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Giro Empire VR90 MTB Shoe

GiroEmpire VR90 MTB Shoe(Return to Product Page)

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(10 customer reviews)
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User submitted reviews

Review by Mark956

Reviewed 1/9/2017
by Mark956
Cycling Enthusiast
Davis, CA
Value Rating
Overall Rating
2 of 4 customers found this review helpful.
This is a nice stiff comfortable shoe.

I use this SPD shoe on my road bike. For me SPD shoes are just as fast as regular road shoes and I like being able to walk around in them The Giro shoes are very stiff, which is great on the bike, but makes them a little stiffs to walk around in. Overall I really like these shoe.

Thank you for your feedback.

Review by XC-VCUSA

Reviewed 11/28/2016
by XC-VCUSA
Competitive Racer
Vancouver, WA
Value Rating
Overall Rating
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.
Fits similar to other shoe brands

There are a few reviews around the web suggesting these shoes are unusually narrow. As one who normally wears Sidi I wanted to put another data point out there to say these are no more narrow than a standard SIDI shoe. So if you think that's too narrow then fine, but this shoe is billed more a racing shoe than a CX shoe. It's light weight so if you need a trekking shoe you might consider something else.

Thank you for your feedback.

Review by Lunchrider

Reviewed 6/8/2015
by Lunchrider
Portland, OR
Value Rating
Overall Rating
0 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
Love them

Love these shoes very comfortable

The laces really work for me

These are my go to shoes for tandem rides

Thank you for your feedback.

Review by lint6

Reviewed 5/28/2015
by lint6
Cycling Enthusiast
Chicago, IL
Value Rating
Overall Rating
9 of 9 customers found this review helpful.
Great feel, not very durable

I've had these shoes for a month and a half and have used them for both off-road riding and commuting. I normally wear size 11.5 gym shoes and ordered these in 45.5. The fit felt very snug at first but after a few weeks felt perfect. The carbon soles are very stiff and provide a great feel when pedaling. Plus, they look way more presentable than regular bike shoes. When clipped in, I'd give these shoes 5 stars.

But, after only weeks of use, the Vibram sole on my shoes is starting to break apart. The rubber used here is very hard and brittle, and rather than wearing normally, parts of the sole break off in large chunks. And, you can't get replacement pads for these shoes. For as much as I like wearing these shoes, it sucks that they probably won't last 6 months.

Thank you for your feedback.

Review by seattleleaf

Reviewed 3/9/2015
by seattleleaf
Cycling Enthusiast
Seattle, WA
Value Rating
Overall Rating
0 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
Initial Toughts

I only have a couple rides in with these shoes, but so far I am very impressed. As a long-time Sidi fan boy, I wasn't sure about the laces or the brand, but for some reason I was drawn to at least try these. The initial lace was like slipping on a pair of running shoes. A very good fit, and totally customization to avoid pressure points. The laces slip into a little elastic thingy on the tongue to keep them out of the cranks. My first ride was a 15 mile mtb romp on single and double track...nothing too techy but at over an hour in the saddle it was a good test. With the carbon sole you can really feel the power transfer to the pedals. It's much more like a road shoe in that regard. The vibram sole was great for the little bits of walking. If these babies hold up, I will be a long-term convert. The price is in line with most other high-end shoes. I like the laces, the look, and the light weight of these shoes, and love the feeling of power transfer.

Thank you for your feedback.

Review by Pablo

Reviewed 10/1/2017
by Pablo
Competitive Racer
MD
Value Rating
Overall Rating
1 of 4 customers found this review helpful.
Most comfortable MTB shoes I own

I've owned several pairs of Giro MTB shoes over the past 5 years, and the ratchet system models have an upper seam that often irritates the topoutside of my feet. In contrast, the seamless-upper Empires create no friction points on my feet. The laces also do a better job adjusting fit, though you can't easily fine tune this while riding (which is one advantage of ratchets)...The Empire sole is super stiff and great for power transfer. I haven't used these long enough to comment on durability.

Thank you for your feedback.

Review by MTRyno

Reviewed 1/27/2017
by MTRyno
Competitive Racer
Missoula, MT
Overall Rating
A Return to Laces

I really like this shoe. On my old shoes with buckles, I was never able to get them to fit snugly enough without fear of over-tightening and breaking the plastic strap. This lead to issues with the shoe feeling like it was going to slip off during cyclocross run-ups. Not an issue with these babies, as you can tighten the laces in just the right spots to get a snug fit. These are great shoes.

Thank you for your feedback.

Review by DasHaugen

Reviewed 4/3/2015
by DasHaugen
Cycling Enthusiast
Salt Lake City, UT
Overall Rating
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
Great shoe, super comfortable, good looking.

The shoes are the most comfortable cycling shoe I've ever had by far. My guess is it's due to two things the lacing system provides a much better fit than the usual buckle and velcro and the upper is really supple. I'd love to switch over to the SLX for road shoes if they ever go on sale.

Thank you for your feedback.

Review by dbnm

Reviewed 1/22/2015
by dbnm
Albuquerque
Overall Rating
awesome!

I saw these shoes last summer and was dying to get them.

The shoes are super comfy and true to size. I ride them all the time now.

Thank you for your feedback.

Review by Greg

Reviewed 4/6/2018
by Greg
KS
Overall Rating
Very comfortable

These shoes are very comfortable. I really like the changeable arch supports. Thought id hate the laces but dont mind them.

Shoes are equipped with a lace holder on the tongue to keep lace loops out of the drive train.

Thank you for your feedback.

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