Thursday, February 7, 2013

Diadora Jet Racer shoes - Cadel's Kicks!

I used to have a thing for shoes.  I know, very metro, but it was a fetish that landed some very nice shoes in my closet.  I had some Prada, Allen Edmonds, Ferragamo and Cole Haan.  There is nothing like slipping on a high end pair of hand made dress shoes.  Not only did those shoes last, they were luxurious in their comfort, made you feel like you were walking on air and made a statement when walking into a room.  Dress for success was my mantra.  They were worth every penny, or 40,000 pennies as it were.  I don't dress up everyday anymore like I did 10 years ago, but my affinity for nice shoes still lingers.  However, I care much more about my kicks for cycling than what I wear to church on Sunday.

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I've ridden a few pairs of cycling shoes over the years.  I had some nylon soled Specialized shoes in high school and rode Shimanos, then Axo's, during my MTB days in the late 90's.  All very low tech.  When I started road riding again in 2006 I went cheap again with some entry level Shimanos.  I ended up winning a slick pair of Scott shoes in a prime but they didn't fit.  I sold them and went for my first pair of carbon road shoes, again from Shimano.  They worked well enough.  Stiff, stylish, but a bit thick in the sole.  I wore those things out and went for a set of Bontrager RL's.  A super thin carbon sole got me closer to the pedals but they never really fit me quite right.  I never got my cleats in a good position and the screws from the cleats kept poking through to my feet.  The toe box collapsed and I ended up having to warranty the shoes.  They just didn't fit my feet.  I actually think my season suffered a bit last year because of the shoes.

Over the past few months, I've expanded my rep portfolio to include Diadora shoes.  Diadora has an incredibly complete line of road and MTB shoes.  3 different lasts, various color options and sole choices that range from basic nylon to the exquisite Net Breathing System carbon sole found the the highest end Jet Racer.

The Jet Racer is now what I'm on.  Just like my Pradas, the Jet Racers are worth every bit their $459 MSRP.  I finally had the chance to put some good miles on the kicks last weekend in St. George.

Out of the box, these shoes are sexy.  There's 4 color options for the Jet Racer and they come with a very cool lizard skin pattern that blends nicely with the standard Diadora graphic.  I'm wearing a size 43, a half size smaller than the Bontragers, but a half size bigger than my last Shimanos.  It seems to be a sweet spot for the Diadora sizing for my foot.

The Build

Handbuilt in Italy, the fit and finish of the Jet Racers in second to none.  The excellent craftsmanship translates nicely over to the less expensive options in the line.  The Jet Racers have a micro adjust buckle and 2 velcro straps, one with a novel plastic locking mechanism.  There's also a velcro "security strap" under the buckle, so these shoes aren't going anywhere.  The leather upper is supple and the heel is cupped by a nice thick piece of plastic.

The sole is truly a work of art.  The woven carbon lower shell is thin and stiff and heavily vented.  This venting is part of the Net Breathing System, which is much more than just simple holes for air to pass through.  Its actually a multi layer, breathable structure which includes vented insole, a waterproof breathable membrane, a wire mesh and then the carbon sole.  Again, a work of art.  The photos I have hear don't begin to do it justice.  There's also a replaceable heal and toe pad.

The Fit

The Jet Racer comes with Diadora's Regular Race Last, meaning its a purposeful, snug fit.  I think a cycling shoe should fit like a ski boot and make you feel connected to the bike.  However, a little room is nice so your feet can swell a bit as can happen on long rides.  My feet feel right at home in these shoes.  On the first ride they felt like my old Shimanos did after years of riding, meaning they were comfortable, so comfortable in fact I forgot I had shoes on at all.  I assuming they are narrower than other non-italian brands, but I can only say for sure they are more narrow than the Shimanos but not as narrow as the Bontragers.  My heel feels solidly locked into the shoe, the plastic heel cup doing its job.

The Ride

Again, these kicks are so comfortable I forgot I had them on.   I had to keep looking down at my feet to remind myself they were there, which wasn't a bad thing, since these are the nicest looking shoes I've had the pleasure of slipping on my feet since my last pair of Prada loafers.  Stiff when powering up a climb, super light and no less comfortable after 5 hours in the saddle.  I was shocked actually.  I believe good equipment is equipment you don't have to think about and I only think about these shoes when I want to admire how sessy they are.

I also seemed to have nailed my cleat placement.  Amazing since I never felt like I had it quite right on the Bontragers.  Two trips up and down the street is all it took.  Don't know if that had anything to do with the shoes, but it was a nice bonus!

Buy 'em!

The Jet Racers are the real deal.  I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for.  When I was spending crazy money on my dress shoes, it was well worth it when I was still wearing those shoes 5 years later.  Some of those shoes have passed on, but I keep re-soling a pair of Pradas because the uppers and insoles are holding up so well.  Diadora spreads the Jet Racer's features across the line and you can find the unique Net Breathing System soles on the less expensive Vortex and Mig Racers as well.  There's also a full carbon sole on the Aerospeed Carbon and Aeorspeed Women's shoes.  But dollar for dollar, there's no better shoe that money can buy than the Jet Racer.


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