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NAHBS – Dromarti Italian Leather Cycling Shoes and Gloves

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dromarti-handmade-leather-cycling-gloves

NAHBS 2010 – Dromarti, based in Somerset County in the UK countryside, introduced their new Italian leather cycling shoes and gloves, featuring some very, very supple hides.  While they look like dress shoes crossed with old-school racing flats, they’re actually very technically savvy performance cycling shoes.

Let’s not kid ourselves…for $195 to $240, you’re probably not going to ride these on training and group rides, but you certainly could.  And you’ll see why just after the break.  But first, those gloves.  They’re hand made.  Yes, hand crocheted and handcut leather, and they come with that bag you see underneath them.  They’re super soft.  Called the “La Grande”, they’ll set you back a grande $116, but they’re probably worth it if because you spend a lot of time on the bike. (see how easy it was to justify that?)

Shoe fetish satisfied after the jump…

dromarti-italian-leather-cycling-shoes01

From left to right, you have the Storica ($240) solid leather upper and sole with grippy sections for walking and pedaling, the Race ($195) with three-bolt Look pedal attachments and the Sportive ($210) with cleats and standard SPD cleat bolt holes.  The latter two have perforated uppers to help vent sweat and heat.

dromarti-italian-leather-cycling-shoes02

The Race comes with a small ridge you can attach to catch the end of your flat pedals and/or keep it from jamming all the way into your two clips and scuffing your leather.  Just try to keep your friends from drooling on them until you’ve properly conditioned the leather, OK?

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topmounter
topmounter
14 years ago

I’ve paid more for lower quality cycling shoes… $210 for the mtb version is sounding pretty tempting.

bill
bill
14 years ago

Is it me, or is that a SIDI made sole on the MTB variant

Eric
Eric
14 years ago

I got to try the shoes at NAHBS. The touring shoe soles aren’t as comfy to stand in as real walking shoes, but are as good as touring shoes get. The road shoes are stiffer soled still, and the MTBs seem a tad stiffer, still. The soles do flex a bit. However, as an owner of expensive carbon-soled shoes, I’m not sure how important the stiffness is beyond a certain point — maybe it only needs to be stiff under the cleat?

I can say that the Dromarti uppers fit much much much better than my pricey carbon shoes. I don’t know how forgiving they are if you happen to fall in between sizes, but the 45s fit me perfectly, and unlike other shoes, felt actually glove-like. The lacing is actually really nice, as it distributes the loading over the top of the foot. I definitely plan on buying a set of the road shoes.

Ghost Rider
14 years ago

Ya know…that last photo is of a proper old-school CLEAT, not a “scuff preventer” or “pedal ridge”.

I hope you know this, but: back in the hazy days of yore, before clip-in pedals…those were the kind of cleats we used for racing, touring and other cycling applications.

Kristi Benedict
Admin
14 years ago

Ghost Rider, you’re showin’ your age! Thanks for the clarification…the guy from Dromarti did say something about toe clips when he mentioned them, but perhaps he said they eliminate the need for them altogether…shows like this become a blur after a while.

Daniel
14 years ago

These are super sexy except for the ugly white rubbber on the MTB shoes. To show my age my first bike shoes were Bata Bikers!

Tom N
Tom N
13 years ago

Has anyone tried the La Grande glove? $116-$138 seems like quite a bit to spend on a cycling glove, however they look nice. In your honest opinion, are they worth it?

peter
peter
10 years ago

sirs good day,
i’m interesting buying your shoe cycling old fashion and your cycling glove, my worry is sizing the ones.
please give to me some instructions.
thank you
peter

Don
Don
8 years ago

I got a pair of the Sportivo shoes fro Father’s Day and I have to tell you, I never want to take them off. I’d wear them to bed of my wife would allow it! I use them for daily riding and am about to head out on a 2 week bike tour in the southwest USA with these as my only shoes for the trip. This is a daily wear pair of shoes for training, club rides, commuting and for wearing out after a ride. I would recomment them for anything but hard core racing. I wish I had bought these first before the other four pairs I have but which are now lying around collecting dust. And, unlike other shoes that get ratty and rattieer as you use them, these get better looking as you wear them more and more.

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