REASONS TO BUY
Affordable
Snug
Lightweight
REASONS TO AVOID
Fit's not universal
Can be warm
Lower power transfer
Shimano RC3 Review
An entry-level road shoe with a few finer features to get you over the hills
Credit: Shimano
RELATED: Best Cycling Shoes of 2024
Our Verdict
A solid entry-level shoe to get you up to speed out on the road or in the spin room, the Shimano RC3 is meant for the rider on a budget or the guy just getting into the sport. You'll get some of the finer features seen in Shimano's premium offerings, like the relaxed Dynalast design and fancy BOA dials for fastening, but you're still in the affordable realm of bargainers and beginner shoes. We spent a lot of time on the RC3s and set them against a handful of the best shoes on the market. Check out our article of our favorite cycling shoes to see where they stack up against the market.
Editor's Note: We updated this review on August 5th, 2024, to reflect recent changes to our test plan.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Shimano RC3 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Great Value for All-Around Performance | ||||
| Price | $120.00 at Backcountry Compare at 4 sellers | $149.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $110 List $109.95 at Backcountry | $69.93 at REI | $60 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Functional and affordable, not a bad choice for tight budgets | Consistency across all of our testing metrics make this shoe an excellent value proposition | An excellent all-around option for folks just getting into cycling | If comfort is paramount, this lightweight shoe is an affordable option | An inexpensive and serviceable cycling shoe for a fraction of the price |
| Rating Categories | Shimano RC3 | Giro Cadet | Giro Stylus | Shimano SH-RC100 | Venzo SPD-SL |
| Comfort (35%) | |||||
| Power Transfer (30%) | |||||
| Durability (20%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Shimano RC3 | Giro Cadet | Giro Stylus | Shimano SH-RC100 | Venzo SPD-SL |
| Closures | BOA L6 (one) | BOA L6 (one), Hook and Loop (one) | Hook and loop (three) | Hook and loop (three) | Hook and loop (three) |
| Width Options | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular |
| Sole Stiffness (millimeter deflection at 25 lbs) | Not tested | 7.18 | 7.72 | 13.74 | 7.93 |
| Measured Weight (Pair) | 19.4 oz (size 45) | 18.66 oz (size 42) | 18.52 oz (size 42) | 17.21 oz (size 43) | 18.27 oz (size 43) |
| Size Tested (EU) | 45 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 43 |
| Outsole | Fiberglass-reinforced nylon | Carbon-reinforced nylon | Fiberglass-reinforced nylon | Fiberglass-reinforced nylon | Nylon |
| Outsole Ventilation | Toe and heel | None | None | Toe | None |
| Upper Material | Synthetic leather | Synchwire synthetic | Synchwire synthetic | PU synthetic leather | Mesh, synthetic leather |
| Reflective Hits | None | Heel | Heel | None | Heel |
| Cleat Adjustment | +/- 5 mm | 3-Bolt: none; 2-Bolt: 2 cm | 3-Bolt: none; 2-Bolt: 2 cm | +/- 5 mm | None |
| Replaceable Toe/Heel Pads | None | None | None | None | None |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
We spent a lot of time outside and in on the trainer learning these shoes. We also researched the heck out of them and checked our notes against others to make sure we didn't miss anything. Those results are below.
Performance Comparison
The RC3s are a decent choice if you're on a tight budget and need to get into a road shoe.
Credit: Ryan Baham
Comfort
The RC3 ends up doing a lot with a little under this measure. For an entry-level shoe, you really get a good product, so long as your foot fits the last shape and toe box and you like a tight fit. Shimano's Dynalast is a little more relaxed, so the load on your feet, calves, and quads is reduced, meaning you won't get as much ache and fatigue as the ride wears on.
The integrated seamless upper, meanwhile, is a padded synthetic leather that wraps over the foot and fastens from the center. The effect is a nice glove-like fit, but the tongue and upper can rub against the upper foot and ankle a little.
The RC3s aren't going to be the best shoes out there, but they're really pretty decent for what they are -- basic, entry-level shoes to get you on the bike and cranking.
