Behind Q36.5 is a simple idea: keep the body at its optimal operating temperature – around 36.5°C. The entire brand is built around this principle, with products designed to regulate heat whatever the intensity or conditions.
With the Dottore Clima, that philosophy extends to its shoes. The goal is clear: maximise breathability and comfort, without ending up with a shoe that is too permissive.
Strengths:
- Genuinely noticeable breathability
- High comfort thanks to the seamless mesh
- Precise dual BOA Li2 dials, adjustable on the bike
- Very good heel hold
- Well thought-out cleat adjustment
Could be better
- Glacier Grey design is rather visually busy
- High price
Straight out of the box, you realise this is not a conventional shoe.
The knitted mesh construction immediately gives a sensation of lightness and suppleness. It feels like a slipper, with a seamless structure and zones of variable density to manage both support and ventilation.
This type of construction is not entirely new. We have already seen similar knit-based approaches from some brands, but those models often compromise on the closure system with more minimalist configurations.
Here, Q36.5 makes a different choice: retain this mesh construction while adding dual BOA Li2 dials. In practice, that brings real benefits, notably being able to fine-tune tension on the fly.
Visually, the “Glacier Grey” model is quite busy. Between the different textures and colours, multiple logos and BOA mechanisms on display, the overall look lacks a bit of restraint.
In the same vein, the look with white socks is not necessarily the most flattering. On the Glacier Grey colourway, which already mixes several shades (grey, beige), the addition of a crisper white further complicates things. You end up with too many different tones and a visual result that lacks a bit of coherence.
In terms of finish, however, the level is there. The heel is very well held with a slightly cushioned reinforcement, and the whole shoe feels genuinely premium.
First impressions
First concrete point: getting them on.
Q36.5 supplies a shoehorn, and it is far from optional. With the mesh construction, putting the shoe on can become a chore. The fabric catches slightly on the sock and creates folds… whereas with the shoehorn, everything becomes simple and smooth.
Once your foot is in place, the sensation is immediate: you are in a slipper. Even without tightening, the foot already holds well, notably thanks to the heel support and the wrap over the instep.
The BOA Li2 dials then deliver the expected level of precision. Tension is easy to adjust while riding, which is far from trivial on this type of shoe where you can quickly underestimate the need for support.
Even when tightened properly, you keep a certain freedom linked to the mesh construction. The shoe hugs the foot, but it accompanies rather than locks it. You can still tilt the foot and feel the structure follow the movement (which is much less the case with stiffer models).
Underneath, the cleat-rail system is well thought-out. The fact that the three mounting points are linked together simplifies adjustments. That is a good point since it is not the case on all high-end shoes. Also, the possibility of moving the cleats quite far back fits with current bike fitting approaches.
Sizing
Following the brand’s size guide, I was between 38 and 39, but I ultimately opted for a pair in 38 (even though I am a 39 in Shimano and S-Works).
Out of the box, that clearly made me doubt it: the shoe looks very small, and above all very narrow. But in fact, 38 is the right size. The mesh plays a huge role here: it lets you avoid feeling compressed even if your foot is not particularly narrow. There is neither pain nor a feeling of crushing, which may be surprising given the shoe’s actual volume.
However, contrary to what the brand claims, this is not a shoe with a particularly spacious forefoot. The last remains generally narrow. The mesh adapts, but the base does not change. There are no hot spots, but if you have a wide foot you will feel that you are stretching the upper (since the material allows it), while underneath the sole remains relatively narrow.
Out on the road
It is out on the road that the Q36.5 logic makes full sense.
Breathability first: this is undoubtedly one of the most striking points. Air genuinely circulates through the mesh at the front of the foot. On descents, the sensation is very clear, with immediate cooling of the toes. This is not token ventilation, but something very real.
Comfort is along the same lines. The absence of seams and the suppleness of the mesh eliminate pressure points. Even with a foot that is not particularly narrow, you avoid the crushing sensation you can get with very stiff shoes.
But this freedom has a trade-off.
In more demanding use, stiffness falls short of the market’s stiffest benchmarks. It is not so much the carbon sole that raises questions, but the overall mesh structure. When you really put the power down or your foot is not perfectly aligned, you feel the upper working.
On endurance rides, this goes completely unnoticed and is even very comfortable. But for sprints, for example, you will need to tighten the BOA dials more to regain a sensation of a well-held foot.
The Solestar insoles, meanwhile, completely disappear. No intrusive feel, nor any correction you can sense underfoot. Everything lands in the right place in terms of positioning.
Finally, care is worth considering. The mesh is pleasant to wear, but it marks quickly. Pollen, splashes, rubbing… especially on light colours, the shoe gets dirty quickly and needs a bit more attention than a traditional upper.
Compared with the very stiff models on the market, the Dottore Clima is not playing the same game. It prioritises comfort and ventilation over absolute hold.
It is closer to mesh-based approaches already seen elsewhere, but with an important difference: the presence of a full BOA closure, which lets you retain true on-the-bike adjustment. That is probably where Q36.5 brings something more coherent for intensive use.
My take on these shoes
The Q36.5 Dottore Clima does not try to do what others do, and that is precisely what makes it interesting.
It offers a take on the road shoe that is much more focused on comfort, breathability and freedom of movement than on absolute hold. And on those points, the result is hard to fault.
If you are coming from very stiff, very locked-down models, the sensation can be surprising at first. The support is different. But once you get used to it, the comfort level becomes hard to leave behind.
In my case, it is simple: going back to equally high-end but stiffer shoes has become difficult, so marked is the difference in comfort.
This is not a cheap shoe, with a price around €470, on par with the most high-end models on the market. The positioning is consistent with other mesh models, but at this price, comparison with very high-performing references, often offered for less, becomes inevitable.
At this price, the choice is therefore quite clear: you are not paying here for maximum stiffness or pure efficiency, but for a different experience, focused on comfort and thermal regulation.
The Dottore Clima is therefore a pricey, unapologetic proposition, but one that makes sense if comfort becomes your priority.