Giant Transmit mountain bike shoe review

If Crocs made a mountain bike shoe it would probably be a lot like Giant’s Transmit, but we don't think that’s a bad thing

Giant Transmit mountain bike shoe review
(Image: © Guy Kesteven)

BikePerfect Verdict

Lightweight minimalist XC/Trail shoe that still fits well and pedals great at a good price

Pros

  • +

    Lightweight

  • +

    Surefooted sole grip

  • +

    Decent sole stiffness

  • +

    Great price for a ratchet shoe

Cons

  • -

    Some flex if you're really going hard

  • -

    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. 

Giant Transmit mountain bike shoe review

Soft chunky tread provides decent grip for off the bike wandering (Image credit: Guy Kesteven)

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. 

Giant Transmit mountain bike shoe review

(Image credit: Guy Kesteven)

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
Guy Kesteven
Technical-Editor-at-Large

Guy has been working on Bike Perfect since we launched in 2019. Hatched in Yorkshire he's been hardened by riding round it in all weathers since he was a kid. He spent a few years working in bike shops and warehouses before starting writing and testing for bike mags in 1996. Since then he’s written several million words about several thousand test bikes and a ridiculous amount of riding gear. To make sure he rarely sleeps and to fund his custom tandem habit, he’s also penned a handful of bike-related books and talks to a GoPro for YouTube, too.


Current rides: Cervelo ZFS-5, Forbidden Druid V2, Specialized Chisel, custom Nicolai enduro tandem, Landescape/Swallow custom gravel tandem

Height: 180cm

Weight: 69kg