Shimano's M038 shoe is an outstanding intermediate level shoe that provides great on-bike performance, yet is still walkable. Casual styling looks great around town as well as on the bike.
Similar Products Used: Other Shimano and Specialized spd shoes
Bike Setup: 2009 Rocky Mountain Altitude 70 RSL, stock set-up except profile carbon bar, thomson stem, sdg comp ti saddle, xtr crankset, schwalbe racing ralph 2.25 tires, speedplay pedals
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Submitted by
Raymond Heinzen
a Cross Country Rider
from Bellingham, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2008
Strengths: Well designed and manufactured. Very easy to walk in compared to others I've tried on, but stiff enough to do the job on the trails. The price!
Weaknesses: None so far.
Bottom Line:
At first I was reluctant to buy them without trying them on. I first noticed that they were a little narrow compared to other shoes in the same size. These are my first pair I've owned and I am very satisfied. I've tried out other more expensive shoes that didn't feel as comfortable for some reason or another. I purchased these with the idea that they would work for the interim until I could find a pair I really liked, but now I'm going to wear these out!
Similar Products Used: Owned various Tioga and other platform pedals. Tried out various SPD shoes.
Bike Setup: Fully upgraded Trek 6700, Shimano XT Drive-train (except for TruVativ CS; XT 11-34t, XT LCg RD, XTR FD), Chris King HS, Shimano M770 XT Clipless SPDs, FSA CF K-Force RB, Avid BB7 Mech DB, Shimano-Mavic WS, Selle Italia Saddle w/Ti Rails, Rock Shox FS.
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Submitted by
Wes
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2006
Strengths: Cheap, fits well, stiffer than tennies, has SPD cleats.
Weaknesses: Heel slips. Laces not such a great way to adjust cycling shoes. Scary when walking on wet rocks, but what shoe isn't?
Bottom Line:
I got these to learn clipless pedals. Nashbar had them for $40, and I could try on similar Shimano shoes at the LBS so the size wasn't quite such a guess. These are narrower than the MA080's I tried on in the store, but not painfully so.
Now that I'm fully comfortable with clipless pedals, I'm looking for a stiffer shoe. I'm pretty big (100 kg) and these shoes took away my foot pain from pedaling, but I can still feel them flex when I hammer on the pedals. I suspect stiffer shoes will be harder to walk in.
All in all, an excellent intro to clipless pedals at a very attractive price.
Submitted by
Chris K
a Weekend Warrior
from Raleigh, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2005
Strengths: Good tread and walkability. I don't look like I'm trying to make a fashion statement with my bike shoes. Seems sStiff enough for an all around MTB shoe.
Weaknesses: The laces/velcro system is a bit of a pain, but this is an entry level shoe. Showing a little wear after a year, but still good quality.
Bottom Line:
This is a great shoe for your first clipless purchase. All around it provides a decent platform for clipless pedals, and can be worn when off the bike to get to/from trails, walk the bike over an obstacle, etc.
Submitted by
Brandon
a Weekend Warrior
from La Mesa, CA
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2005
Strengths: Durable, great tread for when you need to walk your bike through the nasty stuff.
Weaknesses: The laces and velcro are a pain. They don't repel water at all, so if you get the slightest little bit on you, you are wet for the rest of the day. And, they usually take a day or two of sitting out in the sun to dry off.
Bottom Line:
I took them back this week after 9 or so months of use. The right show never felt the same as the left and they just didn't seem to fit the same from ride to ride. I don't think hese shows are aweful, I just know they aren't for me.
Weaknesses: i little heavy, but then again, this isn't a racing shoe.
Bottom Line:
I use this shoe for my daily commute to work, and they get the job done. They're reasonably stiff on the bike, but yet they're walkable in, they make a great casual shoe.
Submitted by
Ming Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from Central
Date Reviewed: January 12, 2005
Strengths: Price, Durability, Fit/comfort, Looks, Great design
Weaknesses: None, maybe a little heavy
Bottom Line:
Get these shoes, they are fantastic for the money. Once in awhile I'll feel strong enough about a product that I need to tell everyone. But alas most don't listen... oh well, can only try.
Very cost effective Very comfortable Very durable Looks great
I use these shoes for in a rocky, often wet, humid area. They go in and out of water all the time, get washed and the bake dried in the sun. after 4 years of using this model the threading has finally started to come loose in the corner of the shoe, which i could easily get fixed at a shoe store but hell, why not get a new pair, which i did.
I like the new velcro strap that goes over the shoe laces too. Enough talk, buy them, you won't be sorry!
I've never given 5 chilies for value or overall rating, not even for my beloved mtn bikes which I also love, so here is 5 flaming chillies for these shoes.
Similar Products Used: Older similiar shimano shoe purchased 4 years ago
Bike Setup: cross country and all mountain bikes
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Submitted by
Tony Key
a Weekend Warrior
from Acworth, GA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 27, 2004
Strengths: Very comfortable. They hardly feel like bike shoes except when they need to. Plenty of traction (compared with most others I've tried) I haven't had any trouble clipping in with these bad boys. I think it has a lot to do with proper adjustment. I've read were other people have had trouble.
Weaknesses: They don't have the magic I need to fly. Other than that I can't think of any. You won't be disappointed.
Bottom Line:
I normally wear a 10.5 US EEE wide shoe and had to go to a 11.5 in these shoes. Doesn't seem to be a problem with it's intended purpose what so ever. I highly recommend them. I'm very carefull were I spend my money and when these wear out I'll do it again. If you are an intermediate rider as myself you will love these. The LBS were I bought these are great to deal with.
