Submitted by
Mutantclover
a Cross Country Rider
from Idaho Date Reviewed: August 27, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$85.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Comfy on my completely ordinary and typically trouble-free feet. Good for hike a bike situations. In fact once you wear them in you could definitely wear them around town. Moderate stiffness perfect for trail riding. No sign of wearing out at all yet---seem built as well as Adidas SS2G's, my gold standard of durability. 100% Velcro closure (see explanation below). Light weight for what they are.
Weaknesses:
I noticed the updated model, SH-M122B, have better styling. These look alright though. To me as long as the look isn't over-the-top, I don't care.
Also if I were racing I would go for a stiffer sole to get max power transfer. That's a compromise for other qualities more than a weakness.
Similar Products Used:
specialized road shoes with Time ATACs, tennis shoes with flatpedals. Both are different animals.
Bike Setup:
Hardtail, candy C's
Bottom Line:
I use them with Candy C's, and they seem to mate perfectly with those pedals--no clearance issues, no shims, no shaving the rubber. Clip in and float took 3 or 4 rides to reach its prime, but has stayed prime ever since.
As for the velcro: My road shoes have the ratchet on the top part, and it works well, because they are stiff, snug shoes made to walk minimally in. However, on shoes like these that have more padding than road shoes, and have medium stiffness, I think they can easily be secured with velcro because I would desribe the fit as lightly "padded" rather than "snug."
Very glad I bought these shoes and will be back to shimano with the next pair I buy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Merse
a Cross Country Rider
from Madison, WI, USA Date Reviewed: June 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Kettle Moraine
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
Comfortable, durable, good traction ,stiff soles, all velcro fastening
Weaknesses:
Cleats stick out a bit, price
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale X-Trail,Cannondale Roam, Nike
Bike Setup:
08 C-Dale F3 w/ Lefty, XO, WTB
Bottom Line:
These are all-in-all a great pair of shoes, and I highly recommend them. The shoes themselves are really durable and high-quality, and have taken me through a lot of singletrack without anything happening to them. The sole pattern is pretty aggressive and provides excellent traction when hiking or carrying the bike up a hill. The velcro fastening system is really nice and holds you foot in place without any pain or discomfort during long rides. However, the cleats stick out too much to really walk around on-road comfortably, and the price is a bit expensive, especially if you are a beginner looking to just try clipless shoes, there are some better-priced ones out there for beginners, but as far as quality and comfort comes, these are excellent!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Richmond, VA Date Reviewed: November 17, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$95.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
comfortable. Good traction with rubber sole (not hard plastic), reasonable for hike a bike
Weaknesses:
the loops are on top of the arch, instead of the inboard side. Tightening the straps only compresses your feet from the side, doesn't hold your foot DOWN against the sole - loss of pedaling efficiency and control
Similar Products Used:
most shimano shoes, because they fit my wide feet so well.
Bike Setup:
knobbies, etc.
Bottom Line:
design flaw. comfortable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Carl DeVincent
a Cross Country Rider
from Peabody, MA Date Reviewed: September 7, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Harold Parker
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
They are comfortable and I really like the Velcro, it makes getting them on and off easy. They are also relatively light.
Weaknesses:
Stiff bottom rubber that makes walking in them a little awkward.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
2004 Jamis XLT 2.0
Bottom Line:
Well... as the bottoms are quite stiff both of the soles on mine have split wide open. I've had these things for less than a season which is a bit disappointing. For now they are being held together with super glue but I have no idea how long thats going to last. Honestly I'm just curious to know if anyone else has experienced the same thing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Weekend Warrior
from So.Cal.....USA Date Reviewed: June 9, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Comfort & easy on & easy off
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Answer shoes
Bike Setup:
Specialized FSR SJ
Bottom Line:
The shoes were comfortable from the start......Im not a big fan of the color scheme w/ the silver stripe.....After I purchased I thought that I should have chosen an all black shoe w/ the ratchet style upper buckle vs a top velcro style, but all in all the shoes work well & I dont feel them on the ride (no pinches or pain)....Regards......Joe
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alan Meyer
a Weekend Warrior
from Anaheim Hills, CA Date Reviewed: March 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Rocky Peak / Chumash, Simi Valley, CA
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
+ Comfortable fit + Velcro only (strong and no laces to worry about) + Durable + Can use for walking/hiking (limited amount) + Look great
Weaknesses:
- Cost (less expensive models are out there)
Similar Products Used:
Shimano SH-M200
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur XC with Crank Bros Candy SL pedals
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is that these shoes are great, and I highly recommend them. They are a step up in quality from the low-end shoes that are out there. They fit great. As an aside, the velcro-only thing worried me before I tried them on. However, it turns out that the velcro straps are very wide and very strong. I can easily over-tighten the shoes and I don't have any concern about the velcro at all. Compared to my old Shimano shoes that used laces plus 1 velcro strap (to protect the laces), I find it so much faster to get the shoes on/off (especially off, where at the end of the ride I can never get the shoes off fast enough!).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jovan Puyo
a Cross Country Rider
from Quezon City, Philippines Date Reviewed: February 26, 2007
Favorite Trail:
La Mesa Nature Reserve
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$61.00
Purchased At:
Cristy's Bike Shop
Strengths:
The instant I tried it on, it felt really comfortable compared to my old Shimano SH-M220 carbon-soled MTB race shoes. I guess it's because it has a rubber sole and the sole pattern is more aggresive than my previous shoes. Coming from a three velco strap model, I also love that fact that Shimano made the staps wider. It made the shoe feel more secure and snug.
I have yet to see how long these shoes will last but judging from my experience in Shimano mountain bike shoes, I'm betting it's going to be a pretty long time.
Weaknesses:
There are no "fangs"/screw-on cleats upfront. This may be an issue for walking your bike up a muddy climb.
Similar Products Used:
first and second generation Shimano mountain bike shoes (yes, this is the gray version with two straps and the black and orange shoes with two straps and laces inside), Sidi Eagles, Answer, Shimano SH-M220.
Bike Setup:
Cross country - KHS Alite frame with old school Marzocchi Z.2 Bam, Shimano XT/XTR components (with flight deck cyclocomputer), Crank Brothers Eggbeater Pedals, Shimano wheelset (the funky but flexy spoke pattern), Flat bar with Onza Ti bar ends.
Bottom Line:
- Great fit - Comfortable - Good Grip - More secure straps - No fangs
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dropthehammer
a Weekend Warrior
from Butler, PA, USA Date Reviewed: October 19, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Moraine MTB trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$90.00
Purchased At:
Nashbar.com
Strengths:
they're available in size 50...
Weaknesses:
Not available in EE width. Sole rubber is pretty hard.
Similar Products Used:
Lake MX-220
Bike Setup:
Trek 4300 disc, mostly stock, XT rear derailleur
Bottom Line:
Was looking for an entry level priced spd shoe to fit my clydesdale feet. This one was priced right and available on nashbar, and looked to fit the bill. Rode with them over the summer, no signinificant complaints other than I should have held out for a wider shoe. Sole rubber could be a little softer, but they seem to grip well enough.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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