Submitted by
Randy
a Weekend Warrior
from Denton, TX
Date Reviewed: February 26, 2003
Strengths: Excellent fit for my wide feet, durability, cleat/pedal compatability.
Weaknesses: A little expensive, but no more so than it's competitors.
Bottom Line:
Great shoe. Color (silver) may be a little flashy, but the ratchet buckles work great, it fits great, and mine don't even have the slightest sign of coming apart anywhere, and I weigh 185#.
I have used them with Egg beaters, Shimano SPD's, and Ritchey logic pedals, and had no compatability issues.
I would buy another pair today if I had to. After one year of use, the cost comes out to less than a penny a ride-and that is hard to beat!
Strengths: very, very comfortable - lightweight, reasonably waterproof, snug fit
Weaknesses: not keen on silver
Bottom Line:
i was lucky enoough to get to a store where they simply let you try on everything for as long as you want. the diadora range was just much more comfortable than Nike in particular, but also the Sidis, shimanos and adidas they had in (and they had some top end stuff). i note that others on the site are wonderning about durability - so far so good, but then I'm not hammering them as others might. But if you get em cheap i can't see how you're going to go wrong.
Submitted by
Valence Henry
a Weekend Warrior
from St. Michael, Barbados
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2002
Strengths: Good Fit and Looks Great
Weaknesses: Heel Cup cracks and seperates from shoe after a couple of rides. Poor value per dollar. Material for heel seems brittle.
Bottom Line:
They are comfortable and look great but unless you are an easy going road rider who does little trail I would not suggest this shoe. Ideal for riders who do not mind having to replace shoes often.
Submitted by
Robert Banas
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2002
Strengths: None that I can think of as it stands right now!
Weaknesses: The Toe Box on the shoe is completely coming apart! The most expensive and probably the least durable shoe that I have ever owned! The Buckles are not holding up that well either! Terrible durability compared to some of the cheaper shoes that I have owned!
Bottom Line:
If you are looking for a quality pair of Race shoes that are going to last, look elsewhere because the Habeneros will not cut it. They might hold up in a park, but I think that even that terrain would probably tear them apart in no time flat! As much as this looks like a good solid shoe, looks are decieving! It is a piece of GARBAGE! All that I can say is that Diadora is getting their shoes back and we will see if they have anything to say or do about what I bought! 1 chili in both categories only because I have to!!!
Similar Products Used: Specialized Comp shoes! Although probably half the price of the Habenero, have held up much better. If not a smidge too small I would still probably be using them!
Bike Setup: Diamond Back XR-8, KHS Team ST
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Willay Danny
a Cross Country Rider
from Naperville IL.
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2001
Strengths: Very stiff sole, Easy in and out, light weight, i got them very cheap. They have a great look.
Weaknesses: None yet
Bottom Line:
This is a very cheap shoe. I would have paid the full price for these. It is good looking and they have very stiff soles
Bike Setup: Sugar 3, Bontrager race wheels, XT drive train
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Boston, MA USA
Date Reviewed: December 2, 2001
Strengths: Price, easy in/easy out, great cleat clearance for Shimano SPD
Weaknesses: Very poor abrasion resistance
Bottom Line:
They're comfortable and took nearly no time to break in. The 2 buckle design is simple and very convenient to use. Mesh design makes for great ventilation and quick drying after a ride. My main beef with these shoes is the quality of construction in the toebox area. I ride mainly east-coast style with the occasional rocky passages, and the fronts of both shoes are worn considerably. One is abraided all the way through. There's a seam in the front-side where there should be solid material. Other than a $100 for less than a season of riding, I liked the shoes.
Strengths: The removable spikes are nice and work great in muddy conditions. They are very stiff which is a plus, good power transfer.
Weaknesses: The ratcheting buckle sucks if there is any sort of grit in it. The slightest bit of dirt makes them very difficult to get off because you can't unbuckle them. If you ride in sloppy conditions ever, these are probably not the shoes for you.
Bottom Line:
These shoes would be great if there was a little more tolerance in the buckle for grime. Even after hosing them off they still hard to remove. For the price there are definitely better shoes out there.
Submitted by
Loren
a Cross-Country Rider
from New Hampshire
Date Reviewed: August 12, 1999
Strengths: These shoes are awesome! The fit well, have good support, and of course, they look really cool. Go to www.gitabike.com to check um out. The buckle system works well with a ski-boot type buckle on the top and velcro on the toe. The shoes fit well and are easy to put on and take off with the closure system. I was a worried at first that the buckle might be easily broken, but I've hit it on stuff pretty hard and its held together. These shoes have good support, and despite being stiff enough to transfer power well, they are comfortable to run in. The cleats help with traction. All around, I would recommend these shoes. Especially because they look cool.
Weaknesses: I find that with my narrow foot, I have to tighten the buckle down all the way to get them tight enough. But for a wider foot, this wouldn't be a problem.
Submitted by
Edward Baruz
a Weekend Warrior
from Edison, NJ
Date Reviewed: July 12, 1999
Strengths: Great Air Flow. Sheds water and mud well. Micro CL Strap Holds together well. Good Tread drops dirt clumps. Looks great.
Weaknesses: The look that I like can also be mistaked for a person biking in a sandal while wearing white socks.
Bottom Line:
I really liked the Micro CL straps, similar to the type used in some ski boots. They dry quickly and give you feet decent ventilation. They hold together well even in twiggy places that ripped open my specialized velcros. The tread is much better than the Airwalks I have. You just have to see them, the look that I like, from about 20 feet, really look like sandals because of the silver mesh and the black straps. Definately my favorite of the three that I have used.
Let me give a little background.
I used to ride a hardtail a long time ago. Well back in 97'. I like going fast and shuttling was my favorite thing to do. I also liked dirt jump Read More »
Let me give a little background.
I used to ride a hardtail a long time ago. Well back in 97'. I like going fast and shuttling was my favorite thing to do. I also liked dirt jumpin Read More »
I was luck to find a '96 Ventana that has been garaged almost it's entire life.
The Halston Inversion Fork (going to sell it) needs elastomers AND the steering tube is way too sho Read More »
I was lucky to find a '96 Ventana that has been garaged almost it's entire life.
The Halston Inversion Fork (going to sell it) needs elastomers AND the steering tube is way too sh Read More »
