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It may be Diadora’s entry level shoe but the Phantom is packed with features. Offering an extremely comfortable fit, with stability and breathability and a sole specially designed to reduce weight and increase stiffness, the Phantom gives fantastic value for money for cyclists and triathletes alike.
With a minimalist design, the Phantom not only looks great but performs well. Two Velcro straps allow a secure, customised fit and the perforated upper offers excellent ventilation and breathability.
To ensure the perfect fit, a moulded, ergonomic heel cup provides support and stability, thus preventing your foot from moving about in the shoe.
To ensure efficient transfer of power, the Racer CR composite reinforced sole offers good rigidity.
The Phantom is an excellent starting point if you are looking for a quality shoe for road cycling or triathlon.
Diadora Cycling Shoes Review:
The Diadora Phantom is a shoe that sits firmly in the entry level range from Diadora. They are available in three different colourways, all of which are strikingly different yet equally attractive. The Phantom is the first SPD-SL road shoe that Diadora has produced and is designed to be super efficient with zero weigh-in from the rider. Diadora claim to have designed a new sole with a special compound to make the shoe super light yet also really stiff- this is designed to give maximum efficiency and responsiveness. To achieve this they have used a specialised Racing CR Composite sole which gives a subjectively stiffer sole, allowing the rider to benefit more from their pedal strokes.To help give that comfortable fit, the shoe features two Boa IP1 dials which enable the rider to get the perfect tightness in the midfoot and heel. This is designed to ensure that there is a snug fit around the rider’s foot, reducing the amount of movement within the shoe and thus dampening the overall effect on power output. One of the key features of this shoe is the perforated and breathable upper. This is combined with a ventilated mesh panel which is designed to make the shoe ultra-durable, stretchy and comfortable. The perforation is carried right out to the tip of the shoe to aid airflow and help keep your feet cool. There are also reflective details on the heel, which whilst not huge or attention seeking are enough to do the job well. The last detail to mention is the replaceable heel pad. This gives added comfort and a softer landing and is easily removed and remounted if it wears out, so the rider can get extra life from the shoe if they want.
Comments:
I’ve been wearing these shoes a lot the last couple of months and my initial feelings of them are very positive. From the moment I put them on I really liked the fit. The shoe is very stylish and attractive, I’ve had a fair few comments from other riders about how nice they look.
The inner and outer sole are both very comfortable for doing just about any kind of riding. Obviously the sole is stiffer than I’d like for XC riding but for road riding the feel is very nice.
The Boa dials are really handy and really hold the foot in place really well, I have no problems with my feet feeling like they are going to move around inside the shoe, it gives a very secure and comfortable fit.
I’ve done countless hours without any discomfort and I’ve really enjoyed wearing these and have found that the way I have positioned the laces really locks my foot in (see pictures for my lacing setup), making a very comfortable shoe.
The design is really nice too, I like the colours and the general look of the shoe, you can really tell that a lot of thought has gone into the detail on the Phantom.
I really like these shoes, they monitor nicely to the Merlin C3’s and I think they are just as good as the Shimano Ultegra’s that they replaced.
In Use:
These shoes have the ability to be really comfortable and efficient. The shoe is very breathable and really durable given how it feels they will take a lot of knocks, although they are yet to be properly tested.
The sole is stiff enough to provide comfort and pedalling efficiency and whilst not being as light as some other shoes it is still a really nice shoe.
The Boa dials are a nice feature and help keep the foot in place on the pedal but they are a little tight on the dial side admittedly.
I do use a lot of gel wraps in my shoes, so I can get a really good fit and containment of the foot.
This is something that you may or may not like as it does make the shoe hold the foot in a different way to some, which may affect your decision to buy.
However I can’t fault the comfort of these shoes,
I really like these shoes, the design, the detail and the consideration that has gone into them really show that someone has really put a lot of effort into making a really quality product.
The shoes have really impressed me and they have been a stable part of my training and racing kit for the past couple of months.
I aso really like the fact that you can get them at around £110 for a pair.
If you want a lightweight pair of road shoes which are good looking and comfortable, yet not necessarily the latest, cutting edge shoe, then these are a great choice.
Diadora Cycling Shoes Review:
The Diadora Phantom is a shoe that sits firmly in the entry level range from Diadora. They are available in three different colourways, all of which are strikingly different yet equally attractive. The Phantom is the first SPD-SL road shoe that Diadora has produced and is designed to be super efficient with zero weigh-in from the rider. Diadora claim to have designed a new sole with a special compound to make the shoe super light yet also really stiff- this is designed to give maximum efficiency and responsiveness. To achieve this they have used a specialised Racing CR Composite sole which gives a subjectively stiffer sole, allowing the rider to benefit more from their pedal strokes. To help give that comfortable fit, the shoe features two Boa IP1 dials which enable the rider to get the perfect tightness in the midfoot and heel. This is designed to ensure that there is a snug fit around the rider’s foot, reducing the amount of movement within the shoe and thus dampening the overall effect on power output. One of the key features of this shoe is the perforated and breathable upper. This is combined with a ventilated mesh panel which is designed to make the shoe ultra-durable, stretchy and comfortable. The perforation is carried right out to the tip of the shoe to aid airflow and help keep your feet cool. There are also reflective details on the heel, which whilst not huge or attention seeking are enough to do the job well. The last detail to mention is the replaceable heel pad. This gives added comfort and a softer landing and is easily removed and remounted if it wears out, so the rider can get extra life from the shoe if they want.
Comments:
I’ve been shopping around for a new training shoe for a little while now, I don’t like always riding in the same shoes I use for racing and I am always trying to look for something that is as comfortable as possible but stylish enough to wear out in town.
I picked up the Diadora Phantom’s when they first launched and have been wearing them for everything from club runs to short CX type events and I have now got over 100 hours on them.
