Shoes recommendation

[Mike]

Jase, i bought some of those giro shoes in the states last yr and id only done one ride in them and the exact same thing happened to them the soles started coming away!! so i took em back and got my money back shame as i like them but no good if after one ride in the dry dust that happens. they wouldnt last five mins in this wet mud we have in the winter and all the rain on em constantly being wet n all.... giro need to sort there quality out id say

[ianfitz]

Thanks for the recommendation. I picked up a pair of rimes yesterday. They feel pretty comfy.

Although I do need to wait for the cleats to arrive. Hmmm. Was sure I had a set in the spares cupboard. But no...

[Ben98]

Thanks for the recommendation. I picked up a pair of rimes yesterday. They feel pretty comfy.

Although I do need to wait for the cleats to arrive. Hmmm. Was sure I had a set in the spares cupboard. But no...

Ian I've got a spare set I could throw in the post if you haven't already ordered a set?

[ianfitz]

Thanks for the recommendation. I picked up a pair of rimes yesterday. They feel pretty comfy.

Although I do need to wait for the cleats to arrive. Hmmm. Was sure I had a set in the spares cupboard. But no...

Ian I've got a spare set I could throw in the post if you haven't already ordered a set?

Thanks for the offer Ben. Very kind but have ordered some. Will grab them tomorrow on route to work

[adjustablewench]

Due you think that is due to the dodgy pedalling action on the shindig?

[Purty]

I purchased some mavic crossmax shoes after trying some on in my LBS. Compared to my Rimes they are really easy to get on and off, I find the Rimes difficult to 'slip' on after they are inevitably wet from the day before. The mavics seem to have a good sole for bike a hike in terms of grip however they are incredibly stiff like race shoes so walking is not actually that great. In summary I would probably buy some new Rimes for bike packing and use the mavics as disco slippers for riding n'duro.

[Ian]

My Rimes performed particularly well on the 3 Peaks at the weekend

[larsmars]

Hey Wotsits - Shame to hear about the problems with the Terraduro quality. I read that they had solved the delamination issue, but it seems like yours was after the date it was meant to be fixed. I saw a report that said that they started stamping the date on the inside in the heel cup for all newer shoes. Do you recall if yours was one of these?

For the HT550, I am trying to decide between something from Shimano like the MT54 vs the Giro Terraduro vs the new Sidi Epic or SD15.

Anyone have experience with those new SIDI offerings?

[Alpinum]

I'm on/in my third set of Mavic Crossride Elite (used to be one of the Alpine models) in about 4 years. I need to change them just because the sole is worn out from all the hike a biking. Never had any issue whatsoever. I believe it has a soft sole, but I only have a stupid Suplest Alpine (just recently snapped the sole in half) and some rather nice Bontrage OMW. All of em have a hiking friendly sole which may be too soft for some. Sizing is on the small side, especially with the Crossride.

[rufus748]

I've got the MT34's. Comfy and fine for hike a bike but the lacing system sucks, constantly slipping and difficult to get a consistent tightness across the whole foot. Oh, and the tongue slips... I'm looking to replace the fast lock system with proper laces

[Wotsits]

Hey Wotsits - Shame to hear about the problems with the Terraduro quality. I read that they had solved the delamination issue, but it seems like yours was after the date it was meant to be fixed. I saw a report that said that they started stamping the date on the inside in the heel cup for all newer shoes. Do you recall if yours was one of these?

For the HT550, I am trying to decide between something from Shimano like the MT54 vs the Giro Terraduro vs the new Sidi Epic or SD15.

Hi Lars

I don't think that mine were part of the original batch with the dodgy clue that Mike experienced. I heard from my lbs before Christmas that Giro were sending me a new pair out- although they're apparently they're out of stock till March I'll be keeping the replacements when they arrive, but i'll be going easy on them with hike-a-bike.
I'm not a shoe expert, but i've a feeling that it could actually be the design & manufacture of the shoe that could be the problem. It looks to me that the sole is relied upon for the strength of the shoe, while in some like the Mavic's it's the plastic sole plate that holds the shoe together. My lbs reckoned they've changed the design, but i'll hopefully have a better idea when i get the replacements.. I really hope they've sorted it out with sacrificing the inbuilt flex..

After sending them back i was in the same quandary as you with what to replace them with. I went to look at a few different types & very nearly bought some Rimes. But the internal sole of the shoe really put me off, It's a ribbed waffle under the insole, i couldn't get my head round why they had done this as it'll obviously hold water & you may even be able to feel the ridges after a while. I checked with Ian B about this & he confirmed that the older ones don't have this & it must be new..

I ended up getting some Shimano MT91's. So far i've found them really good for hike-a-bike & general walking about in, but the soles do give a lot when climbing hard out of the saddle with the non-platform Time Atac pedals i use. I'm going to try some pedals with a larger platform as apart from the flex i've found them really comfortable for bikepacking. But, imo some might find them too flexible if you favor a more riding biased shoe.

I've also had some Mavic Scree's, they belied the fact that they look like a good shoe for h-a-b. The soles were really stiff, great for riding in, but long sections of (especially rocky) h-a-b were painful! The tread also eventually came away from the sole plate, leaving the hard slippy plastic exposed. I remember seeing someones HT550 post on here with their Mavic Alpines in bits & held together with tape! Mine started going a similar way :(

I'm interested in which way you go with your choice & how you get on with them in future.. Those SIDI's look good!

