Having a crisis of footwear. I've ridden clipped in since time began, and other than the past 4 years, always in XC type shoes, stiff, light and hopeless for walking in. That was fine because I never had to walk far.
Since then, I've used Giro Chambers (Cleat placements was wrong, heavy and filled up with water) and most recently Five Ten Kestrel Boas. Not got on with the Kestrels as again, they feel heavy, more so once inevitably sodden and not all the comfortable/grippy to walk in either. Both also took 3 days, 5 copies of 'The Guardian' and a shoe drier to become wearable again.
My riding style is what we used to call mountain biking, now probably referred to (shudder) downcountry - i.e. up, down and around, with some hike a bike over the unrideable rocky bits up Munros now I live near the Cairngorms. I don't do enduro, jumplines or anything extreme, and ride a 120mm travel 29er steel hardtail.
So here's the question, What shoe would STW recommend that's light and fits your foot like a XC shoe, stiff enough to pedal all day on non-platform pedals and will cope with a bit of boulder hopping and pushing up stuff in the Cairngorms. Added requirement is that they drain and dry super fast. If they're stiff enough for gravel duties too, then that'd be a bonus.
Specialized recon 1
On offer at leisure lakes. £44
Take a look at lake. Something in their range to suit I'd expect
I'm pretty happy with my Shimano ME7, they're closer to xc than DH but not too xc. They have sadly just stopped making them though....
I previously rode full disco slippers then tried DH and enduro style shoes and find the ME7 the best middle ground
I've just replaced the wonderful Shimano M089 with Specialized Recon's. The Recons are slightly stiffer upper and not as much 'feel', but a bigger walking sole. I don't like the recon 3 velcro straps.
I was eying up 5:10 Kestrel Pro's - too expensive, the Pearl Izumi X-alp Boa but couldn't find my size (Mrs oab has a flat pedal lace version and it's light and comfy, less sole grip), and the Scott Trail Evo which I may get if the Recons don't work out
I've got some Specialized 2FO ClipLite shoes with BOA. They are very light and comfortable and although I haven't work them in a downpour they seemed to cope well with a damp 50 miler the other day. I also have some Lake MX238s which are also good, stiffer sole, but less waterproof and ever so slightly less walkable in, although they are probably better on rough ground than the 2FOs.
Lake MX145 if you can find them....
Just replaced my Shimano M089's with another pair - hardly used off Ebay - very happy as there is hardly a mark on the sole. Also got some new Shimano XC3's for the CX bike - more road shoey with grips, tighter fit, but light. Also got MW7's for winter boots - same sole as the M089's.
I'm an up down rider, and hike a bike at points. Not a downhiller at all, plodder downhill, but quick enough up.
As Ton, Spesh Recon although i have 2.0. Fairly limited breathability so protects against wet feet more than other xc shoes. 'Stride' tech makes them ok to walk in and lots of grippy rubber so not sliding around either.
Shimano ME7... They have sadly just stopped making them though….
What now?!
Shimano ME7, but various complaints of heel slipping when hiking so be prepared to have a walk around the house and send back if not right.
Not sure about discontinued, plenty stock and £99 at biketart
I've got Recons as a replacement for the Terraduro (perhaps the best "trail" shoe ever) and they don't quite match up to the Giro offering, but are close. I don't like that they make all my pedals squeak and they're not as comfy for walking in. I've also got a pair of ME7 and they (like the Recons, aren't quite as good as the Terraduro, and leak like sieves. But they dry out pretty quickly and they're comfy. All the newer offering - Crank Bros, Fox, Ride Concepts all all a bit heavy for what they are, but I might try a pair just to see what they're like.
Longtime specialized shoe wearer here.
-Recons are ok hobbling about it (have a pair of 3.0's and a pair of sworks).
-2fo cliplites are pretty light and fine for walking in
-Spesh UK don't bring the Rime in, which is a bit of a shame: https://www.specialized.com/de/en/rime-2-0-hydroguard-mountain-bike-shoe/p/205519?color=330157-205519
Cheers all.
Always been aware of the Shimano's ME7's but somehow always blindly moved past them. The spesh I'd never considered, some form of naïve anti-brand blindness. Will order and see which fits best.
