Dromarti Race shoe

When I saw the Dromarti Race Shoes in a photograph I thought they were the answer to my prayers, a shoe made of real leather looking identical to those worn by my heroes of yesteryear, Merckx, Coppi et al, but updated to suit modern pedals.

Suffice to say that, when I got my hands on these hand-made Italian leather cycling shoes, my prayers were more than answered.

So on to the shoes.

Opening the shoebox for the first time I dicovered the contents were wrapped in a protective fabric drawstring bag, I knew they were going to be special.

Once out of the bag the quality of the shoes was obvious, the rich brown leather is soft and supple; inside the shoes are lined in soft hide, including a leather lining bonded to the supportive dense foam insole. The finish to the leather and the quality of the stitching all point to this being a shoe that is made to last.

Leather has long been accepted as the material of choice for high quality shoes, but has been overtaken by man-made materials for high end cycling footwear over the last couple of decades. Leather has many natural qualities that make it the ideal choice for performance footwear, it breathes, neutralises odours, softens and moulds to fit. It is warm and wind resistant in cold weather yet breathes enough to be cool and absorbent in summer. Add to this the fact that these shoes will look better with age, and just an application of dubbin or polish will restore them to looking their best. Contrast this with modern man-made fabrics which tend to look best when new and deteriorate from then.

Turn the Dromarti Race shoes over and you see the modern technology that updates them to the 21st century, a very thin but very stiff carbon sole, drilled to accept modern 3 bolt pattern cleats (Shimano SPD-SL, Look etc). There is no gimmicky aesthetic carbon weave surface treatment here, just a high quality carbon sole that looks as understated as the uppers.

With cleats fitted it was time to try them on. My test pair were a size 45- the same as I wear for cycle shoes - and these were just right for length but felt a little tight width-wise. As with leather gloves, where you are best buying them slightly tight and letting the natural properties of the leather give in the right places to create the perfect fit, the same appears to apply to these shoes. After a few hundred miles and a few hours wear, the Dromarti Race shoes have broken in, they now feel just right, not tight but snug fitting and very comfortable.

Shoe closure is via the superseded but not improved upon system - laces. The waxed brown laces tighten over a soft padded leather tongue, which make it easy to loosen and tighten areas to suit your foot shape, and have stayed tied and tight over several hundred miles.

The fit of the shoe has become almost perfect and there is no heel lift or slip when pulling up hard on climbs or sprints.

With a slim-line profile that minimises the clown footed look of many cycling shoes, they are the perfect accompaniment to a Merino wool jersey and cotton cap. They exude quality in both looks and build, yet this is by no means a case of style over substance. The high quality carbon sole ensures good power transfer to the pedals, and the snug fit means they stay securely attached to your feet, whilst being very comfortable by merit of the supple leather of both the shoe and its lining.

I really cannot think of anything I could suggest that would improve them, but aesthetics will of course play a large role in any potential purchasers decision. For me the styling is absolutely perfect; a faithful reproduction of cycling shoes of a bygone era, yet incorporating the best of modern materials where they are appropriate and can add value.

These go back in their little cloth bag after each ride, just to show them I care…

Verdict

A beautifully crafted shoe, that combines retro style and the best of modern technology