Empire rising: Giro’s most iconic shoe design is handsomely updated for 2020

When it was first released in 2013, the Giro Empire confounded what many considered modern cycling shoes — something better suited to racing Eroica than at home in the pro peloton. To those that recognized the shoe’s simplicity however, it took only a podium finish at the 2012 Giro to create unexpected interest. The 2020 version remains a standard lace-up race shoe with a one-piece upper construction and all the stretch, suppleness and performance for which the Empire is well known. Combine that with the character it exudes when worn and you have what remains one of the best available road shoes, full stop.

Beta version: a one-off aero shoe designed for Taylor Phinney at the 2012 Giro d’ Italia, emulating the look of Nike’s Murcurial soccer cleats.

The Empire’s popularity is entirely accidental. After winning the prologue at the 2012 Giro, Taylor Phinney, then 21 and in the early stages of his career riding for Team BMC, crashed in a subsequent road stage and destroyed his Giro Factors. Soon after, he debuted what became known as the Empires - a flash silver and neon green lace-up that was famously photographed with his bloody ankle dripping all over the prototype. Demand for the shoe swelled, mostly online. It was an immediate standout, contravening most of what was then available for road.

Based on demand, Giro added the shoe to its lineup in 2013; Phinney would continue racing in the shoe throughout his career, prompting a conversation amongst pros and cyclists alike about comfort and style as essential elements to performance. The mountain version, the Empire VR90, gained popularity with gravel riders, too, with the design elements lending itself to mixed terrain.

One of the reasons Giro remains so proud of the Empire is that the shoe wasn’t conceived in a boardroom. It evolved organically and almost by accident. “There was a real purpose and need for the shoe and events just seemed to conspire to popularize it,” explains Giro Footwear Product Manager Peter Curran. On and off-road, the platform was a success, with riders across disciplines favouring the feel, comfort and simplicity of doing without buckles or straps. The shoe evolved into different platforms for different ride types; at Eurobike 2019, Giro revealed a 2020 version of the platform’s flagship with a slight update.

Road feel that’s difficult to match

The Empire has race wins aplenty to its name. From stages at the Giro and the Tour to race wins at Road, MTB, and CX National Championships, its list of podiums and design awards are equally long. It’s a timeless design; even with the update it hasn’t changed much in seven years. It is fresh but familiar, maintaining the fit, feel and function of the first lace-ups we got it 2015 (in black with neon details), only with a slightly more comfortable toe box and airier feel.

“This is hard to quantify,” adds Curran, “but we believe there’s a disruptive style and spirit with this shoe that some riders identify with. It’s a bit of an outlier and flies in the face of the latest tech.” After several long rides and all-out efforts in the mountains, we’d have to agree. In burnt orange (not the official colour name) the shoe turns heads, performs well and still boasts the outstanding customizable fit for which it’s known. Reflective detailing on the outside toe adds a little vis, too. Yes, it takes slightly longer to tighten versus rotating a BOA dial, but the result feels tailored to the individual rider, and the fit, near perfect.

Most of the shoe’s features — like lightweight construction and responsiveness — are carried forward from previous iterations. The Easton SLX carbon sole is a powerful link between pedal and rider, while the lace-up is a continuance and defining example of why it remains at the epicentre of Giro’s road collection. We could try to find things wrong with the design, feel and performance, but really, there aren’t any.

There are definitely stiffer shoes available, but this is not the Empire’s wheelhouse. It remains one of the few available road shoes to come standard with so many customizable options while still offering what is so clearly a differentiated road feel and purpose; a design icon that is still without equal.

Product image: https://www.jeff-engelhardt.com/product-design/giro-footwear