I agree with Ruthie that these are pretty. Despite their high price, I thought about trying them toward the desperate end of my last shoe search.
I’d still like to try them, but I’d like even more to try a similarly sleek and all-black shoe with SPD cleats. The
Shimano RT4 (laces but apparently no black option) and
RT5 (velcro) are candidates, but from what I can tell, the soles aren’t stiff enough for me. Plus, the previous Shimano shoes I’ve tried have been awful in fit and quality.
If someone made a shoe that looked like the Shimano RT4 but in black, with leather uppers, a stiff sole, and a price under £100, I think it would clean up.
Currently I use Look Delta cleats, but the ongoing costs are bothering me, with the cleats lasting only about 3,000–4,000 km. Would like to try SPDs again if I could find a sleek, simple shoe with a stiff enough sole.