As the life of my Shimano cycling shoes RP 5 or SH-RP500 (depending on your region) comes to and end, I take the chance to give it a final farewell with this review.
Background
Some years ago, I've found some no-name cycling shoes as a NOS (new old stock) in a dusty carton under some shiny new shoes on the floor. They were on sale and in my size, so I've bought them. Unfortunately I did not know how long they were sitting there and the old glue started to disintegrate the sole from the shoe. I've tried to glue them back, but it did not work out...
As I've already tasted the advantage using clipless pedals and shoes I wanted to continue this path. I discovered an ad of a shop with a complete stock of Shimano shoes and gave it a try. I've rode 45 minutes (one-way) to the cycling shop and tried several models within my budget of under NT$3.000 or USD 100.00.
I've planned to buy a black pair RP5 but the shop did not have them in my size. They only had a neon-yellow matching my feet. I felt a kind of strange but I thought about the safety feature of this bright color and purchased them. The price does n o t include the cleats (one plastic part which is screwed under each shoe with 3 bolts & washers or metal inserts) which connects the shoes to the pedals. So I had to ride home first, screwed them on, and was ready to hit the road.
Technical Stuff
- Sizing or Fit
For me, a European with narrow feet, they felt great in the shop. To show the difference of Timberland and Shimano Sizing, I compare the following shoes:
Timberland: US 44 or EUR 10
Shimano RP5: US 46 or EUR 11.2.
Shimano RC3: US46 or EUR 11-11.5, 'wide large sizing'
I don't quite understand how a Japanese cycling giant can't align their own sizes with other international manufacturers. Therefore, I urge everyone to try cycling shoes on before a purchase.
- Upper: Synthetic & Textile, Lining: Synthetic & Textile
The upper is a made of dimpled artificial leather with lots of ventilated holes in it. The shoes have a textile insert above the smaller toes for lighter weight and ventilation.
The lining is a soft but durable textile, mine showed some open abrasion on the ankle with the inner foam showing.
- Sole
It is made of glass-fiber reinforced nylon, with a carbon fiber plate beneath the cleat mounts or nuts. For the price range and as a non-pro this material is sufficient for my needs.
There are two metal meshes under the sole for ventilation and a five-bolt system for road and mountain bike cleats. A small scale helps to align the cleats.
- Closure System
The RP5 sits above the RP1, the most basic cycling shoe, and the RP3. Both have a complete hook and loop closure system while the RP5 has a micro- ratchet design on the top. The ratchet is quickly to learn and easy to use and reliable. I did not have one issue with it.
Review
I used these shoes quite extensively over a period over 4 years and around 25.000 kms; I wore them during hot summer days and rainy autumn days, in temperatures ranging between 10 and 40 degrees Celsius. For the price I got a pair of good and reliable cycling shoe, the Shimano RP5 felt stiff and comfortable - up to a 100 km.
On tours over 100 kms I felt pain under my toe balls. Even I've tried
- several different inner soles
- socks with different thickness
the pain did not change. Once I had to stop 20 kms before my home one a 125 km tour just to take off my shoes and massage my feet!
The neon-yellow color looked nice in the beginning but after some time in high concentrated UV rays the color faded and developed small black dots parts of the shows become so dirty that I could not clean them using different ways.
- On the tip of the shoes the neon yellow peeled off and a grey fabric is shown beneath the first coat of neon yellow color.
- On my left shoe the hell fell off and can be found somewhere beside the Taiwanese road.
- Some parts of the outer sole disintegrated and fell off.
As mentioned before, I still think that the sizing of Shimano shoes in general is a little bit off. I've tried on Specialized shoes, they had a more 'natural' inner sole and were wider on the toes.
I've rode many, many miles (and kilometers) in these shoes and liked them up to 100 km. Looking at the price, the offered a decent value. They did not quite match my feet anatomy, I made the wrong choice with the bright neon yellow in the long term.
But as the design, material and manufacturing process continues to develop, I felt that my newer, lower positioned RC3 road shoe within in the Shimano range (with BOA closure) offers a much better value and fit. I rode 266.90 km tour pain-free in these new (!) shoes in two days.
Verdict:
+ price
+ availability
- sizing, fit
- bright neon-yellow color
- manufacturing quality
Ride Carefully. Gerhard
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