Weighing in at 504g (for a pair of EU44), the Empire’s may not be a weight weenies dream. But they’re competitive to similar offerings from Sidi, and Specialized.

Included with the supernatural fit insoles are three separate arch supports that attach via velcro : Colin Levitch / Future Publishing When Giro first launched the Empire, it was the first shoe in decades to use laces instead of velcro, ratchets, or BOA dials. Initially many scoffed at the idea, but now just about every brand has its own modern version of the lace up cycling shoe. The Empire SLX is an evolution of the original shoe designed in collaboration with former pro Taylor Phinney, which uses a one-piece, monofilament, Synch Wire Mesh upper, providing plenty of airflow, complete with welded TPU panels for structure. The Techlace is a Giro-engineered concept that combines a traditional lace with a Velcro strap offering superlative comfort, on-bike adjustability and weight-saving performance. For a shoe that appears to have minimal ventilation the Empires left us pleasantly surprised. The combination of perforated upper and vented sole enabled our feet to breathe, and the air flow – which increased considerably at speed – was certainly enough for sweltering days. Support where you need it

By keeping the the outsole of the shoe flat, not rolling it up around the edge of the upper allows for your foot to spill over the edge of the shoe. This means that when your foot expands, whether that’s from pedaling or foot swelling, it’s not pushing up against carbon, thereby eliminating hot spots and pressure points. While this comes at the cost of lateral support, the added support from the footbeds more than compensates. The obvious standout feature that distinguishes the Empires from pretty much all other road shoes out there is the laces. The supposed benefits include a more customisable fit due to the seven pairs of eyelets in contrast to the two or three straps or BOA dials usually found on shoes these days, while the downsides are increased fiddle time when putting on or taking off the shoes, and the inability to adjust fit on the go. Too often, shoe companies neglect to include a well-designed footbed – a key contributor to both comfort and performance – so it's good to see that Giro have put in the effort here and haven't cut costs by including a super thin insole with barely any support. Not only does a well-supported foot reduce the risk of injuries in key joints such as the knees, but it also reduces the chances of hot spots developing due to the pressure being distributed over a wider area of the foot. The Velcro strap featured on Giro’s first range-topping shoe, the Prolight SLX. Apart from the obvious weight savings they offer, the straps do tend stretch over time and the Velcro is prone to contamination.

The lace-up, one-piece uppers do a fantastic job of conforming to your feet and accommodate a wide range of shapes, provided your feet aren’t overly wide The insoles are infused with X-Static silver fibres, which we found defended odour well. Because the fibres are woven into the foot bed, the antimicrobial properties are permanent, so will not wash away like some coatings and treatments do. Dampening enthusiasm? The laces work because of the stretch they have but they also work because of the low structure upper. People tend to focus on the inability to adjust the laces mid-ride and that's fair. That said, even during the multiple 200-ish mile rides I've done in these shoes, I've never wanted to adjust them. The carbon base doesn't wrap above the sole of your foot, the upper is responsive to pressure from your foot, and the laces will stretch. Tighten the Giro Empire SLX to fit when you leave the house in the morning and as your foot swells a bit it will find room.Te size 45 pair tested hit the scales at 600 grams which is light enough to justify its asking price and position at the premium end of the cycling shoe scale. There's something undeniably cool about lace up road cycling shoes and through the history of the Empire, that's what the focus has always been. You'll still find heated debates around that idea today. Many would argue that the laces are an appeal at fashion but I disagree. The Giro Empire SLX is not a shoe about looking good in laces. I'd argue that's an added bonus but it doesn't matter if you agree. The Empire SLX is one of the most advanced performance shoes you can buy and even after three years on the market, that hasn't changed. Keeping the carbon sole flat allows for what giro calls the ‘spillover effect’ : Colin Levitch / Future Publishing To prevent your laces from coming untied while you ride, the shoes come with Giro's Tubular woven laces, and an ingenious lace garage on the tongue keeps them safe from hungry chainrings. These shoes are compatible with MTB pedal systems, which use cleats with 2-bolt cleats (SPD standard), e.g.: Shimano SPD, Time ATAC, CrankBrothers, CrankBrothers Race, Look MTB, Xtreme MTB, Wellgo MTB, Ritchey MTB. Also suitable for indoor trainers in gyms etc

