Spanish company Spiuk –pronounced ‘spook’ – have completely overhauled their shoe range this season, with higher quality materials and construction featuring from the top all the way down, taking in the second-tier Brios.
The Brios’ uppers have textured toe and heel sections that shrug off abrasion well. The uppers also contain generous mesh panels that, combined with the dozen large perforations on each side of the shoe, allow great airflow across your foot.
A single Velcro strap and ankle ratchet strap with wide EVA pad give plenty of adjustment, and the shaped, perforated tongue has enough padding to keep things comfortable.
Unusually at this price point, the Brios have heat-mouldable uppers to help you achieve the perfect fit. Simply heat them in an oven for 15 minutes at 65°C, then wear for about 20 minutes while they cool – ideally pedalling on an indoor trainer. We found the moulding effect to be limited, but most noticeable around the heel.
The polyamide and fibreglass composite sole has three toe vents, and a line of ventilation holes from the mid-sole to the heel to channel more air into the shoe. The shoes also come with two insoles: the ‘cool’ model is heavily perforated for maximum airflow, while the ‘warm’ version is vent free and has more insulation.
Spiuk Brios shoes
The soles accept two- or three-bolt cleats, and have non-replaceable plastic heel and toe bumpers, but no guide markings for fitting cleats. Even on our size 45s, the three-bolt fixing can leave some of the cleat unsupported on the instep, and riding with a two-bolt SPD pedal we could feel the small cleat pressing through the sole when out of the saddle. That said, the Brios perform as well as most shoes at this price, and our pair weighed in at a very reasonable 685g.
There was a tendency for the outer edge of the upper above the tongue to crease between the straps when tightened, and we also found the ratchet unwilling to tighten quite enough for our liking. But overall the Brios are supportive, comfortable, good looking and versatile, making them very competitive footwear at this price.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.