[dmo]

Any suggestions?

Something in between a regular xc clipless shoe and a flat shoe that you can walk over lots of rocky chunky stuff.

Stiff sole and tight closure would be good. I usually like Sidis for xc but theyre not too good when i have to get off the bike

Thanks!

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[Jayem]

Does not compute. If you are doing lots of hike a bike, you DO NOT want a stiff sole. That is the opposite of hike a bike. Usually an AM or casual type of SPD shoe is the best for hike a bike, with as much flexibility as possible. I took my race shoes (stiff sole) last week to AZ for a race and a bunch of riding. Hiking in them on some of the uber-tech (my XC bike) was horrible on the rocky chunk. Worth the benefit for the race, but not for something you'll ride in everyday and possibly have to hike in.

 

[kamper11]

new Shimano ME7 - michelin rubber lugged sole... stiff under forefoot but walks like a hiking boot

 

[Lone Rager]

Yeah. Stiff around the cleat attach area and ball of the foot but flexible elsewhere. I'm happy with flexible soles when riding flats as the pedals are large enough to distribute the force over the bottom of my foot. My clipless shoes are stiff the full length of the shoe and not the most fun to walk in.

 

[ghoti]

Five Ten Kestrel or Hellcat? Good grip for rocky conditions but not for loose dirt since they lack some cleats. Great for riding in the SW.

 

[dmo]

new Shimano ME7 - michelin rubber lugged sole... stiff under forefoot but walks like a hiking boot

Ya, i looked at the shimano, loius garneau, and pearl izumi versions of their AM shoe.

The ME7 looked the best so i ended up getting that. I come back and give my 2 cents once i use them a bit

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[BT180]

+1 on the ME7. I've come from Sidi XC shoes and the ME7s feel great. Loads of grip for walking up loose or wet rocks. A massive bonus is that I can now run my cleats further back, eliminating the calves/lower leg pain I was getting on long descents.

 

[Fairbanks007]

I have a pair of Specialized Rime shoes I got because I thought I was going to die walking on the rocks of CT in my Sidis. They work well, but ultimately I wound up on flats and Five Tens. Still use the Rimes whenever I'm riding clipless.

 

[RS VR6]

A lot of shoes will let you run toe studs. Every XC type shoes I have have that option.

 

[Ride1424]

Spesh Rime Expert. I love them.. At the end of the ride, I am in the car half way home when I relieze I am still wearing them
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/men/shoes/rime-expert-mountain-bike-shoes/117612

 

[Arebee]

I bailed on my Shimano M088 shoes because of the hard, chunky cleats. I was constantly rolling an ankle or losing my traction any time I was off bike.

I ended up going with the Giro Terraduro which I really like. It has a flat, durable Vibram sole that won't twist your ankle on a hike-a-bike. They are not too stiff, which like Jayem says, is what you want if you're off-bike.

 

[LizInTheSun]

My husband loves his ME7s. Great shoe and has a good Michelin rubber sole.

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[movingmountain]

Five ten kestrels seem to work

 

[dmo]

I ended up trying the Shimano ME7 and the Pearl Izumi x alp launch 2 and decided to keep the pearl izumis.

As far as looks go the ME7 looks cool and well designed. The PI looks more plain especially in black. The lime color is a hideous yellow. The PI fit me better and the half sizing really helped. I have high arches and one foot a half size bigger than the other. For the ME7 to fit id have to go up a full size whereas the pearl going up a half size fit much better. I also wasnt a fan of the closure of the ME7s. If i wanted to adjust the fit midride id have to lift up the velcro cover and adjust the strap. The reverse ratchet strap was kinda weird but once closed worked fine. The PIs have a BOA closure which i usually dont like but im this case having it on the top of the tongue pad works well. The ankle cuff on the ME7 was also weird. I never have a problem with rocks getting in my shoes with good fitting shoes so i found the cuff to be just unnecessary. The soles on both shoes are tacky and provide good grip with the ME7 looking more like a traditional mountain bike shoe and the PI more like a trail running shoe. I think having more smaller knobs on tread works better on uneven terrain and rocks that you have to walk over.

They are both great shoes but i had to go with the better fit of the pearls.

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[tangerineowl]

Another vote for the Pearl Izumi X-Alp.

I have the 4 model, in black. Nice bit of room in the toe box.
Specialized insole.

 

[Boo Bear]

Another vote for the Specialized Rime Elite. I love mine. While I love a BOA closure on my road shoes, I want simple and bomb-proof on my MTB shoes- so I was looking for velcro closure. Got the Rime, have been very pleased with it. I don't think about them at all when I'm riding, which for me is the test when it comes to shoes, saddles, grips, pedals.

 

[bicyclebillpdx]

Another vote for the Specialized Rime Elite. I love mine. While I love a BOA closure on my road shoes, I want simple and bomb-proof on my MTB shoes- so I was looking for velcro closure. Got the Rime, have been very pleased with it. I don't think about them at all when I'm riding, which for me is the test when it comes to shoes, saddles, grips, pedals.

Another vote for specialized rime. Those reasons are exactly why I switched from hard plastic knobs on the sole.


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[ltspd1]

What's the consensus on BOA? Seems like an over-engineered solution to what for me has been a non problem. However, so many higher-end shoes feature it. Are they easy to adjust like on the bike like ratchet systems, and more importantly, are they sturdy and reliable?

 

[Legbacon]

I will only use velcro and laces. I've seen ratchets smashed and rocks, and had a boa fall apart. Break a lace, and you can salvage your day, or holiday. Boa falls apart, or smash a ratchet on holiday, and its time consuming at best.

 

[YogiKudo]

Another vote for no ratchets, Boa......Spechy 2FO Clipless have held up the best for me. Shimano can't figure out how glue toe caps on shoes. Had 3 pairs of M200s suffer from the same malady. J