The Trans have a synthetic leather microfibre upper with open weave venting around the toe and the length of the inner side. Three straps hold them closed, the ankle one being ratcheted and the central one offset, which helps prevent the tongue pinching. Adjustment is among the best we’ve seen.
The moulded footbed provides a mid-height arch support and a nicely shaped heel pad. Meanwhile, up front, the insert is vented, as is the sole, allowing for decent airflow. The shape of the shoe is similar to a Shimano – not super-wide – and the high, supportive heel cup is well padded, so we had no issues with rubbing. It’s available in half sizes from 39-48.
While Giro’s top-flight Prolight shoes have an Easton EC90 outsole for stiffness and light weight, these get the lower grade EC70 carbon. it weighs a few grams more, with each of our size 46s coming in at 324g, which is about 80-100g heavier than for the Prolights. However, the Trans shares that shoe’s superb stiffness, with no discernible flex when we were pounding the pedals.
We’re impressed – the Trans are right on the money against the pricepoint competition, offering all the features of Giro’s top-of-the-range shoe, the Prolight, at nearly half the price. In fact, they perform so well that we can’t really see the point of spending more.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine.
