Full-on protective shoe for the competitive athlete seeking the best extreme off-road/downhill shoe. The Hematoma features a high-top design that provides additional ankle protection, plus construction and materials designed to stand up to aggressive riding: high-abrasion mesh, an EVA midsole, and a high-traction rubber outsole.
Synthetic leather uppers are mated to a nylon plate (for additional midsole stiffness) and perforated insole for breathability.
Submitted by
Ryan R
a Weekend Warrior
from Long Island NY Date Reviewed: August 26, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Dirt Ones
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Bike Junkie
Strengths:
Has to be by far the most heavily armored shoe I've tried! Very stiff and supportive, makes for positive pedaling.
Higher top equals more ankle support, good material quality
Very thick and tacky soles good for clipped in or not.
Weaknesses:
CLEATS!!I had the worst time setting cleats on these shoes!
Cleat carrier, made of too soft of metal, stripped out quickly
Pedal interface is tough on Mallet 1's had to modify the shoe
Similar Products Used:
Plenty of XC shoes, Specialized Saw-Pits
Bike Setup:
Giant Reign (custom built) with Crank Bros. Mallet 1's
Bottom Line:
Very good armor for a shoe that is decently light weight. Nice thick soles looks like it will last for years. And the materials look like it will take a nice beating without failing. I do prefer the higher top design, it just right and cut for comfort, No laces, or those STUPID ratchet levers to mess with when trying to take them off after a long ride makes them even better designed. I ride hard, be it on trail, freeriding, or just getting from one place to another. I go through shoes quickly and usually look for well built shoes that can take a beating, these can. Still I can't over look the cleat setup;
First off ADIDAS should have installed the cleat carrier and not left it off the shoe! Secondly, the groves for the cleats are wider than normal, making it very difficult to set the cleats straight. Let's not forget the crappy cleat carrier that ADIDAS gives you with them. Tighten it too much and the cheap metal strips! I had to modify them first with an older SPD carrier I had saved. Next let's get to the pedals; I use Crank Bros Mallet 1's, and I just bought them a while back. These didn't want to interface with them at all, not even with the provided shims from Crank Bros. Luckily I had and extra set of shims and double stacked them. This was tricky due to how hard it was to set the cleat, but in the end it worked. I'm still more than likely going to dremel them a little for clearance.
The armor on the shoes was the selling factor but so far the problems I've had has made me regret them. Luckily I got them for a great price so it's not so bad. Still the cleat problems really got me mad and so did the pedal interface. All that said for the great price I'll give them a good value. For the troubles, I have to give them a moderate rating. My Saw-Pits never gave me this much trouble setting a cleat, not did they ever have clearance problems either. If ADIDAS is serious about making cycling shoes then they better fix these design flaws soon before the word is out about the problems.
I'll write a follow up in a few months and see how well they last. Hopefully that helps to offset the horrible cleat system, and pedal problems.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan R
a Weekend Warrior
from Long Island NY Date Reviewed: August 26, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Dirt Ones
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Bike Junkie
Strengths:
Has to be by far the most heavily armored shoe I've tried! Very stiff and supportive, makes for positive pedaling.
Higher top equals more ankle support, good material quality
Very thick and tacky soles good for clipped in or not.
Weaknesses:
CLEATS!!I had the worst time setting cleats on these shoes!
Cleat carrier, made of too soft of metal, stripped out quickly
Pedal interface is tough on Mallet 1's had to modify the shoe
Similar Products Used:
Plenty of XC shoes, Specialized Saw-Pits
Bike Setup:
Giant Reign (custom built) with Crank Bros. Mallet 1's
Bottom Line:
Very good armor for a shoe that is decently light weight. Nice thick soles looks like it will last for years. And the materials look like it will take a nice beating without failing. I do prefer the higher top design, it just right and cut for comfort, No laces, or those STUPID ratchet levers to mess with when trying to take them off after a long ride makes them even better designed. I ride hard, be it on trail, freeriding, or just getting from one place to another. I go through shoes quickly and usually look for well built shoes that can take a beating, these can. Still I can't over look the cleat setup;
First off ADIDAS should have installed the cleat carrier and not left it off the shoe! Secondly, the groves for the cleats are wider than normal, making it very difficult to set the cleats straight. Let's not forget the crappy cleat carrier that ADIDAS gives you with them. Tighten it too much and the cheap metal strips! I had to modify them first with an older SPD carrier I had saved. Next let's get to the pedals; I use Crank Bros Mallet 1's, and I just bought them a while back. These didn't want to interface with them at all, not even with the provided shims from Crank Bros. Luckily I had and extra set of shims and double stacked them. This was tricky due to how hard it was to set the cleat, but in the end it worked. I'm still more than likely going to dremel them a little for clearance.
The armor on the shoes was the selling factor but so far the problems I've had has made me regret them. Luckily I got them for a great price so it's not so bad. Still the cleat problems really got me mad and so did the pedal interface. All that said for the great price I'll give them a good value. For the troubles, I have to give them a moderate rating. My Saw-Pits never gave me this much trouble setting a cleat, not did they ever have clearance problems either. If ADIDAS is serious about making cycling shoes then they better fix these design flaws soon before the word is out about the problems.
I'll write a follow up in a few months and see how well they last. Hopefully that helps to offset the horrible cleat system, and pedal problems.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Downhiller
from NoVa Date Reviewed: August 21, 2005
Favorite Trail:
something at snowshoe or diablo
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$129.00
Purchased At:
somewhere online
Strengths:
stoutly armored. The cleat can sit back farther than othershoes. Actually fits my wide foot at a size larger than I wear with Vans
Weaknesses:
shoes do not engage mallet C platform.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano DX, specialized sawpit, stacks of XC shoes.
Bike Setup:
04 norco shore.
Bottom Line:
The shoe is the most heavily armored shoe I have ridden. I have kicked through some rather gnarly rocks and hardly noticed. Its a comfortable shoe. Unfortunately, it fails to engage the platform on the mallet C. There are sections where I don't like to be locked into the pedal and these shoes simply fail at those points. If you spend your whole ride clipped in, then I couldn't more highly recomend this shoe. The more you find yourself riding unclipped, the more I would recommend something else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alfredo J Alfaro
a Cross Country Rider
from Sarchi Norte, Costa Rica Date Reviewed: January 31, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Shoebacca
Strengths:
Very tough shoe, light and comfortable. Quite easy to set cleats on. A snap to wash or clean. Being a half height boot provides extra ankle protection
Weaknesses:
should have spikes treaded holes in front for use in slippery terrain!
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Raleigh RSP 853 Freeride, Campagnolo Record OR Drivetrain, Mavic Crossmax XL, Marzocchi FR Q2, Hope Mono M4 hydraulic brake
Bottom Line:
Excellent Shoe, highly recomended! Still adidas!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Or Tal
a Downhiller
from Israel Date Reviewed: January 17, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At:
Express Bikeshop
Strengths:
The sole made of hard gum that stabilized with plastic framework.The inside of the shoe made of a kind of plastic material' so you can wash the shoe easily and dry it fast for the next ride. this shoe is amazingly comfortable and protect the ankle from being twisted. the front of the shoe made of hardened cloth to protect the foot from rocks.
Weaknesses:
The MSRP is little expensive.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized "sawpit".
Bike Setup:
2003 M1,Shiver,Mag 30 rimd,Hadley hubs,Race Face NS DH W/MRP,Hayes MAG.....
Bottom Line:
This shoe worth any penny. especially for DH racers ,who looking for hard sole and protection for their foot.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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