GIRO CODE SHOES Review – Issue #43

Giro tried making sneakers a while back, and it didn’t go that well. For their second foray into footwear (this time cycling specific) they must have decided failure wasn’t an option because the new Code shoe is one well thought out kick. Each pair comes with three different sized footbeds for varied arch support and a custom fit. The upper is constructed from Teijin microfibre and is designed to mold to your foot shape, and the offset mid-strap enhances fit and removes the strap’s pressure point. The whole thing sits atop a super stiff Easton EA90 carbon sole for some serious race-level power transfer, but not so stiff that you can’t spend all day in them.
The toe area is reinforced, but not in the way some other carbon soled trail shoes are; if you’re doing a tonne of hike-a-bike stuff or scrambling over rocks then perhaps these aren’t the shoes for you, as they are designed as a high end race/trail shoe.
I’ve been wearing the Code shoes for over four months now. They started life at the tail end of summer and have made it through the heart of a pretty crap winter. Out of the box they felt a little tight but after a half dozen or so rides they well and truly molded to my feet. I’ve been running the midsized arch support which, combined with the super simple ratchet system (that hasn’t jammed once) and two Velcro straps, produces a shoe that fits comfortably, but more importantly, firmly. They’ve been hiked in, crashed in and have put up with the rigors of being a photographer’s shoe. Apart from a little excessive wear on the toe, I’ve actually been surprised by just how well they’ve held up.
So if there’s a wad of cash burning a hole in your pocket and you want a lightweight, stiff pair of comfy race/trail shoes, then look no further than Giro’s new Codes. CALEB SMITH