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After killing my lovely Giro VR90 carbon shoes on last weekend's Deeside Trail (the sole came away from the shoe)
I needed a pair of replacement shoes. They were less than 12 months old and I don't even wear them in the winter as I have a pair of GoreTex Fizik Terra Artica for the cold months (I like these, they're pretty warm, waterproof, decent sole, medium stiffness, but I needed to size up half a size as they're pretty narrow).
My criteria for new shoes are:
- - Stiff enough for the gravel/cx bike
- - Can be used on the mountain bike, so robust enough.
- - Normal looking enough to match my mediocre abilities.
- - Good grippy sole, that you can walk in, especially with some hike-a-bike in mind.
- - Bonus would be toe studs for my very occasional cx race
- - Ability to drain well, and aren't wet for a week, ideal for river crossings.
- - Ideally with a BOA closure or laces at a push.
- - Affordable, less than £100 (bloody hell! SPD shoes are expensive now, even the basic Shimano are around £100!).
As I'm on a budget, I went straight to ebay and Facebook market place. I bought a pair of lightly used pair of Giro Cylinder for £30 delivered, bingo!
The Giro Cylinder sizing is similar to the VR90, only nowhere near as stiff in the sole or the upper. They are very good for walking in, with plenty of mesh sections and grippy sole, that make them perfect for the summer and can imagine they would drain very well. I'll keep these for big bike packing days in the Highlands with chances of hike-a-bike sections. They're also very lightweight and fit my true to size (I'm a size 9).
A pair of DMT GK1 caught my eye on sale at £75, so bought a pair, both pairs costing only a little over my budget for one pair, perfect!
https://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/product/view/id/4127359
The DMT G1 are very pretty in reality IMO, but they were a funny fit, a bit too narrow yet had a long toe section and I couldn't stop heel lift even with the laces done up tight (as well as the sole tread being quite plasticy, so couldn't imagine are very grippy off-road). They were returned, and I bought a pair Bontrager Foray instead, they were only £65 in the sale, fantastic!
The Bontrager Foray might just be the best all-rounder SPD shoe I have ever had, even better than my - much loved and long worn out - Shimano ME5, which strangely Shimano discontinued despite lots of love for them. They're smart looking, the fit is lovely, supportive yet with plenty of room around the toes, with zero heel lift. The sole tread is very grippy and they feel pretty stiff when pedalling, yet are fine for walking in, not quite as good as the Giro Cylinder but definitely good enough for hike-a-bike or walking after a commute. I'm actually thinking of buying another pair they're so good.
I'll keep these for cx and gravel.
I hope that someone finds the above ramble useful, as I think there is a shortage of affordable all-rounder spd shoes about these days, things seem to have split more into xc/cx, mtb or gravel.
Thanks for that, I am going through the same process at the moment to replace my ancient Spec Rimes which cost me £25 in a sale years go. I fancied the Fizik Terra Atlas but they are £150 . Even a direct replacement Spec Recon 1 are £100. I too would be grateful for suggestions which are not stratospherically expensive
Very useful, thanks!
I started a thread on this not too long ago but with a bit of a higher budget, ended up with some Udog Distanza from my local shop.
Not loving them yet though, don't seem as supportive as I'm used too and I'm getting some foot pain. Might take a look at some Forays.
How true to size are they?
I was talking to a work colleague who had constant foot and/or knee pain with a succession of cycling shoes. Eventually he went to flats, with the longest pedals I have ever seen, and all his problems went away. He was riding in those funky barefoot shoes that look like feet.
I think he had these ones:
https://pedalinginnovations.com/products/grey-catalyst-pedals
Anything Lake with a BOA basically... Very middling fit so tend to suit a lot of people, very well made, always seem to last longer than anything else. Used to sell a lot of Lake shoes when I had my shop and never had any issues or returns with them.
Fizik are pretty good too, not as narrow as most Italian brands. Don't tend to get so much for your money, and definitely not built to last in the same way that Lake shoes are, but comfy and perform well in my experience.
I have to say - I was hardly shocked at the soles coming off your Giros.
Forays are bang on sizing wise for me, I'm a size 43/9 in most shoes and the Forays fit perfectly. Note that some reviewers say they have a roomy toe box, which I'd mostly agree with, no issues at all really.
Interesting Ian, I’ve recently bought the Forays too and quite like them. I’ve got a broad foot and they fit well.
I bought them with the Highland Trail in mind and decided they were likely too stiff for the extended hike a bike though. However they’ve been great for everything else including a 4 day bikepacking trip with mates.
Ended up resurrecting my Mavic Matrix shoes which are stiff but better for walking in. Unfortunately they don’t make them any more and the sole is very worn so still looking for the perfect bikepacking shoe.
Out of budget, but for a more 'normal' looking shoe I like Shimano GE9/00's. Wear them on the gravel and HT - wear flats on the FS'ers
Those Bontys up there look good.
Personally I've always* gone for Specialized MTB shoes, and the best ones I can afford/ find on sale for a decent price. Most recent ones are... 2019 Comp MTB, I think. Size is spot on, fit isn't weird, build is robust, good sole. Nearest current equivalent would be Recon I guess. I tried Shimano (plasticky, weirdly boat-like) and various others, but the Specialized just work.
*TBF that's 2 pairs in something like 15 years. They just last and keep on working.
I've really been impressed by the 5 10 trail cross pro clip less shoes. Had them about a year now after getting them half price. Check out Evans for much cheapness.
The Giro Cylinder's and better for walking in than the Forays, I reckon they're pretty good for hike a bike, have large meshed panels that would allow them to drain easily. Maybe give them a go.
Revisiting this thread, sadly I think I have concluded the UDogs are too narrow for my shovel feet. The upper is very accomodation but the outside ball of my foot sort of overhangs the edge of the outsole and gets sore on long rides.
Have taken a punt on the Trek Foray hoping it is effectively the same shoe as the Bontrager Foray (I just liked the look more 😎).
I would just have gone with a Specialized as I am used to them, but after my experience with the high end S-Works Recon Lace I'm very wary of the material Specialized use for their uppers, it seems very stiff and I've seen several reviews mentioning similar discomfort from the upper digging in as I experienced with my Recons.
Was curious about Bont as the bathtub style outsole looks really supportive, but I'm not going back to stiff exposed carbon soles for gravel and hike-a-bike 😂