Premium cycling shoe brand Nimbl has expanded its lineup to seven varieties with the launch of its first off-road shoe, the Urano. Like the brand's other shoes, the Nimbl Urano is handmade in Italy and boasts a light weight of 254g per pair in size 43.

“We focused on developing a model with the personality and top-class performance riders expect and the ability to compete on a variety of terrain. The result is a shoe that is extremely fast and versatile, no matter what terrain you pedal on,” says Francesco Sergio, CEO of Nimble.

At 508 grams per pair (why do shoe manufacturers care about the weight of one pair when most people wear two?), Nimble's Ulano shoes are exceptionally light for gravel shoes, where the tread increases the amount of material required.

This makes them very competitive. When we weighed the same size 43 in our guide to the best gravel bike shoes, the lightest weight was Specialized's S-Works Recon, at 635g including cleats and bolts. Subtracting the cleats, the weight comes to 565g.

The Nimbl Urano's light weight is despite its new microfiber upper with two Boa Li2 low-profile dial closures. This upper material makes the shoe easy to care for, and Nimbl recommends wiping it down with a damp cloth after each run. In addition to abrasion resistance, it also offers improved breathability for hot-weather riding.

Nimbl says the fit of the Urano matches the fit of its road cycling shoes.

The upper sits atop a full carbon sole unit with a stack height of less than 2mm, according to Nimbl. There are TPU grips on the toe, midsole, and heel, similar to those used in Nimble's road shoes, with only a low-profile part under the midfoot.

Despite the grips, Nimbl states that the Urano is a performance-oriented shoe intended for serious enthusiasts and professional gravel racers, not designed for extended hike-a-bikes.

Nimbl previously focused on producing the best road cycling shoes, which were worn by Visma-Lease a Bike professionals for the past few seasons.

When reviewing the Nimbl Feat Ultimate shoes, the reviewer rated them the best cycling shoes he had ever used. These shoes were also very light at 406 grams per pair in size 44 and held up better to use than many of the shoes we tested.

However, Nimbl shoes are not cheap, with Urano's price at 465 pounds per pair. The initial production run was only 300 pairs, all in white. The size range is also quite limited, with only six sizes in all, from 41 to 46.