Giro quietly entered the shoe market in 2010 with a four-pronged product line-up comprising the Prolight SLX, Factor, Trans and Espada (women-specific). Giro’s strategy, based around lightweight materials, dynamic designs and affordability, helped it secure a significant slice of the market in a very short space of time. While the rest of the world found themselves drawn to the Giro lace up shoes when a young, potential saviour of American cycling put them into road cycling race reports, I wasn't paying attention. Ten years later when another American phenom, Keegan Swenson, was again using Giro lace ups, this time for gravel racing, I still wasn't paying much attention. Instead, it was seven years ago watching the impossibly cool, slightly older Taylor Phinney hike through the snow in Therabout Reprise with Cam Wurf, Gus Morton, and Lachlan Morton. The four friends weren't racing but seeing Phinney with his bright coloured laces wrapped around the centre of his Giro shoes is a memory I haven't forgotten. Putting power down is easy thanks to the pro-level Easton® EC90 full carbon outsole, keeping you moving forward with no wasted watts. At some point, when you’re off-road you’ll be off the bike and pushing and here the moulded Vibram® rubber tread digs in and offers fabulous grip. For particularly muddy days the sole is compatible with toe spikes too. The laces also pose a problem for mid-ride adjustments; it’s not possible to loosen or tighten them without pulling over and sitting down. But we found, barring the first ride, that we didn’t need to make adjustments – owing in part to what Giro calls the ‘spillover effect’. Room to manoeuvre

Giro Imperial first ride impressions

The upper is light and airy but somehow tough enough for gravel racing. The laces aren't adjustable mid-ride but the stretch and low-structure upper mean they don't need to be. There are other lace up shoes but none of them are as light, and light shoes on your constantly moving feet feel great. Nine years later, Giro is now a major force in the cycling shoe market thanks to Eric Horton, Giro’s creative director, who has single-handedly ensured every model range since 2010 is lighter, stiffer and more stylish than before. The company also still uses the original Prolight and Trans monikers in the current line-up, which further bolsters its heritage and status as a reputable brand. Utilised on the lower-end of Giro’s shoe range, the ratchet system might weigh more than other fastening devices but the reliability and on-the-fly adjustability more than makes up for it. What to look for in a road shoe

Where things really differ between the Empire and the Empire SLX is the design of the upper. While the Empire uses Teijin Samo microfibre upper to support the seven pairs of lace holes, the SLX shoe uses Teijin Evofiber SL Microfiber. The point here is to drastically save weight. The lightweight, highly ventilated design is not only the difference between the Empire and the Empire SLX but also the biggest update that came in 2019.

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This is then thermally welded together to create an upper with a single seam that runs down the heel on the outside and away from your foot. So the internal of the Imperial is smooth, seam-free and, as a result, should be more comfortable. Despite the rise of more sophisticated fastening systems, laces are still very popular among cyclists and for good reason: laces are light, stiff, robust and stylish but on-the-bike adjustability is limited. There were also initial worries about how to adjust the shoes’ fit during a ride but even that turned out to be a non-issue – at least provided you’re not a racer who likes to cinch your shoes down before a big sprint finish or climb. Simply take the time to dial in the fit before heading out and they stay comfortable for hours on end with virtually no loosening or hot spots even after six hours in the saddle. We noted just a bit of stretching during the first few rides but it’s been smooth sailing since then with no further shape changes noted, even after long rides in the rain. The foundation of the shoe’s upper is a micro-mesh for a little stretch and plenty of breathability, then a Tijin microfibre reinforcement layer is applied. This gives the upper its structure, which is finished with a microfibre film top sheet — replete with padded sections.