Its hard to beat the feeling of an early morning ride fueled by coffee, a hearty breakfast, and damn-near perfect weather. Well, that is, unless your feet are aching from ill-fitting kicks, and each pedal stroke wastes power on soft flex. Shimano offers the RC5 Cycling Shoe as an ideal solution that doesn't just get you through the ride, but does so with comfort and power. They are built to fall right into the mid-range of Shimano's lineup, thanks to the durable synthetic leather uppers that don't flex and stretch with time, plus mesh panels for a huge boost in breathability should your toes warm up as the temps rise. The uppers secure around your foot like a warm hug thanks to a combination of an Boa and hook-and-loop strap that helps disperse pressure away from the instep, while eliminating wiggle room for support through every part of your pedal stroke. While lighter duty soles can create flex that's comfortable, that flex wastes watts of energy, so Shimano builds the RC5 with a carbon-reinforced nylon sole that boosts stiffness, allowing every watt of power to go straight to the pedals.