Sidi made significant changes to the Ergo 4 Road shoe that were well received, but we are more impressed with the new Ergo 5. Why? First, the new upper is more supple, and has been optimized with cut and flexibility for use with the Tecno 3 Push Dial Adjusters and Soft Instep 4 design. The new Heel Cup is lighter, offers better heel retention without adjustment, and is more comfortable. The result is a lighter weight upper system with better fit that is more easily achieved and adjusted on the fly. One strong carryover is the super stiff 12 Carbon Sole, and Sidi's traditional shape, sizing and footbed system remains the same.

The heart of the shoe is the sole, and with the Ergo 5 Sidi stayed with the superlative 12 Carbon Composite construction. What is unique here is the fact that the shoe engineers designed a small degree of toe flex in the ultra-stiff carbon plate to relieve stress on the plantar tendon, despite the fact that this is Sidi's stiffest sole overall. The carbon sole insert sits into a full composite sole, has a 3-hole Delta-syle drilling pattern with a printed 10mm cleat adjustment scale with a Look memory eyelet for Look cleats with the Memory system. A fixed toe-tap prevents slipping on pavement when walking or toeing down when stopping.

As stated the new upper is a revelation. Sidi’s proprietary Techpro eco-friendly synthetic leather is lighter, more supple yet still durable and strong. An entirely new perforation design aligns more appropriately with the heat zones of the foot. It makes for an ideal fit and support for the redesigned retention system. The Tecno 3 Push Dial Adjusters are easier to use, with faster action, and retain the the reliability and replaceability of the all Sidi Tecno equipment. The mid-foot dial pulls a wire that spreads the pulling force from a wider area, without stressing the foot and fully supporting the arch and mid-foot zone- which is crucial to comfort and reducing fatigue. Up front a toe strap employs the standard Sidi high security Velcro so it won't slip. Up at the top, the new shape and design of the Soft InStep 4 closure system and padded tongue eliminate pressure points and circulation issues thanks to the short wire Tecno Push Dial adjuster.

Overall the fit is highly adjustable and impeccably secure. The new Heel Cup design is somehow an improvement for optimal heel fit and no-slip control for any rider's Achilles width and shape- despite the fact it actually replaced an adjustable version. No matter, it is just better. Of course the heel tap pad is also replaceable, along with the Tecno 3 Push system components, and Soft InStep 4 pad and strap. This is Sidi, after all, so you can expect to get season after season of comfort and high performance with the ability to replace worn or damaged parts. Keep in mind that Sidi's standard sizing and shape are considered a D-width, but the shoes tend to favor cyclists with lower volume, slightly narrower feet, especially towards the toe box.