Sidi Laghèe Sprinter shoe review: super rigid meets super plush over an espresso

Well, this is an intriguing proposition. Two Italian brands join forces to develop a shoe that’s plenty stiff enough for racing, yet comfortable enough for a casual coffee ride and stylish enough to get nods of approval from the fashionistas who promenade along the shores of Lake Como.

The two protagonists are the Italian shoe brand Sidi, which brings artisanal expertise and desirable racing heritage to the coffee table, and the Como-based bike shop, café, and clothing brand Sartoria Ciclistica, poised to inject a double shot of espresso-fuelled sartorial elegance.

The Laghèe Sprinter, with its clean, sneaker-esque lines and multi-hued tongue, does look undeniably cool. But is it desirable, or even feasible, to produce a super-stiff sole married to a slipper-like upper?

Construction

Let’s start by deconstructing the name. ‘Sprinter’ is self-explanatory but think playful town sign sprint rather than Cav going full-gas at Saint-Vulbas. ‘Laghèe’ translates as ‘of the Lake’, a reference to Como’s locals and the affectionate term Sartoria Ciclistica uses to address its devotees.

Working from the bottom up, the Laghèe Sprinter has a ‘C-boost aerolite’ carbon sole with a stiffness rating of 12/12 on Sidi’s rigidity scale. It’s the same sole as found on Sidi’s top-tier Shot 2 race shoe. I take size 48 shoes, which tend to exhibit more flex than shorter lengths, but trust me, there’s absolutely no give in this sole when I try to flex it in any direction by hand.

Embedded into the sole at the toe and heel are two replaceable silver/grey nylon inserts, each attached with a single crosshead screw. Both feature tiny raised black nylon tread blocks and house small vents – one at the front, three at the rear – that are protected from small pebbles and other road detritus by fine stainless-steel mesh.

Most of the sole, with its slick carbon weave boldly visible, is silky smooth to the touch, except for the area around the adjustable cleat holes, which is roughly textured for grip. The three bolt holes have 6mm of fore and aft adjustment, and there are guide rules etched into the sole to make setup and replacement easier.

The faux leather upper has a microfibre backing that makes the inner feel very plush and readily regulates sweat absorption. This dual-layer material feels beautifully smooth on its outer face too, extremely soft to the touch yet not as supple as a lightly woven fabric or mesh.

Unfortunately, the insoles aren’t adjustable for arch height – no wedge inserts are included – but they are good quality, dual-density products, with thicker, firmer, perforated foam beneath the metatarsal area. The right insole is emblazoned with the Sartoria Ciclistica slogan: We Ride For Coffee.

The lightly perforated synthetic upper has a lean, clean aesthetic, accentuated by the long down-to-the-toe lacing channel that promotes a precise, tailored fit. The shoe is almost entirely devoid of stitching, other than the retro toe bumper and black heel strip, which has the Sidi logo picked out in the same colours as the tongue.

Ah, yes, that multi-coloured tongue, the most striking feature of this shoe. Apparently, the four hues – muted shades of blue, red, yellow and green – are the house colours of Sartoria Ciclistica, a combination that looks stunning. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think Sidi has successfully navigated the fine line that teasingly meanders between alla moda and cattivo gusto.

The tongue, which is made from the same microfibre-backed PU fabric as the rest of the upper, is both padded and perforated. It’s hard to spot at first glance, but it’s actually a continuation of the toe bumper, a testament to the craftsmanship that’s been invested in this shoe. Unusually, the tongue is held in place by a row of stitches that also secure the mid-lace guide on the arch (inner) side of the foot.

The rear inner, including the deep heel cup and generously padded collar, is lined with a soft, black microfibre mesh fabric that’s proudly stamped ‘Made In Italy’.

Where most brands use Boa dials, Sidi favours its own unidirectional rotary closure system that relies on a flip-up latch to tighten and two squeezable side paddles to release. The Laghèe Sprinter features one of these dials on each shoe, aligned with three pairs of symmetrically placed lace guides (including the guide incorporated within the dial). The laces are Dyneema, which is softer than the plastic-coated steel wire used by Boa. Both dial and laces are replaceable.

