Shimano has announced a new special edition silver version of its range topping S-Phyre RC903 road shoe.
Shimano describes the new metallic silver and black colour as “timeless”, with “a shimmering, elegant design that will stun the competition out on the road.”
With the Tour de France less than two weeks away, the fresh colourway is likely to catch the eye given its popularity on the professional peloton. The RC903 has been worn by the likes of Primož Roglič, and Roman Bardet in the past as well of many of the current Alpecin-Deceuninck team, including team leader Mathieu van der Poel and sprinter Jasper Philipsen. Both are expected to figure prominently when the race gets under way in Bilbao on July 1st.
(Image credit: Shimano)
Fans of the RC903S, which features as one our best cycling shoes, will be pleased to note that aside from the colour the shoe remains the same. That means the same sleek silhouette and “slipper-like” fit as well as the “premium-finish” heel cup with its anti-twist stabilization that impressed us so much when we reviewed the shoe.
Foot retention is also aided by the low-profile crossover lacing pattern that Shimano says allows for “a supremely engineered fit for all riders”. It’s matched to a pair of BOA® Li2 metal dials, with the dual-dial system designed to deliver both a precision fit and quick micro-adjustments on the road.
(Image credit: Shimano)
The carbon sole is rated on Shimano’s stiffness scale as a 12. It’s the highest number possible and is keeping with the RC903S race-oriented objectives.
Despite the plethora of design technology the shoe only tips the scales at a claimed 228g for a size 42. For comparison our review shoe - a wide fit size 45 - weighed 252g.
(Image credit: Shimano)
To accommodate as wide a variety of foot shapes as possible, Shimano has equipped the RC903S with its Dynalast shape and what it describes as a “refined toe box fit”.
The shoes are available in both a standard and wide fit, with a full range of sizes from 36, 37 – 47 in half sizes, 48.
As for the cost, the S-Phyre RC903 shoes retail at $450 / £349.99 a pair.
Luke Friend has worked as a writer, editor and copywriter for twenty five years. Across books, magazines and websites, he's covered a broad range of topics for a range of clients including Major League Baseball, the National Trust and the NHS. He has an MA in Professional Writing from Falmouth University and is a qualified bicycle mechanic. He has been a cycling enthusiast from an early age, partly due to watching the Tour de France on TV. He's a keen follower of bike racing to this day as well as a regular road and gravel rider.
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