Lake somehow don't seem to fit, I've tried loads as always wanted a pair for the road. I've always got on great with my Giro Empire road shoes, so if walking wasn't a consideration I'd just get the MTB versions, but way to stiff for any hike-a-bike.
Was also eyeing up the new Kestrel Pro's - look appealing and on offer but mixed reviews and only available in the UK in dull colours!
https://m.pinkbike.com/news/shimano-releases-new-shoe-lineup.html
The ME shoes are being replaced by the GE shoes, I'm not a fan as the GE ones are more DH skate shoe style which I don't like.
ME7's...
Not sure about discontinued, plenty stock and £99 at biketart
I might have to get a pair to put away, not that my ancient pair seem to be anything like giving up the ghost bar the laces getting a bit frayed.
The ME shoes are being replaced by the GE shoes, I’m not a fan as the GE ones are more DH skate shoe style which I don’t like.
Personally I'm not a massive fan of the price of the BOA ones, and going back to traditional laces would seem like a retrograde step. The quick laces covered by the velcro flap is terrific design.
If the ME7 get reduced a bit more maybe I'll get a spare set as well... Though hopefully it'll be quite a few years before mine give up and someone should be making something better by then.
OP, what size are you?
Recons are pretty good. My wishes for improvements would be slightly wider and lower tread in heel, they sometimes feel quite unstable on wet rocks and roots.
As above Giro Terraduros were the answer.
Got some Recon 3s which I'm not that impressed with. Cleat sits proud of the sole, so you're always walking on the metal and when clipped in they're quite unstable, even on Trail pedals. Also there's some tread studs just in front of the cleat area on the 3s which are a bit cleaty in shape and very easy to "clip into" them and the only way out is a full remove and reapply of the foot. The midsole is also wearing quite badly where the pedal rests as the sole doesn't take any of the load. They've been side-graded to gravel bike only use.
So with all that, I bought a pair of Shimano AM9 and they're pretty good. Possibly a bit boaty - I might have been OK with a size smaller (they're a wide fit last). Dry reasonably quickly, decent for walking in (although probably not thick mud), cleat entry is best ever - easy to wiggle in if you miss the clip first attempt. For a lot less than half the cost of the Recons, they're a much better MTB shoe.
^For Time pedals I did have to shave the tread area on my Recons a bit, haven’t tried with Shimano cleats.
I still have my Terraduros, the good features were really good but they are also incredibly heavy for a summer shoe.
I've a pair of older ME5s and they've been excellent, they're similar to the newer ones except the ratchet is now replaced with a Boa, there's a review of the newer ones on Singletrack.
They're tough, comfy, decently stiff, decent for walking in, not outrageously expensive, look fine and dry ok.
Giro and Fizik look to have plenty of shoes that also fit the bill. Try searching for XC and gravel shoes for reviews.
OP, what size are you?
I’m a 43-44 depending on brand. 9-9 1/2 in old money. My Giro’s are 43.5 which seems to be be sweetspot.
now probably referred to (shudder) downcountry – i.e. up, down and around, with some hike a bike over the unrideable rocky bits up Munros now I live near the Cairngorms.
sounds more like all-mountain!
a friend of mine swears by ME7 for such things
I got some 5:10 trail cross clips at the beginning of the summer, have put lots of miles on them, much lighter and more comfy than the Kestrels. Off bike you would not know they had cleats, very comfy to walk in. On the bike I find them fine, stiff enough for me. Not very waterproof but they dry very quickly. Combined with waterproof socks seems to work well.
I have a pair of the original ME7 shoes that I got second hand to try but they're a little too small for me, I usually wear 10.5 but they size up small. They may fit you and you can have them for the cost of postage if you're interested.
Another Shimano ME7 user here,
I've been very happy with them, they do size up small from my experience, I’m normally a 7.5 or 8
I’ve a pair in an 8 and a pair in a 9 for when I want to wear thicker / warmer / waterproof socks, can’t wear the size 8 with thicker socks as it gets a bit….tight YMMV
tempted to order another couple of pairs if they’re being discontinued / going cheap
