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Review: Diadora Vortex Pro road shoes

The Diadora Vortex Pro road shoes have the company's Net Breathing system on the sole. It features 11 mesh sections that allow a good bit of air in to cool your feet. Even with these airier sections, the sole is stiff enough to make sure the force you pump out is channelled efficiently into moving the bike forward.

Diadora Vortex Pro
Giant Diadora
Diadora’s Vortex Pro shoes are meant for fast, hot rides, such as this one on a 2016 Giant TCR Advanced SL 0 on the roads of Mallorca, Spain. Photo credit: Sterling Lorence

The Diadora Vortex Pro road shoes have the company’s Net Breathing system on the sole. It features 11 mesh sections that allow a good bit of air in to cool your feet. Even with these airier sections, the sole is stiff enough to make sure the force you pump out is channelled efficiently into moving the bike forward. Two Boa closures do an excellent job of holding the foot in, while the upper does a good job balancing the pressure exerted by retention system. The heel area has a high-grip fabric that feels quite rough when you run your finger against its nap. But that fabric helps to hold your heel firmly. Our scale puts one Size 42 shoe at 275 g.

The heel pads on each shoe are beefy, providing nice platforms when you have to clomp around off-bike. Make sure, though, to snug up the bolts that secure the pads to the soles. I had one work its way loose.

While these shoes are designed for warm-weather riding, I do like them even when the temperatures start to drop. The shoes actually work very will with booties. The two Boa closures make tugging on overshoes much easier than buckles. To manage the air coming in through the sole vents, I just make sure I have a thicker pair of socks (cdn.diadoracyclingamerica.com, $419)

Diadora Vortex Pro
Diadora Vortex Pro
Net Breathing system
The Diadora Vortex Pro uses the Net Breathing system to keep you feet cool.