Jase, i bought some of those giro shoes in the states last yr and id only done one ride in them and the exact same thing happened to them the soles started coming away!! so i took em back and got my money back shame as i like them but no good if after one ride in the dry dust that happens. they wouldnt last five mins in this wet mud we have in the winter and all the rain on em constantly being wet n all.... giro need to sort there quality out id say

Sorry Mike , thought i'd replied to this originally but must have forgot
I remembered you telling me about you experience with the Terraduro's in America, i was actually talking to a Giro rep about it at a demo day in the Lakes, he explained the reason for the problem & assured me that that it'd been sorted. As Lars mentioned, any shoes earlier than a certain date could be returned for an exchange pair foc. It was actually talking to the rep that helped me make my mind up to get a pair. Even though the last pair didn't work out & going to give the new ones another go..

[Howard]

Hi all - reading all the posts with interest as my previous shoe of choice is now no longer available and with an entry for the Cairngorm Loop (and if that goes well aspirations for an ITT for the HT550), I don't want my current pair to pack in just before the CL and end up with a distress purchase and no time to break new shoes in... On balance, from this and other threads, it looks like the MT91 gets the vote - but it is now replaced with the XM9. Anyone got any experience of the XM9 yet, and would they want to live in them for 8 days?

[tanadog]

Interesting reading folks. I've used Shimano M200 and M162 over the last few years. Good to walk in, ride well stay in one piece. The M200's have been particularly robust. Had them for 18 months and done a bunch of back road touring in them, 2 x 1100 km bikepacking events in NZ and spent 10 days in Scotland in 2015 riding 1200km encompassing most of the Cairngorms Loop and HTR 440 (plus full WHW). There are still going strong.

So to change the subject a little (or a lot) I'm looking at a Tour Divide run this year, and I do find that the M200's are not quite supportive enough for extended riding time (they're great when yr off & on yr bike). Any recommendations on a shoe that is walkable but good and stiff, maybe carbon shank?

[Zippy]

To be fair, the next step after those torbal sole shimano shoes is the stiff xc race type offerings.
For shoes that it's possible to walk in ok but mostly bike biased, I'm pretty pleased with the shimano torbal range, balance of compromises and all that.

[slarge]

I did the HTR in the cheapest Specialized mtb shoe (sport?) they were good and comfortable and grippy enough. As they have started to disintegrate I bought some Rimes which have a much better walking sole. These would be my shoe of choice for the HTR or any other long race.
The only issue I have found is that the sole is not well insulated around the cleat, and there's a definite cold spot when it is cold and wet, but if the temperature is above freezing they're fine.

[Ian]

My original plan was to do the HTR in my Rimes, but I find them a bit snug in the toe box (having generally wide feet), and my concern was that my get would swell during the race (either from absorption of water, or from developing cankles), and they'd be too tight.
The NW Gran Canion shoe I just bought, but have not yet used, look good and feel like they have enough room for different sock combinations and/or would accommodate swelling feet.

[tanadog]

I agree that the Shimanos are great for Scottish Bikepacking, especially the M200. I've answered my own question and decided to go with some Lake MX175's. In the process of working out sizing I discovered that my left foot was wider than the right and this had been the cause of most of my discomfort. I'm hoping a stiffer platform and wider last (Lakes come in EEE width) will sort the issue...

[Howard]

Just to say that I plumped for the Shimano XM9 and having now done about 20 hours or so through boggy places that bikes shouldn't ever go (researching routes that weren't!) I am really impressed. They are as comfortable as my walking boots for walking, with the only downside being you can't boulder hop in the same way because of the spd plate, and have proven to be waterproof so far. I do take the precaution of putting silicon sealant in the plate when I fit it - don't know if that is needed but I do anyway. With gaiters I was able to flounder around to about a foot deep in bog (nearly got stuck) and still came out dry. I wouldn't race in them, or use them for just a road trip - but exactly what I wanted in the mountains.

[Wotsits]

Just to say that I plumped for the Shimano XM9 and having now done about 20 hours or so through boggy places that bikes shouldn't ever go (researching routes that weren't!) I am really impressed. They are as comfortable as my walking boots for walking, with the only downside being you can't boulder hop in the same way because of the spd plate, and have proven to be waterproof so far. I do take the precaution of putting silicon sealant in the plate when I fit it - don't know if that is needed but I do anyway. With gaiters I was able to flounder around to about a foot deep in bog (nearly got stuck) and still came out dry. I wouldn't race in them, or use them for just a road trip - but exactly what I wanted in the mountains.

Would be interested to hear how you get on with these over the long term Howard, really like my MT91's & when they die i'll be looking to replace them with a pair of XM9's..

Good job i like the MT91's though as still waiting for the replacement Terraduro's to arrive

[Single Speed George]

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shim ... prod127709

i have these shimano M089s. they look line a stiff shoe and have the same nice bukle system for ecurits and peddling performace but have a tad more flex and a softer rubber sole so work well for pushing , really rate them for bike packing!

[padonbike]

Agree with htrider, the Shimano mt 34 is performing well for me so far. I liked it because of increased reliability of no laces. There was a more expensive version with potentially more grippy vi ram sole for walking but this had a pull lace system a la salomon, which I found consistently unreliable in my running days.
I seem to be the only person who fits same size in Shimano as normal cycling shoes i.e. 43, same as my Italian cycling shoes. I deliberately got these in size 44 to accommodate made weight sealskinz and they performed well over a fairly intensive 25 hrs over three days of highland riding/ pushing.
The only major gripe I have found is that mt34 comes with very thin insole with little arch support, I have replace insole with a more padded one with higher arch and I think I'm on the way to having a reliable, multi condition UK bike packing shoe here.

[whitestone]

No personal experience of the shoes mentioned above but came across a review of the Rimes - http://bikepackersmagazine.com/two-year ... ert-shoes/