The sole is made from carbon fibre and measures ten out of 12 on Shimano’s stiffness scale. That’s largely meaningless when comparing to other brands but provides some context within the Shimano range. Essentially, you get a very stiff sole which isn’t quite as rigid as a maxed-out 12/12 model (the S-Phyre RC9, for example).

• Shimano RP9

• Price: £219.99
• Sizes: EU 36-52
• Size tested: EU 47 (UK 11.5)
• Colours: Black; blue; navy
• UK distributor: Madison
• Website: Shimano

In reality, having spent a good month with the RP9s, it’s plenty stiff enough for pretty much any situation even a high-performance roadie will experience, while it is remarkably comfortable over a long ride.

The RP9s are not exactly heavy either – Shimano claims a feathery 224g per shoe in a EU42 (UK8), while ours registered 271g apiece in an EU47. In fact, the 224g claimed weight is actually lighter than the all-singing S-Phyre RC9 shoes (243g).

The heel is narrow – supported with an external cup – without being restrictively so, but as the shoe gets to the arch area, it widens out. This provides tangibly more room than you get with, say, Sidi’s Genius 7 shoes in the same size, which are aimed at a similar kind of target rider. This continues to the toe area, which is far more accommodating than those shoes.

The overall effect of this, in tandem with plush padding around the upper, is a great level of comfort around the foot, with 100km rides and longer ticked off with ease.

I can’t quantify that specific claim as we don’t have a bio lab in our office to perform actual testing, but I did notice foot freshness and comfort over long rides remained high, even when wrapped in a shoe cover on milder days.

“Put the hammer down and you’re never left with a sense of disconnect with the pedal or lack of power transfer”

A single Boa IP1 dial pulls and releases crosswires over the top of the foot to secure it down, although you don’t need to over-tighten it to compensate for the extra space in the shoe itself because the heel is so well shaped around the back of the foot.

You can leave it a click or two shy of your normal tightness without risk of pulling out, and that only adds to the overall level of comfort if you’re going to be wearing them all day long.

Conclusion

The Shimano RP9s are pitched as the Japanese brand’s flagship shoes for sportive and long-distance riders looking to maximise comfort without sacrificing too much performance. Whichever viewpoint you come from – endurance cyclists wanting to upgrade long-distance shoes, or racers wanting an arguably less-harsh shoe – you’re going to be impressed here.

Worthy of particular mention is the comfort and forgiving fit without losing important power transfer through the stiff carbon sole. The RP9s are certainly not heavy or cumbersome despite the extra space they give and are an all-round great option as an all-day performance shoe.

Pros

• Comfortable fit
• Stiff carbon sole
• Good ventilation

Cons

• Expensive