As with many of the shoes around this price, the sole has a carbon fibre-reinforced fibreglass sole plus it is one of the most vented soles around, with three front vents, one central vent and one at the rear.

The Core Plus features a single-piece upper with only the heel section separate. This means there’s very little that can cause rubbing.

The upper has neatly perforated vents on both sides as well as at the heel, with four lightweight breathable mesh inserts on the front and sides giving extra ventilation.

The closure system consists of a Velcro strap at the front paired with Northwave’s own SWL2 dial. This resembles the ATOP and Boa systems, with the addition of a small metal lever that you pull up to release tension of the lacing cord. It’s effective and quick to use once you’re used to it, but not as elegant as Boa or ATOP systems

The Core Plus’s sole measures seven on Northwave’s own 15-point stiffness scale, which makes them stiff enough for hard training while retaining enough comfort for longer, less demanding rides.

Plenty of rub-free padding on the inside of the heel and under the tongue kept my feet happy while the depth of the heel bumpers made walking reasonably comfortable too.