TESTED
The latest kit, ridden and rated by our experts
Nimbl Ultimate shoes £499
Nimbl is not a large company but its size has not limited its impact; the company sponsors more than 100 riders in the men’s and women’s WorldTour, with its shoes ‘winning’ all of last year’s men’s Grand Tours.
The Ultimates, like all of Nimbl’s shoes, are handmade in Italy. The construction is quite traditional: a carbon sole is sewed to a microfibre upper, with two Li2 BOA dials serving as the retention system. What makes Nimbl shoes unique is the design of the sole – instead of being entirely underneath the foot, it comes up around the edges to create a tub or trough shape.
This shaping is slight around the forefoot but is much more significant at the heel where the carbon sole rises almost halfway up the shoe.
This design allows for the seams connecting the sole to the upper to move from beneath to outside of the foot. This makes for a better connection between the two components and removes material from underneath the foot, allowing for better power transfer and reduced stack height. This shape also enables the soles to be very thin, since the edges add stiffness. At 360 grams for the pair (size 41), this is one of the lightest shoes on the market.
The low weight is immediately noticeable when you try the shoes on – they feel like slippers. Because the soles are so thin, I felt extra planted on the bike and connected to the pedals. However, as they come up around the edges of the foot, there is zero flexibility in terms of width.
All told, this is a top-end shoe that is exceptionally light, stiff and efficient, and looks fast even while standing still. But the fit won’t work for everyone, and the price is astonishingly high.
RATING
Crankbrot hers M20 multitool £40
The Crankbrothers M20 is another multitool that looks to do it all, albeit by adding weight and bulk to your jersey pockets. A full range of hex heads, from 2mm to 8mm, will see you covered for all your bike’s bolts, while T10 and T25 Torx heads, two Phillips heads and a flat screwdriver should take care of most other things that may need adjusting.
But the most useful feature of the Crankbrothers M20 is its tubeless repair tools, with a one-piece reamer and fork included. It’s one of the only tools we have tested to include tyre plugs – in its case you’ll find five of them in the plastic box that clips to the side of the tool.
The box also provides space for a chain split link if you want to carry more spares. The chain tool sits below the box of plugs, which stops it from rattling. Although the small handle has grips stamped into it, the
