Q36.5 Unique Pro shoes Review: Exceptional performance road shoes, but with a high price

The Q36.5 Unique Pro cycling shoes are the brand's latest flagship model and as with everything in the Q36.5 range, the aim is a blend of comfort, performance, and maintaining an optimal working temperature of 36. 5 ° C, which is reflected in the name.

Construction

Everything about these shoes is built around the new carbon fibre outer shell, proudly branded with 'made in the Dolomites'. This reflects Q 36.5's commitment to sourcing most of their materials within a small radius of its factory, thereby helping, somewhat ironically, to reduce its carbon footprint.

The carbon sole extends well up the heel and slightly around the sides of the foot, creating a carbon tub for extra security. The sole, as a headline feature, is at most 4.4mm thick in terms of stack height where the cleats are attached, with 2.2mm for the rest of the sole.

Q36.5 claims that for every 1mm reduction in stack height, there is a 1% improvement in power output, as referenced in scientific literature, although the brand fails to specify which paper.

To assist with temperature regulation, the sole features three open vents at the front for airflow. The upper part has large perforations across the inside of the shoe to further improve ventilation, while the central part omits a traditional tongue in favour of a perforated sock liner. This liner is highly breathable and stretchy, accommodating changes in foot shape as temperatures fluctuate. Feet tend to swell in warmer weather, so Q 36.5 included this feature to improve comfort when the temperature rises.

Alongside the raised heel cup for stability and the carbon sole for stiffness, two Boa Li2 dials are used to secure the foot and ensure system stiffness. These dials allow micro-adjustments for tightening or loosening, with a pull-to-release system. The top dial features a standard single loop, while the lower uses three loops to increase tightening via the pulley system.

The fit has been designed to offer a wider metatarsal area, a trend seen increasingly in high-performance cycling shoes. This has been paired with brand-new Solestar insoles, designed to position the foot neutrally for improved comfort, stability, and power transfer.

With the insoles, the shoes weigh 253g in size 45, with the claimed weight for size 42 being 225g. They come in a black and white colourway, ranging from size 37 to 48, with half sizes from 39 to 46.

The ride

Although I may not have a formal validation process for the low-profile sole efficiency claims, I can confidently confirm that these deliver a supremely stiff carbon sole.

The shoes are also quite progressive in terms of the design. Cleat bolts are mounted further back than regular offering, and have a good level of adjustment available.

The Unique Pro shoes have also widened the metatarsal area, the zone at the front of the shoe. We've seen this grow more and more, with the new S-Works Ares 2 taking this to a new level in mainstream road cycling shoes. Even in the heat, and with the slightly raised sided carbon sole/tub, my feet never swelled to anything that rubbed or became uncomfortable.

The raised side to the soles also enhances the locked-in feeling that these shoes provide. It's far less pronounced at the front of the shoe, but at the rear, the sole rises to provide a very secure heel counter.

Stiffness is clearly the aim of this shoe, as internally, silicone dots are placed across the heel to keep your feet secure. When paired with the two Boa Li2 dials, which, in my opinion, are still the best retention dials around, and this metal-finished version is even better, the shoe offers incredible grip around the foot.

Even with the dials tightened, there is no discomfort, which is something I can often experience. Part of this may be the lack of tongue and the use of a sock liner, similar to the old S-Works Ares 1. This means there is no overlap of harder material and a shoe upper that fits your foot exceptionally well.

Impressively, even with the dual Boas, sock liner, and standard upper, the size 45 shoes came in at 253g per shoe. Not quite as svelte as the Nimbl Ultimate Air at 179g, which uses laces, but these are the lightest dual Boa dial-equipped shoe I have tested, which is no bad thing.

Another benefit of this sock liner is the breathability. Q36.5 prides itself on aiming to achieve thermal stability with all its products, be that jerseys, socks, or shoes. Large vents at the front of the sole, side vents on the inside of the upper, and the perforated sock line all work in harmony to create a shoe that does not overheat, even in mid-30˚C temperatures. Even more impressive given I have been testing the black colourway. I suspect that fabric sock liners will be very prone to dirt, and while not an issue for this black version, it does make me weary of the white colourway.

While the Solestar insole offers more support than some top-end racing shoes, I found them a bit too forgiving, especially when sprinting, which detracts from the high stiffness performance aim. It does provide great vibration reduction, but for maximal efforts I was far more comfortable in my stiffer custom insole.

I am still a big fan of Shimano and QUOC for the adjustable insoles that they offer, but Q36.5 does provide a far more refined insole than the likes of Sidi or Nimbl at present.

The other gripe I had with these shoes, and something that I don’t think is acceptable on a pair of shoes this expensive is the quality of finish. It's minor stuff like loose threads, which are likely to degrade over time due to the requirement of the supplied a shoe horn to get the shoes on, and sharp finishes to the edge of the carbon. Theses are small details granted that don't affect immediate performance, but a shoe this price demands nothing short of perfection.

Value and conclusion

To be honest, £550/ $600 for a pair of shoes is frankly obscene. The Specialized S-Works Area 2 was deemed overpriced at £475 while Nimbl hovers between £425-450 for its Ultimate line.

It pales in comparison to the old Mavic Ultimate carbon frame shoes, which hit the £1000 mark, but compared to most shoes, the Q36.5 Unique Pro are the new most expensive readily available road shoe on the market.

I would say that when it comes to total system stiffness, the Unique Pro shoes outperform the S-Works Ares 1, the Shimano S-Phyre RC903 PWR, and any other shoes I have tried on the market. What's more impressive is that they do this comfortably, while also being one of the most breathable and airy shoes available for summer riding.

However, for this price tag, I expect perfection, not the finishing detail snags. It's a shame, given that from a performance point, they are as close to perfect as I have experienced. Nevertheless, I can't in good faith call them good value.