-Action leather & mesh upper.
-Performance midsole.
-Molded heel counter.
-Dual strap, 6 point closure with laces.
-New Mountain V outsole by Vibram® with Mudstuds.
Submitted by
over and endo
a Cross Country Rider
from Michigan
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2010
Strengths: Bought these online cause they were on sale and since then have tried SIDS dominator 5 and a pair of Louis Garneau. These are the best shoes by far, even though the SIDIs are lighter they are not as comfortable. I have worn these in races and prefer them to the SIDIs. I have worn them in the winter with toe warmers and they were okay but not below 20 degrees. I will look for another pair and try them at my LBS
Weaknesses: The Velcro strap/buckle has torn. I took to my local shoe repair and they fixed it for 7 bucks but that was after 5 years of abuse. I will still keep my original
Bottom Line:
These are the best overall shoes of the three brands I have worn they are great to walk around in and they fit great. I have worn them in a 6 hour race and my feet felt fresh as opposed to the SIDIs were my toes went numb for 2 days. If you're a weight weenie then you might want something lighter but these fit great
Similar Products Used: SIDI Dominator 5 and Louis Garneau
Bike Setup: Giant Anthem X1 and Specialized Stumpjumper
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
cac313
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson, AZ
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2010
Strengths: Durability, comfort, quality
Weaknesses: None that I know
Bottom Line:
I found these in my LBS even though I was not really looking for new shoes. I really liked the look of them (black) and they seemed very sturdy. Stout stitching and a Vibram sole was pretty appealing.
I have to say after over three years and several thousand miles later they still look good, the stitching is still tight, nothing has ever come loose. I ditched the laces right away, the three Velcro straps are more than adequate. They've been comfortable from day one and are just as comfortable now. I wash them every now and then either with a hose or by just jumping in the shower. My good riding buddy swears by his Sidi's but for the price, I just don't see the value. I should probably keep my eye out for another pair so that when these wear out (years and years from now) I'll be able to keep right on going.
Submitted by
MOMtbiker
a Cross Country Rider
from Missouri
Date Reviewed: September 29, 2009
Strengths: Solid built shoe. Very secure on the foot. I first purchased the standard width from Lake but these were too narrow. They were out of stock in the wide version but found them on ebay in my exact size brand new so I bought them. The Wide are not as wide as I thought, but my feet are not super wide to begun width. For me it turned out to be perfect width. My foot is more of a medium-wide foot. All that being said... I love the fit. These shoes from the first ride felt awesome. I have only had maybe 1 other pair of shoes feel this comfortable.
The shoes have 3 velcro straps like other shoes I have wore but these also come with laces. I have tied these and also just left them loose and tucked them under the flap... both ways seem to not affect the feel or the security of the shoe.
Weaknesses: Havent really seen any other then they are a bit heavy, but I knew that from other reviews on here so I am NOT going to hold that against the shoe. If your wanting to use them for racing then go buy a pair made for that. These are for the average mtn biker who beats it up on the trail and doesnt need the lightest fastest shoe.
Bottom Line:
Walking in these shoes is good and better then most. These are quality shoes and I recommend them, but ONLY if they fit your foot properly. If they are too tight DO NOT BUY THEM. Too many people think cycling shoes will "Break In". Listen, if they don't fit they probably never will. These may not fit your foot very good where another brand might fit perfect... experiment with lots of shoes. But bottom line, buy a shoe that fits... PERIOD.
Similar Products Used: Many Shimano Shoes, Time, etc
Bike Setup: Specialized Stumpy HT
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
GoremanX
a Weekend Warrior
from Ile-Aux-Noix, QC
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2009
Strengths: My size was actually available, comfortable, very secure when fastened, the black ones look awesome, good sole stiffness, good tread
Weaknesses: The silver ones look like astronaut shoes from the future, cleats stick out a bit past the tread
Bottom Line:
I'm 6'1" and weigh 260 pounds. I LOVE mountain biking. I do it as often as possible, and I always pick the longest trails and paths. When I need to go somewhere, I'm more likely to choose my bike over my truck.
My biggest gripe about cycling wear is that every manufacturer out there assumes cyclists are super-skinny fashion models. ALMOST NO-ONE MAKES ANYTHING IN MY SIZE!!! Maybe Shimano doesn't want anyone over 200 pounds to be seen riding with their gear? Or maybe everyone who works there is a super-skinny fashion model, so they don't care about the bigger riders out there? I don't know what the reason is, but it's INSULTING!!! I usually wear size XL clothes these days, but the XXL baggy cycling shorts I bought don't even come close to fitting. WTF?!?
