The Giro Empire SLX is an anomaly in the cycling world. While most shoes have been on the market for a matter of months, the basic silhouette of the Empire has been making appearances since 2012. At the time, Taylor Phinney was a rising star with a quirky style. He was also looking for a shoe sponsor and had the credibility to get Giro to make something. At his request, the brand put together shoes reminiscent of the Nike Mercurial Vapor soccer/football shoe for ease of covering during a time trial. At the time of that initial production, there was no plan for a commercial release. Then Phinney crashed a couple of times.
Price: $375 / £329.95
Sizes: 39-48 with half sizes available for 42-44
Weight: 212g per side, Size 44
Colours: Black Yasuda, Carbon Black, Crystal White, or Iceberg
