You prefer that clipped-in connection ? but, when it comes time to push, traditional hard-plastic soles do nothing in terms of walking comfort. Enter the Five Ten Cyclone Shoe, which merges cleat compatibility seamlessly with highly respected Stealth rubber sole and a supportive leather high-top upper.
Strengths: Good ankle support. Stiff sole. Sticky stealth rubber sole.
Weaknesses: Can feel hot on a warm day and the shoes can feel heavy.
Bottom Line:
I have the Cyclones.....they are very stiff, almost as stiff as my XC-Shimano. The sole is the same Stealth rubber they use on their other shoes like the samhills.....
I got them because I needed a high-top shoe to protect an injured ankle. Also currently I ride the Cyclones on a platform pedal (DMR) on the injured ankle and ride the other foot using an spd (yeah people give me funny looks)
When my ankle heals up, I'm gonna go SPDs 100% of the time on both sides.
I would say for occasional platform riding, these shoes are good enough if you have good pedals. Obviously a very aggresive pedal (with sharp pins) will stick better than other pedals . I don't have to remove the cleat when I switch to platforms and they stick just fine. Note because these shoes are hollow in the center of the sole, they will not stick as well as a SamHill so don't compare apples to oranges.
The Stealth sole on these shoes give you good grip for hike a bikes or if you have to walk across wet or slippery rocks like on stream crossings. Way better for scrambling on uneven ground compared to those light-weight XC style shoes like SIDIs, etc. However, the Cyclones are too stiff if you plan on using these shoes for every-day (non-bike use) .
Lastly, when I first wore them they felt hot compared to my XC Shimano shoes...I got used to the feel and its not really an issue any more. Also you will need to cut away with a utility knife the small square on the sole to reveal the holes for the SPD attachment......there is no removable covering like some other shoes I have had...no big deal but I had to figure this out since the shoes did not come with any instructions.