Anyways, so I was looking to buy some SPD compatible shoes, and I couldn't find my size ANYWHERE! I wear a size 12 Wide, which is about equivalent to a European size 47 Wide. I can find this size of shoe in any style at any shoe store, but once I started looking into cycling shoes, that size was virtually non-existent. Oh, there were size 47's everywhere, but never in a Wide! Apparently only people with skinny feet are allowed to wear cycling shoes.
Finally, I came across the Lake brand of cycling shoes, and lo-and-behold, they had a size 47 Wide!!! I swear I could see a glowing halo around the display shoe in the store. It was a revelation.
Of course, the glowing halo was probably due to the fact that the shoes were glossy silver. I grew up in the 80's and 90's. To me, glossy silver shoes look like cheap props from a budget space movie set in the future. But I was so happy to finally find a cycling shoe in my size, I decided to buy them anyways. When I took them home and showed them to my girlfriend, she said I looked like a p!mp, and asked where I was hiding my army of ho's. I had to agree, those shoes looked terrible on me. They really stood out compared to my usual black and earth-toned clothing. A quick look on Lake's web site revealed that these shoes were also available in black, so I took them back to the store and had them order the black ones instead.
The black shoes finally arrived a week later, and they were everything I hoped for. One of the hook-and-loop straps is still silver, but that's an acceptable highlight. Overall, these shoes look awesome.
Some previous reviewers complained about the laces that are hidden under the hook-and-loop straps, but I have no problem with them at all. They're very easy to tie and lay down flat under the second tongue. Some also complained about that second tongue, but again, I have no issues with it. Both tongues are easy to manage, and they keep my feet very secure and comfortable. With the laces laid flat between them, I never feel them on my feet. One small complaint is that the shoe laces easily get caught in the hook-and-loop, and they get damaged easily that way (notice my judicious lack of use of the word "Velcro"?), but I've gotten used to avoiding that by keeping the straps fastened.
Some reviewers also complained about the weight of these shoes. But in fact, these shoes are lighter than the ones I used to wear. I wore low-top Caterpillar safety shoes with steel caps and plates for biking. The steel plates helped with the rigidity of the sole, and they had reflector strips on them for night-riding. So for me, these Lake shoes are actually an improvement in weight.
So far, my only real complain is the fact that my Shimano cleats stick out a bit past the tread, so when I walk on cement or pavement, I make disturbing scraping and crunching sounds. I avoid walking on wood floors with them, because I've noticed I leave small gouges behind me. I'd hate to see what kind of damage I do to ceramic floors. Not a big deal, though. These are shoes for biking, not for walking.
I'm giving these shoes 5 flaming chilis all around because someone finally realized that larger riders need bike wear too, and these shoes happen to be awesome.
Strengths: Tough, fit well, comfortable. One of the few shoes I could find in a size 15 (50 EURO). I've hiked lots and lots of miles in these (scouting rough areas) and they are exceptionally comfortable and don't even give me blisters. Too weird since they're obviously not a hiking shoe.
Weaknesses: A bit heavy.
Bottom Line:
Great economy shoe, especially for large footed guys.
Submitted by
David
a Weekend Warrior
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: May 15, 2008
Strengths: Looks like a decent design
Weaknesses: HEAVY. This product is 1.2 lbs per shoe...it is very heavy
Bottom Line:
I was hoping to get a light shoe that I can use as a lower end cross country racer. When I pulled it out of the box, I was shocked at the weight. I'm sure it is comfortable for the casual rider, but when you are climbing, adding 2.4 lbs of weight to your legs is a bad idea...
Submitted by
Rob S
a Cross Country Rider
from Sutton, On, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 2, 2008
Strengths: Simply amazing -great sole, comes with the screw in studs for increased traction. -takes minimal time to contour to your feet -available in standard/wide/womens fit -reasonably priced
Weaknesses: -Extremely hard to find in Canada. Most places don't seem to keep all the sizes in stock? -Laces... rip 'em out!
Bottom Line:
I highly recommend these shoes (if you can find them in your size). they are comfortable, durable, reasonably priced, and they don't look too shabby either, IMO.
Submitted by
Ethan Dull
a Cross Country Rider
from Jay, VT
Date Reviewed: February 21, 2008
Strengths: Tough, Durable shoe Vibram Sole Toe Studs
Weaknesses: Laces- remove them! A litte heavy
Bottom Line:
Great shoe for riding. Vibram sole stops you from sliding with help from the toe studs. This shoe may be a little heavy for racing, but it is great for normal trail riding especially where hike-a-biking occurs.
Similar Products Used: Shimono Spd shoe- forget which ones..
