has very good durability and looks like it did at the beginning of our test phase. For a thoroughbred road bike shoe, it offers a lot of comfort and our feet didn't fall off after several hours of riding, so the concept works.
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