Credit: Ryan Baham
The design uses a single, one-way BOA L6 dial mounted in the middle of the upper flap, off to the side. It's not a bad idea, but because the upper is thicker and uses a healthy layer of padding, it's hard to get a good, uniform close with its configuration. That the toebox is a little too snug doesn't help here. It can be nice sometimes, but it's the only option, and any tightening of the fastener exacerbates the issue.
The fit can vary by foot. The toe box skews small, and there's not much that can be done about that if you need room to splay. The way the upper closes can be a little uncomfortable or leave you feeling like your foot might slip out at the ankle. That feeling somewhat goes away as the miles wear on and you become accustomed to the shoe's fit, but it's still not competitive with the fit and feel of premium models.
It turns out that this is not the kindest structure to your upper foot and ankle when you're locked in and cranking. It can rub pretty hard.
Credit: Ryan Baham
Power Transfer
We wish there were a little more to the sole here, but acknowledge that it's an entry shoe and works fine for riders on a budget, spin classes, and beginners just getting into the sport. The fiberglass nylon composite sole is light and durable but comes with a good deal of unwanted flex. You notice it mostly when trying to grind out watts on climbs and sprints. It's not ideal, but it doesn't seriously limit anything.
It also uses the Shimano Dynalast, which is a relaxed design meant to improve the range of motion and limit stress on the foot and upper and lower legs. This can be a tough sort of feature to measure, but the RC3 does generally feel more comfortable. Where we can positively weigh in is on their lower stack height, which definitely improves stability and efficiency over some of the other entry-level shoes with thicker soles.
They use a fiberglass nylon composite sole. It's not especially stiff, but it's just fine for new riders and those not especially interested in competitive riding.
Credit: Ryan Baham
Durability
For most of their upper, they use a perforated synthetic leather composite, which is to say, a tough, abrasion-resistant material. For some reason, the back of the heel uses a different, skin-thin material in an area that tends to see a lot of nicking, kicking, and scraping. We still generally expect the upper to put up with a lot of interaction with the outside world. It also helps that the upper and midsole are seamless, as seams can sometimes be areas of weakness.
The sole may not be carbon fiber, but it has its strengths. It's a lightweight glass fiber nylon. That doesn't make for an immovable pillar of adamantium, but the nylon actually improves the tensile strength while the glass fiber adds rigidity (power transfer). The result is a good balance of performance to longevity. We expect the shoe to hold up for at least 3-5 seasons of regular use before there are any problems with mechanisms, upper, sole, or seams.
Trying to fasten a stiff upper with a single dial tightening from the center doesn't seem to work especially well in this model.
Credit: Ryan Baham
Weight
This is an area of surprise for these shoes. At 19.4 ounces in a pair of Men's size 45 (Euro sizing), they rank on the lighter side of the spectrum. For an entry shoe, that's pretty rare. It's even rarer for a road shoe with the RC3's level of padding. The weight savings likely comes from the fiberglass nylon sole, which isn't the stiffest in the world.
These are among the lightest shoes in our lineup, surprisingly.
Credit: Ryan Baham
Should You Buy the Shimano RC3?
You won't find the Shimano RC3 adorning the feet of Julian Alaphilippe as he crests Tourmalet or Alpe d'Huez in the Tour de France, but that doesn't mean they're not fine for the average rider just trying to get their feet into some affordable road bike shoes. This is definitely an entry-level shoe, and it's priced to that. Folks who like snug fits will have a better time. If you need more room to roam, you might look around.
What Other Cycling Shoes Should You Consider?
The RC3 does, of course, share some designs with their premium cousin, the Shimano S-PHYRE SH-RC903, which you will find on a lot of feet in the elite pelotons stomping through the Pyrenees and Alps on the pro circuits of Europe. And until you're chasing those marginal gains, the price tag on the S-PHYRE likely isn't worth your while. If you're looking for a touch more performance in the same relative price point, we suggest comparing the RC3 against the Giro Cadet.
—
Ryan Baham
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