As the life of my RP 5 or SH-RP500 cycling shoes come to and end, I took the chance to give them a final farewell with this review. Generally, there were some up and downs but basically, they performed positively for their price over a period of roughly 4 years.
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 in a sports shop. They were on sale and accidently 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 after some time. I've tried to glue them back, but it did not work out...
As I've already tasted the advantage using clipless pedals 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 around/or NT$3.000 or USD 100.00.
I've planned to buy a black pair of RP5 but the shop did not have them in my size. They only had the neon-yellow shoe in a sizr matching my feet. I felt a kind of strange but I thought about the safety feature of this bright colored shoes and purchased them. The price does n o t include the cleats (the plastic part screwed under each shoe connecting the shoe and the pedal). I had to ride home first, screwed the cleats on with tree washers and three 4mm inner hex bolts for each shoe, 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 classic boots: US 44 or EUR 10
Shimano RP5 road cycling shoes: US 46 or EUR 11.2.
Shimano RC3 road cycling shoes: 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, if leisure or sport shoes. Therefore, I have to urge everyone to try out the cycling shoes on your feet before a purchase.
- Upper: Synthetic & Textile, Lining: Synthetic & Textile
The upper is made of and artificial leather with some dimpled surface (like a golf ball) with lots of stamped ventilated holes in it. The shoes have a textile insert above the smaller toes for lighter weight and ventilation and comfort.
The lining is a soft but durable textile, mine showed some open abrasion on the ankle with the inner foam showing through.
- 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 the stiffness of the material is sufficient for my ambitions and needs. There are two metal mesh inserts under the sole for ventilation
The shoe comes with a five-bolt system for road and mountain bike cleats. A small printed scale helps to align the left and right cleats.
- Closure System
The entry into the Shimano road cycling shoe range starts with the RP1, above it sits the RP3. Both have a complete 3 sets hook and loop closure system while the RP5 has an additional micro- ratchet design on the top. An opposite positioned tongue had to be fed into the ratchet and tightened with several motions until the shoes fit tight but comfortable. The ratchet system is quickly to learn, easy to use and reliable. I did not have one issue with it during the lifetime of my shoes.
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 cold 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 distance of 100 kms.
On tours over 100 kms I felt pain starting under my toe balls, even after I've changed several inner soles and tried different thin and/or thick socks. Once I had to stop 20 kms before the finish of a 125 km tour. I had to take off my shoes and massaged the in a dark conner of a park, I just felt too painful to continue!
The neon-yellow color looked nice in the beginning but after some time some the color faded considerably. I would contribute it to the high percentage of harmful UV-rays of the Taiwanese sun, with is in fact a tropical island. Additionally to the fading neon, the shoes developed small black and parts - I could not clean or wash them off in any way.
- On the tip of the shoes the neon yellow peeled off and a grey fabric showed beneath the first coat of neon yellow color.
- On my left shoe the hell fell off and might been left somewhere stranded beside the road.
- Some parts of the outer sole of the right shoe disintegrated and fell off.
As mentioned before, I still believe 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, positioned the arched where they should be and were wider or more comfortable around the toes.
I've rode many, many miles (or kilometers) in these shoes and liked them for rides up to 100 kms. 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 my newer, lower positioned RC3 road shoe within the Shimano range (with BOA closure) offered a much better value and fit. I rode a 266.90 km tour painless in my new (!) shoes in two days. And the black color looks like new!
Verdict of Shimano RP5 / RP500 Clipless Road Shoes:
+ price
+ availability
- sizing, fit
- bright neon-yellow color quality
- manufacturing quality
Thanks for reading, your comments and ideas are truly appreciated.
Ride carefully, Gerhard