The silvery Shimano top of the line SH-R300 shoes are designed to look and ride less like a shoe and more like a component. The silver matches the polished aluminum of Shimano Dura Ace componentry. The blue accents are Shimano blue. The clear-coated carbon fiber sole is totally purpose-driven. This is a shoe tailor-made for pedaling machines, for automatons, for people who have their pedal strokes etched into their being: The ever-suffering souls of the ProTour peloton.

Team Rabobank's Denis Menchov rode the SH-R300 to victory at the 2007 Vuelta a España. Denis is an amazing cyclist, but hardly an artist on the pedals, or a dominant climber or time trialist. Menchov won the Vuelta twice by being smart and savvy; careful application of efforts is his key to success. This shoe helps him eke out every last watt of power from his legs, power he can't afford to spare.

The angled straps help minimize pinching and hotspots. The ratcheting buckle holds the foot without stretching. The heel cup is deep and has a lining that is knitted with metal fiber and works like sharkskin. Smooth going in, rough going out, it helps hold your heel down in those high torque situations where every ounce of strength is needed. The nanotech carbon fiber sole is one of the stiffest around, while also being among the lightest on the market.

Many folks state that the SH-R300's fit beautifully right out of the box. But one of the bigger innovations for this shoe is the moldable insole. While plenty of stock insoles "mold" thanks to foot pressure, Shimano's is rare among stock insoles for being one that can be heated in a home oven and then molded around the foot by placing it inside the shoe and standing on it while hot. Added support is included with the box in the form of both arch and metatarsal pads, which can be affixed to the insole after the insole cools. For the best molding results, you can get them vacuum-fitted at an Authorized Shimano footwear dealer.

The Shimano SH-R300 is built around the traditional three-hole cleat mounting pattern. The carbon fiber sole is vented to keep the foot cool. There are heel pads built into the sole for those times when walking is necessary. Reflective material is stitched into the heel, the toe, and even the sole graphics. The color is silver. Weight is 554g a pair (for size 40 shoes).