The Giro Rumble may not come across as very trail-oriented, but if you’re a blue/red grade rider it may still be worth a look.
The Vibram sole has a shallow diamond pattern across most of the foot, and a more aggressive lined tread across toe and heel. On soft ground there’s reasonable grip and the flexibility of the sole means it walks well on harder packed surfaces too.
The less stiff sole aids comfort, as does the padded heel, but it compromises power transfer. Staying with the sole, the cleat area is particularly narrow and deep, so cleat location is critical for easy in and out – too close to the sides of the channel and the mechanism can interfere with the shoe – so we'd recommend a cleat spacer.
The upper is reasonably light and well vented with a mesh and microfibre body, which needs brushing clean once dry. The closely spaced lace loops mean tension is easily controlled, but getting the shoe on and off needs plenty of lace loosening. Toe box protection is lacking, so the shoe is less suited to big, tough terrain.
Inside there’s a reasonably roomy toe box, and a well padded tongue. There’s not a massive amount of foot support, but heel hold is very good, meaning minimal heel lift on or off the bike.
