Bike Perfect Verdict
Lightweight minimalist XC/Trail shoe that still fits well and pedals great at a good price
Pros
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Lightweight
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Surefooted sole grip
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Decent sole stiffness
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Great price for a ratchet shoe
Cons
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Some flex if you're really going hard
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Not as locked down as some uppers
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With a mostly single piece perforated upper and soft moulded soul wrap, the Giant Transmit reminds us a lot of Australia’s favourite sandal of shame but it’s actually a really good cost-effective XC/fast trail shoe.
Sole
The single moulded skim of sole rubber with big triangular tread pontoons is the stand out feature of the sole. It’s spaced apart enough and soft enough to give really good grip in all conditions and it’s still very light. Pedal power is transferred efficiently through a very shallow nylon/glass fibre MES ExoBeam midsole plate. This stiffens the whole length of the shoe, but still allows some twist for comfort.
It’s XC/trail focus means you only get a short cleat track for optimised pedalling rather than extended ‘platform pedal’ mimicking position like the Line Trail shoe. The Transmit also shares the same aggressively bulged orthotic insole as the Line but the more forgiving upper makes it much less of an issue and it’s removable anyway.
Upper
The one-piece lower is matched by a single piece upper sheet that forms all the outside edge and front half of the inner. This is textured around the lower edge for a ‘reinforced’ aesthetic but the only physical protection comes from the slight overlap of the sole rubber around the toe. Extensive perforations help airflow without being too freezing in intermediate conditions but it’ll flood as soon as you go paddling.
The rear of the shoe gets a stiff external heel cup with a lightly padded heel collar to reduce lifting when walking/running. The fastening system is shared with the Line shoes two, with two opposed Velcro straps and a replaceable plastic strap and ratchet buckle (at a price where most shoes are strap or strap and lace). The lighter build of the upper means a slightly more mobile fit (which is what reduces the orthotic intrusion) but you can still crank it up for sprinting without creating a hot spot.
The shoes clean up easily and dry really quickly and while our toes and feet have taken the occasional eye-watering blow the shoes themselves are showing no signs of damage. They come in ‘Giant blue’ if all black isn’t your bag.
Verdict
Giant’s Anthem XC bike has always punched well above its weight and price - particularly in the alloy versions - and this shoe puts a similar performance onto your foot. Stiff light and secure enough to race hard, but fast drying and surefooted for day in day out trail use. They’re really well priced too so make a great option for privateer racers or anyone after a fast riding bargain.
Tech spec: Giant Transmit mountain bike shoes
- Sizes: 39-48
- Weight: 780g
- Price: £89.99