The Ride

The Laghèe Sprinter uses a traditional Sidi last, which is quite narrow both at the heel and forefoot. This, together with the deep heel cup, provides a ‘locked-in’ sensation that divides opinion. My large feet fall between narrow and wide – I hesitate to call them normal or even regular – which means I can usually get comfortable in most shoes. Yet I prefer a roomier toe box for longer rides as my feet tend to swell a little.

Very recently, Sidi has developed a ‘Millenium’ last with a wider toe box that works particularly well for me, but sadly, it’s not been adopted for this shoe. No matter, I found the slim fit secure but reassuringly comfy, even when putting the watts down.

Which brings me to the character of these shoes. The sole is super stiff, and despite the luxurious fabric, the upper remains on the unyielding side of pliant. This may not be an uncompromising race shoe like the Sidi Shot 2, but make no mistake, it’s no everyday commuter either. So, is the marketing promise of café-ride comfort disingenuous?

As always, it depends on your individual tastes and circumstances. If you prefer your caffeine and cake raids to be enjoyed at pace with a group of sharply dressed buddies, then this may just be the shoe for you. However, if you cycle at a more leisurely speed, happier to devote more time to slow-passing scenery than fast fashion, then it may be a little too hardcore. However, it’s worth remembering that personal preference plays a significant role in shoe choice. Some leisure-oriented riders will choose a stiffer sole over a more flexible shoe every time, purely because they find it more comfortable. There’s nothing wrong with that.

As well as being ultra-stiff, the slim carbon soles have a low stack height. I can’t say whether this quality made my riding more aero and efficient, but it certainly made me feel more connected with the bike.

Despite having only a single rotary closure dial, the long lace channel and stable tongue enabled me to tension the Dyneema laces conveniently, consistently and comfortably. The dial is so well made it feels bullet-proof in operation; I’m sure it will outlast the shoes. However, I found it slightly more fiddly to use than a Boa and, because it is unidirectional, making any subsequent adjustments on the move felt cumbersome.

Most of my riding for this review was completed at the tail-end of winter into early spring, with an initial burst or two on the turbo to ensure I’d positioned my cleats correctly. Excluding the turbo rides, temperatures ranged from around 5°C / 41°F in the early mornings to 16°C / 61°C at midday, with the upper figure being most representative. Within this temperature range, I found my pair of Laghèe Sprinters exceptionally comfortable. The microfibre-lined uppers and the limited number of perforations meant that my feet remained cosy, helped by a lack of cold air flushing through the body of the shoe. The vents in the sole are apparent on the move, but again, the airflow is relatively subtle. How this low level of venting plays out during the summer months remains to be seen.

Value and conclusions

At £350/$429 the Sidi Laghèe Sprinter is clearly an expensive shoe, one that’s only slightly cheaper than the brand’s cutting-edge race shoes, such as the Wire 2S and the Shot 2S. But that’s the point – this is essentially a top-tier race shoe that’s been detuned for fast café rides. Any marginal downturn in performance is compensated by an uplift in comfort and style.

What you get for your money is a quality, handmade European shoe with a top-notch carbon sole and removable, replaceable consumable components. Plus, of course, a generous sprinkling of Italian flair.

Build quality is simply superb, the materials used are of the highest quality, and there’s not a panel or stitch out of place. Just bear in mind that these aren’t the lightest shoes – mine weighed in at 365g per shoe but, to be fair, that is for a size 48.

The closest competitor I can think of is the Mechanism PNS x Fizik shoe, a special edition collaboration between Fizik and Pas Normal Studios that retails for an even pricier £390/$490.

Remove the fashion element, and it’s easy to find cycling shoes with comparable features selling for significantly less than these two examples. However, love it or hate it, style has been inextricably linked with cycling for decades, and few, if any, do it better than the Italians. If you’re an aesthete blessed with regular to narrow feet and a craving for espresso, you’re going to love this shoe.

Specs

• Stiffness rating (Sidi’s own): 12/12
• Sole: C-boost aerolite carbon sole
• Closure: Single rotary dial closure with Dyneema lace
• Consumables: Replaceable consumable parts
• Country of manufacture: Handmade in Italy
• Sizes: 40 – 48
• Weight: 365g per shoe in size 48