This article originally appeared on BikeRadar
Nike and others have sold countless athletic shoes in recent years with lightweight knit uppers, and Giro has taken notice. The cycling brand just launched three Xnetic Knit shoes that have TPU skeletal support for cycling and DWR treatments for water repellency.
Giro reintroduced laces to modern cycling shoes with the Empire, and the new Empire E70 Knit features the same closure system but with a pliable, breathable upper and an Easton EC70 carbon sole.
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While the knit upper looks like that of a running shoe, the feel is quite different. Giro worked with the knit manufacturer to tune the mix of polyester and nylon for a material that has some give, but also some supportive structure.
Giro brand manager Eric Richter said that Giro experimented with varying levels of stretch. "Our first knit prototype had no structure at all. It felt neat in the hand, but it was not efficient for pedaling," he said. "After they knit these yarns, the fibers go through a heating process, and the nylon fibers melt and fuse to the polyester. We worked until we had a knit that had enough support but felt uniquely supple."
The shoes also have a TPU skeletal support structure on the underside of the knit.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
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