“How do they feel?”
Finding a good pair of shoes is like finding a good pair of shorts, saddle, or helmet. It’s very subjective in the sense that if they don’t fit, do NOT bother in the hopes that somehow it will “fit” or “work” someday. The equipment either works for you or it doesn’t.

The shoe was easy to set up, 3 standard holes for the pedal cleat. After installing the cleat plate onto the shoe, all you need to do is to slide it up and down to find the correct position in correlation to the ball of your foot over the spindle.This is something I did the night before the ride.

Comes the big day! After fine-tuning the straps (velcro and buckle) so the feet feel comfortable I was set to go for a ride with my group of friends. Not to be expected was a 90+ degree temperature waiting for us on this day! As the first few miles went by, my first impression was that with the shoe’s low profile, one feels that one’s foot is closer to the pedal spindle. Ideally, I would think this is good for pedal efficiency. This also seemed to facilitate the walking process. The carbon sole felt plenty stiff but not too “crazy” stiff, this is a good thing. In my opinion, you need just a tad of give so the foot can naturally do its thing. Half way through the ride, I was still looking for the hot spots to show up but there were still no signs. I figured with this heat they would manifest by now. This comfortable feeling went on for the remainder of our ride.

The synthetic upper never seemed to bother me and I think it may have helped the shoe keep my feet cool. I did notice the heel come up on one instance but I think the problem got remedied when I tightened the buckle strap. Before I forget to mention, our 3 hours bike ride had a few “sprint check points” in it. The G.Myst was stiff enough to make me feel as if I was Erik Zabel beating everyone to the line (mission accomplished). The carbon sole was stiff enough to direct the energy to the pedals without flex. As we were riding home I kept thinking to myself, “are these shoes worth $399?”

Well let me put this way: Italian craftsmen who earn 35 euros/hours make these in Italy. That always sounds better than me paying $399 for a shoe made in Asia by workers who makes $5/day. Which gives me the feeling that some big boss is making heaps of profit somewhere. Besides I believe the G.Mysts are a better value and come out a tad cheaper than cycling footwear found just up the road in Treviso (hint: starts with an “S”). Now that means I can use that extra money to treat my buddies and I to Gelato after the ride.

Happy faces:

• Easy to set up
• Stiff enough for efficient foot to pedal power transfer
• Synthetic upper which very easy to clean
• Hidden safety lock on Velcro strap which keep all things neat
• Made in Italy

“Less” than Happy faces:

• “Heel grip” feature does not seem effective
• Shoe maybe a little too flat for people with a high arched foot.
• A bit on the heavy side at 735 grams
• A little pricey but again it’s made in Italy!
• Real leather or Lorica should have been used

Verdict:
The G.Myst turned out to be a very comfortable shoe. After 3 weeks’ use, the fit, the Italian craftsmanship, and design are impeccable. The synthetic upper is well thought out. After one ride, in which the shoe got a little dusty, wiping with a damp sponge rendered the shoe new again. The shoe does feel a little flatter than some other brands out there but for the cyclists who is a little “flat footed” this may work out in their favor. The “heel grip” feature failed its purpose a couple of times as the foot came up slightly. This was sort of remedied by adjusting the mechanical buckle strap to get a tighter fit. This shoe is definitely a keeper though. The manufacture’s suggested retail price seemed a bit high but let’s not forget this shoe is hand fabricated in Italy by experience artisans. Gaerne also makes 3 models below the G.Myst, for the budget conscientious. Overall this shoe function well, easy to set up, and very stylish.

Value
5

Overall
4.5

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