Submitted by
James
a Weekend Warrior
from Cape Town, Brightest Africa
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2001
Strengths: Comfy, good off the bike as well as on, I like the ankle padding and support. For some reason, when I was riding in running shoes, I found that my ankles smacked against the swing arm from time to time...but no more. Hey, they look cool!
Weaknesses: Horses for courses - they're not a serious race shoe, but for riding a couple of times a week they're great.
Bottom Line:
Great piece of gear for the weekend warrior. Stiff enough for cycling, but flexy enough for walking and driving. I think this shoe is now out of production, replaced by the MO-58, but you may find a pair at your LBS. This site has separate sections for the Shimano 55 and Shimano MO-55; I think they are one and the same.
Bike Setup: Trek VRX-300 with Rockshox Judy triple clamp fork, Shimano cable front disk and Shimano platform/clip-in pedals
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Philip
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2001
Strengths: Very Versitile, I've even worn them as a casual shoe. High top makes you feel protected.
Weaknesses: True weekend warrior shoe. No More, no less. There is a lot of shrinkage after a water run, but they loosen up pretty easily. Way to expensive for what you get.
Bottom Line:
The sole is completely flexible, which is what they are made for. This is a great shoe to have if you find yourself cruising to the store, or on a recreational ride. If you plan to race in these, you definitly want to get the full benefit of clipless pedals by going to a stiffer shoe. These feel secure, and do that job for which they are intended.
This shoe is to biking, what the converse All-Star is to basketball. Comfy, but gets outperformed by the good stuff.
This is an update to an earlier review. I've put over 600 miles on these shoes, thru streams, sand, rocks, etc, and they're still holding up. They seem to have shrunk a little after getting wet and then drying, but they still fit ok- just a little snug. I'm not a racer, yet, so I haven't punished them too badly, but I don't baby my equipment, either. I'm 150lbs, for reference, and they've held up fine. If you want a decent looking pair of recreational shoes, these are good. From some of the reviews below, I wouldn't race in them. I don't think their stiff enough for that.
Submitted by
James
a weekend warrior
from Crawley, England
Date Reviewed: September 4, 1998
Bottom Line:
Having read some of these reviews, I had to make sure I did'nt have a different shoe. I've had mine for over 2 years now, and they have been used constantly during that time (weekday commuting, weekend off-roading during winter and summer). They are comfortable, durable (6500 miles later and still going strong..), and good value. The only problem I have with them is that they are a bit thin for my feet and my feet go numbe sometimes...Maybe I've got wide feet! Great re-creational shoe !
Bought these for my g/f, after less than a dozen rides guess what, yes the sole split. And this was riding clips and straps, the shoes hadnt even been butchered for clipless pedals. A tread block had also torn off near the toe.Dozens of reviews can't be wrong-shimano has BIG problems with the 55 soles- you only have to look at em to see how thin they are.
Submitted by
Chris Barratt
a cross-country rider
from England
Date Reviewed: June 10, 1998
Bottom Line:
I've had my shoes for about two years. I've been quite happy with them and haven't had any problems....until now. The sole around the cleat is beginning to crack but maybe after two years they haven't done too bad. They cleaned up surprising well after the recent Wild Warwickshire ride - OK so the mud was only a couple of inches deep. The laces are about to fail but again two years isn’t bad. It hadn’t really occurred to me that the sole wasn’t that stiff but after reading a test in a magazine and the reports on this web page I think I can see were people are coming from. Having said that, they do make driving(!) to the BMX track easy and when the self healing inner tubes fail they’re easy to walk in.
Submitted by
Geert
a cross-country rider
from Antwerpen, Belgium
Date Reviewed: June 1, 1998
Bottom Line:
Pro's : Comfortable, good grip, you can also use them for walking because the sole is flexible. Con's : The sole is too flexible for serious riding. The sole cracked around the cleats, I'm waiting for a warranty-replacement. My LBS says he has had lots of complaints about these shoes. It's the real Shimano : good functionality, bad durability.
Submitted by
Dave Bennett
a cross-country rider
from England
Date Reviewed: May 4, 1998
Bottom Line:
I'v worn these shoes for about a year and a half for all my riding. They're OK. The soles not too grippy, and clogs a bit easily, suggesting a summer wear shoes, but the upper has more windproof material than most shoes suggesting a colder weather shoe. They're a bit hard to get in and out of -- thanks to the lacing style, but they are sucure once they are on. As has been said the soles is quite flexy, so they certainly aren't a race shoe or soething I'd want to cycle a very long way in. No Problems with manufacturer yet on them...Comptent, but not outstanding in any area
They're o-kay. They were the first bike shoes I ever got and I had my eyes out for cheapness. Needless to say, they were the cheapest. Also, other folks have been saying this, but they don't look all weird and stuff. I'm going to give 5 stars, 'cause they're not designed to be a racing shoe even though it's perfectly o-kay to use them for that and they do the job of a recreationalriding shoe well. P.S. folks: Sole is what you call that part on a shoe, not soul.
Submitted by
Souka
a cross-country rider
from Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: March 12, 1998
Bottom Line:
JUNK clipless shoe, but perhaps a nice hiker or non-cleated biking shoe.The sole is way too flexy. I can feel the cleat pushing right into my forefoot. Don't know what they were thinking when they made the shoe. If they stifined the sole, I would buy them as they do fit my wide feet, and look normal too. I'm returning them tomorrow and probably going to get the Diadora Jalapeno 2's.Keep Riding, Souka Try again, ShimaNO
They fit my wide feet well and are very comfortable. They are also quite flexible - too flexible I suspect. The sole split round the cleat on both my original pair and the warranty replacements. Only 36 words so far so I can't submit this review yet - don't buy these shoes don't buy these shoes don't buy these shoes
Submitted by
Jared Gianquinto
a weekend warrior
from Albuquerque, NM
Date Reviewed: February 10, 1998
Bottom Line:
The MO55s are complete pieces of junk. I bought them just for riding around town, as a sort of knockaround shoe, and they were fine. After 5 mos of virtually no intense riding of any sort (in those shoes), the soles cracked in the cleat pocket. These shoes suck. Unless you only ride about once every 2 mos or so, don't even think about wasting your money on these.
Submitted by
Steve Bailey
a weekend warrior
from Manchester, England
Date Reviewed: February 5, 1998
Bottom Line:
I had a pair of M055s for a while. They were fine, a bit flexible but pretty good grip. Then I jumped off a 2 foot high wall, and one sole cracked where the cleats fit on. My wheels were fine (Mavic 231) and this was done on a rigid Kona, but I got them replaced with M110 which are soooo much better, but don't try walking down muddy slopes in them
Submitted by
David
a cross-country rider
from Kent, UK
Date Reviewed: January 21, 1998
Bottom Line:
They're great ... they fit well and seem to be holding up well to the very muddy winter we're having here in England. Some people here have complained of the smell problem - this is true, but if you actually clean them after every wet/muddy ride and dry them out properly in an airing/boiler cupboard then they're just like new again ... well, nearly! Only downside is that they're just a *little* too flexible, but then they're not supposed to be rigid racing shoes but a general purpose, all riding conditions, shoe. Nice pair!
