When I was in Portland, before my tour, the guys at Rapha North America told me about this collaboration with Giro that they had been working on. Their idea was simple: make a cycling shoe that boasts the performance of a modern race shoe, influenced by the classic models from the 70’s. If anyone has nailed that ideology down, it’s Rapha. The Grand Tour Shoes embody the same stylistic approach as their apparel line and by style, I mean simplicity. These minimally-branded, perforated white leather shoes utilize the same technology as Giro’s professional racing shoes and look damn good.

I’ve broken this review down into a gallery, with the captions describing each photo, so take note. See for yourself by clicking the image above or here to open in a new tab.

I would like to thank Rapha and Giro for sending me a pair to try out. I expect a long-life from these shoes, just like the rest of Giro’s models, which I’ve ridden and tested for many miles.

The Rapha Grand Tour Shoes will be available on Tuesday, April 10 through Rapha.cc and these North American retailers:

La Bicicletta Pro Shop – Vancouver
Studio Velo – Mill Valley, CA
Rapha Cycle Club – SF, CA
Bike Effect – Santa Monica,
Contender Bicycles – SLC, UT
Signature Cycles – NYC

Sizing availability is 39-48 in half sizes except for 47.5

Retail: £300 – or – $450