shimano xc7 is dope,. carbon sole, michelin rubber, good amount of space up front. xc5 is good too, with a more flexible sole and cool laces.
I wear the xc7 and 5s a lot. Don’t love BOA, but it’s easy enough to fix broken wires.
I cracked an xc5 near the cleat holes, but otherwise sweet shoes. REI gave new ones!
started creaking after ~200k of their first real use randoing in tasmania, then suddenly got silent after another ~1000k, noticed that they were suddenly extra-walkable
they’re not knit the same way as most of the on-trend trainers are
more like monocoque construction, not really stretchy open weave
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for mtbing, flats are the new clipless.
https://www.adidasoutdoor.com/five-ten-freerider-pro-mens-mountain-bike-shoe/BTL94.html?dwvar_BTL94_color=Black_1&cgid=men-bike-shoes#prefn1=benefit&prefv1=62&start=8
That’s my fave shoe for spirited flat pedal riding. Best blend of stiffness, grip, and walkability.
yup, that’s what i’ve been riding for the last year or so. nice upgrade in stiffness from the freerider canvas.
I tried some stiffer shoes (5.10 Impact Pro, Ride Concepts Hellion) and I find that I actually prefer the Pros because of their superior walkability and pedal feel. The Impact and Hellion are so stiff that have a hard time determining where my feet are relative to the pedals.
aight i copped the Fizik Vento x3 jawns. will report back when i get em.
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I bought a pair of discounted Specialized Recon shoes. They are stiffff, laces seem alright.
I had a pair of fizik shoes for a few years and they were awesome. Would buy again.
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When you are riding flats while mountain biking, aren’t you afraid your foot is going to slip and then all those spikes will end up in the back of your calf?
I’ve been riding clipless so long riding without them feels a little freaky and unsafe but I know that’s just perception since people survived for decades without them
It depends on the shoes, pedals, and rider’s technique. If you don’t treat flats like clipless pedals then rolling/slipping a pedal is a rarity.
This has never happened to me in five tens without like a major pedal strike happening (which also happens in clips as a pedal strike will eject you from the pedal if its a big hit). The only times i hit my shins/calves are walking next to the bike…
As long as you don’t lift your feet off and keep your foot weighted (and use a good shoe/pedal combo), you are fine. In fact, often safer due to being able to more quickly put a foot down, kick off rocks on the ride of the trail, etc. Much more willing to try riding up big steps and such knowing i can get a foot down if it doesnt workout.
It’s also a lot better for crashing as you aren’t connected to your bike, so you can jump off it real easily and toss the bike away.
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another data point: all the best jibbers and trialsistas ride flats.
I also have terrible air technique and have pulled my feet up on flats, so i’ve had a few close calls due to that
but 5.10s and flats are a magical combination if you haven’t fucked yourself over with bad habits
It’s me!
And even so, this past 6 months or so since I switched back to flats after +10 years of exclusive SPD use my legs have contacted my pedals exactly zero times even though my feet have come off many times.
Does anyone like the Giro empire vc70 with the knit uppers? I think they look rad and I tried some on in a shop and they were comfortable to put on and wear, but I’m not sure about them holding up for actual use.
Not really gonna buy them anytime soon because I have some codes that are comfortable and relatively new (<2 years), mostly just curious.
ok so the Fiziks showed up last night and I commuted in them this morning (11 miles).
Don’t know how much is down to the fit and the new cleats, but the Vento X3s felt great. Extremely stiff sole but comfy. Way better to walk around in than my worn-ass S-Works. Love the new BOA design with the pull-to-disengage function, so i’m not sitting there spinning and clicking when i’m taking them off.
Got a little toe numbness so I need to experiment a little with cleat placement and maybe insoles, but all in all they seem great after 1 tarck century.