Bike Setup: Santa cruz Blur Lt Fox talas 32rlc, fox float rp23
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Al Painter
a Racer
from Mtn View, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2007
Strengths: fit, materials, durable, price,quality, can walk around in them comfortably, look very cool, great shoe
Weaknesses: a little heavy for racing, but for off season training/riding they are perfect!
Bottom Line:
I was looking for a shoe that didn't have buckles because I've had horrible luck with them breaking. I loved the Specialized BG Comp Carbon three-strap shoes, but they were a tad tood big, and I couldn't dial in the cleat position without cutting off the circulation in my foot with the straps. I've got Lake road shoes that I like quite a bit, and another pair of Lake MTB shoes.
I needed another paid, went to their site because I knew they would fit perfectly, saw the silver ones and ordered me up a pair. When its time to start racing again next season, I'll probably go with something lighter, but for now, these are perfect!
Similar Products Used: Specialized BG Comp shoes that had the stupid buckle break each time, Lake MX85, Specialized Carbon Comp MTB shoes (great shoe, just a little big)
Bike Setup: 05 Giant Trance with XO/RaceFace/CrossMax trimmins
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
David Gielczyk
a Weekend Warrior
from Indiana
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2007
Strengths: Get all around shoe, vibram sole is a great addition, though it may add to weight. very comfortable and a great value for the price.
Weaknesses: laces (just remove them)
Bottom Line:
I must buy in this price range, well made, nice look,most comfortable. Just ordered pair # 2
This shoe is great for the price. I was looking for something that would fit between a xc race type shoe and a soft sole recreational type mtb shoe. I wanted the stiffness, weight and material of the xc shoes but in something that I could walk more then a couple steps in. I found it in the mx165. The vibram sole is great; it provides just enough flex to be comfy to walk in but still be very efficient on the bike. The materials of the shoe are good, like most modern xc style shoes it will dry quickly and looks like it will last. This shoe comes with laces and 3 Velcro straps. I've ran this system before and I don't care for it, so I decided to run this shoe without laces. I feel the support is the same, and getting them on and off is much quicker. However there is a weird tongue system, an inner neoprene tongue goes against your foot, then an outer leather tongue goes under the Velcro straps. I wish this shoe only had one tongue, it would be much easier to put on. Also I find this shoe to be a bit heavier then same level/priced xc shoes, but this is probably due to the amount of rubber in the soles, so I wont deduct any flamin' chillies for that.
Strengths: Very comfortable. Walkable tread. Price.
Weaknesses: Very hard to find. Had to order three pair to get the size just right.
Bottom Line:
These are brand new so I'll have to get back with how they hold up. But, still honeymoon, they're just exactly what I was looking for. I'd rather ride a few miles, check out a scenic outcrop, ride a few miles, hike check out the scenery. I'm not into racing by beautiful places while out riding (guess that's what the $250 shoes are for). I am replacing the laces with some quick laces from my old salomon trail shoes. Taking a six day ride next week. I'll let you know how they holdup.
Submitted by
Andrew
a Weekend Warrior
from Philadelphia, Pa, USA
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2006
Strengths: Price, Available sizes, looks, velcro AND laces, quality
Weaknesses: The laces are a little thin. (i am stretching)
Bottom Line:
I ordered these because i have a very WIDE foot and with the exception of SIDI's, Lake was the only other co. that seemed to have any models in a wide width. These are significatly wider than the aformentioned shimanos of the same size (48). And of higher quality.(in all fairness the shimanos were cheaper). All in all, great shoes. And that means a lot coming from someone who can barely find a par of tennis shoes that are comfortable.
Strengths: The Vibram soles and the combination of laces and straps. The mx165 is an excellent value.
Bottom Line:
These shoes offer a comfortable fit at a reasonable price. Lake makes a high quality shoe and matches it with a durable and aggressive Vibram sole. When not peddling these shoes provide predictable grip on portages and hikes. Lake has designed a shoe that looks as great it is performs. I am very pleased with these and would recommend them for your next pair of mountain biking shoes. If they are not offered in your area contact Lake they are helpful when determining your correct fit. I feel that it is important to note that I am not especially sensitive about the weight of many of my cycling purchases. I cannot definitively say whether or not these are the best shoes to buy if you are riding a bike and solely concerned about such an issue. I can however suggest that you consider trying these outstanding shoes, they may surprise you.
As noted by many these are great shoes. Also as noted, they are very hard to find. I've been unable to locate a dealer in North AZ that has them.
Ergo, could any users provide Read More »
Looking to hear from anyone that has any experience with both pairs of these shoes...people who have had their hands on them, etc. I'm wondering what the major diff is between the Read More »
Hey All...
Cross posting from the General forum, after posting up there, thought I should also check with my Clyde brothers (and sisters?) about their experiences....so here's t Read More »