Similar Products Used: Shimano (so old they walked in the snow knee deep up hill both ways to school)
Bike Setup: 05' Raleigh M80 / Selle Royal 3D Lookin Saddle / Cane Creek 3rd Generation Thudbuster Suspension Seat Post / Shimano M520 clippless pedals
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Submitted by
Daniel
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, IL
Date Reviewed: August 17, 2004
Strengths: Good fit for my A/B width feet once I had reconciled the lack of half sizes with appropriate choice of socks -- surprisingly narrow. Most other Shimano shoes I tried were wide. Very tough construction. Good sole. Good heel fit. Velcro strip across the top much more substantial than almost anything else Velcro I saw.
Weaknesses: Laces are irritating. Cleat could stand to be recessed another half millimeter to a millimeter. Stock insole is awful. Watch for inconsistencies on fit; one pair had to go back because the left upper was cut too loose. Not available as half size above a 45; for me with the size 46 I found a standard running sock did better than a thin cycling sock.
Bottom Line:
It's not often that one-width-fits-all shoes fit my narrow feet. These shoes are narrower than the standard width Sidi and very narrow compared to Sidi Mega (I haven't tried Sidi narrow though). The insole problem can be solved readily using a pair of Salomon footbeds from nordic ski boots; (the black ones from their Carbon Pro series), which are available separately as replacements ($25). If you do this, take care to match sizes correctly as Shimano runs small. My 45 1/3 (UK 10.5) Salomon boot inserts fit the Shimano size 46 snugly; I can gaurantee they would not have worked in a 45 Shimano. Other third party insoles are overkill. If your foot is E or wider, this probably isn't your shoe. If you're hardcore about off-road (I'm not) you'll want more aggressive tread for sure and maybe spikes.
Strengths: Cheap. Look like normal shoes. Wider width.
Weaknesses: Excessive slip off the heel. Cleat clicks on concrete. Very hard to clip in. Stain easy.
Bottom Line:
These were my first SPD shoes and I hated them. I only got them because they are wider in small sizes.
Immedediately I noticed they slipped off my heels (I noticed when trying them on -- don't ask me why I bought them). I really had to yank on the laces, but they tended to loosen up. I had one shoe come off my foot and stick to the pedal when I was riding!
Second, it was very hard to clip in. Because there are no lugs or big studs on the bottom, it's hard to find the right place to put your foot on the pedal. Also, because the tread isn't aggressive, they don't work well in dirt or mud.
Third, cleats scrape on concrete -- very annoying and will destroy hard wood floors.
Finally, they stained quickly from dirt and rubbing against the crank arm. After two weeks they look like they're a year old.
Overall, I don't recommend these to any mountain biker. Mabye for a commuter or road, but definitely not for anything off-road. Go for shoes with more aggressive tread with straps.
Submitted by
Antonio
a Cross Country Rider
from Brooklyn
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2004
Strengths: They look great! And they feel great too! Very comfortable and walkable. Well made.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
These are the best shoes I have used in a while. They do their job on the trail and you can also walk and look fine when you are in the city. My feet are more than happy. My wife wants to learn how to ride clipless and the S-038 women's model are going to be her shoes.
Similar Products Used: Shimano 1997(don't remember model) and Axo Viper ( I threw them out almost new)
Bike Setup: Klein Adept Comp 2002
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Submitted by
Elk Oil
a Weekend Warrior
from Boston, MA USA
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2004
Strengths: Exceedingly comfortable and very rugged. Good price.
Weaknesses: None yet
Bottom Line:
Second day out with the new shoes, I left the house and fogot my took kit. Four miles from home, got a flat. Hoofed it back home; two miles on the street, two miles on the trail. These shoes do equally well on the bike or off; on pavement or over dirt and rock. Great shoe. Does everything I could ask of it.
Bike Setup: Novara Ponderosa with Shimano M520 pedals.
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Submitted by
Aaron Dibdin
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, NSW
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2004
Strengths: OK price (SPD shoes seem much more expensive in Australia than the US, and I'm not going to mail-order something where fit is an issue!), comfortable, don't look too geeky and I can walk fine in them, super-easy setup (no stanley-knives required, came with a 'waterproofing sticker', though the jury's out on how effetive that will be!).
Weaknesses: Sometimes hard to get the cleat and pedal to meet up (but you could also plame the clipless-novice rider for this one), occasional annoying clicking sound when walking on concrete.
Bottom Line:
No problems, though I'm not massively excited either. I think I'm more excited about the pedals themselves. They're comfy, with a nicely padded tongue, lace-cover strap is effective and tightens the fit nicely, you could wear them to a cafe without looking too geeky (the helmet, sunnies and gloves cover that angle nicely!). They do everything I wanted and nothing I don't.
Bike Setup: Near standard 2004 Giant Iguana, SPD-M520's (bought at same time, see review elsewhere in MtbReview), slicks and Oury grips, aside from usual lights and computer etc...
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Submitted by
Roger Cetina
a Weekend Warrior
from Mexico city , Mexico
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2004
Strengths: Nice look, can walk, perfect for my riding style, urban 90% mtb 10%,
Weaknesses: none so far
Bottom Line:
wow!! can have the best of both worlds.
go for it , if you are beginner, you want to wear high qlty shoes, .
Bike Setup: Kona Blast, cateye wireless computer and ligths , pd-m324,
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Submitted by
Nicolas B
a Cross Country Rider
from Sherbrooke, Qc, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2004
Strengths: comfortable, nice looking, well insulated
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
These shoes are very comfortable, I've tried them in warm weather and they kept my feet cool and I also tried them in a cold weather and they kept my feet warm even if I had thin sucks. They are also great if you park your bike and have to take a big walk, the cleats don't touch the ground at all and they are comfortable to just walk and the sole are stiff enough to stay comfortable even on a few hour ride in tough technical trails. they are very nice looking and a great shoe overall althought I wouldn't mind if they cost a little less.
