CX Shoes

[holliscx]

I'm considering buying a second pair of mtb shoes to dedicate to cross racing. Call me a wuss but I have a pair of Sidi Dragon 3s that I love but they get abused during races. I would rather use a lesser pair for racing to hose down afterwards and keep my Dragon 3s pristine for training. I have been really happy with Sidis but I'm to other shoe recommendations. One nitpick about Sidis' range are the majority don't have a replaceable tread. Only the higher end models beginning with the Spider have a replaceable tread and the difference in cost between the entry model Dominator 5 and the Spider is close enough to make you consider the upgrade which is intentional. For mountain biking the lower end models are probably fine for you're mostly seated on the bike but for 'cross you can put some serious wear on the soles so I lean towards models with replaceable soles. Anyone in the same predicament — I'm coming from the road so unfortunately I don't have an old pair of mtb shoes which would be perfect.

[ldamelio]

I'm a big fan of the mid-level Shimano shoes for cross (current model the 162). Cost is good ($125 to 150), durability great. I find that the non-carbon soles add just enough flexibility to make them easy to run in and the spikes/tread pattern offer great traction for running in mud. I consider them at the top of the heap for cross shoes, regardless of cost.

[roseyscot]

Sidi's suck for cx, no way around it. Soles are slippery, buckles clog too easily in the muck, and they are expensive. Try these:Privateer

I've been very happy with their higher priced code shoes and these have many of the same features.

[Britishbane]

Soles are slippery, buckles clog too easily in the muck, and they are expensive.

I second this. Will not be going back to Sidi for MTB shoes. Fit and overall durability are fine, but the soles stink and that buckle is a pita.

[suhacycles]

Speaking of Shimano, I just got the XC50N shoes a few days ago and they look pretty good. They have holes for toe spikes, no mesh to keep water, mud, sand and wind out, a small tread behind the cleat during transitions when you might pedal unclipped and the sole isn't super stiff carbon to help with walking/running. Looking forward to testing them out this weekend! =)

[holliscx]

Thanks for the suggestions. The matte black Giro Privateer w/ gum sole looks quite nice actually.

Re: Sidi you're probably both talking about the non-replaceable hard plastic sole on models like the Dominator 5 which is slippery. Sidi's replaceable soles (beginning with the Spider) are a rubber compound that grips very well.

[Too Tall]

I second this. Will not be going back to Sidi for MTB shoes. Fit and overall durability are fine, but the soles stink and that buckle is a pita.

Not that everything is about me the guy with Euro 50 feet. I've got exactly one off the shelf choice.

[ThomasRZ]

Giro Privateer shoes. Nice and light and they look good in all their permutations. Also, inexpensive.

[holliscx]

Giro Privateer shoes. Nice and light and they look good in all their permutations. Also, inexpensive.

How do Giro's size - anyone have a Sidi: Giro comparison

[jscottyk]

I'm trying the Specialized Rime this year. The soles are not as stiff as the top end Speciazlized MTB shoes which makes running easier and they have a great Vibram sole. I've have great experiences with the Boa system on my road shoes and think it will work well with these too.

[Britishbane]

I'm trying the Specialized Rime this year. The soles are not as stiff as the top end Speciazlized MTB shoes which makes running easier and they have a great Vibram sole. I've have great experiences with the Boa system on my road shoes and think it will work well with these too.

Whoa, those look different. Hey Toots, they come in 50.

[dgaddis]

I'm surprised to find out people have mtb shoes they don't want getting dirty...

That said, every MTB shoe should have a rubber sole, even if it is stiff, a little rubber would be nice. Nothing quite like scrambling up a rocky hike-a-bike with plastic soles.

[bellman]

How do Giro's size - anyone have a Sidi: Giro comparison

I just scored a new pair of Codes in trade for making some trophies. I have four pairs of dragons on the shelf in varying stages of decay all in size 44. It seems to be a straight across match in size for the Giro 44.5. The Giro feels to be a bit narrower for it's length.
At first impression the easton sole on the giro seems stiffer which may not be a good thing and I can't see that the giros buckle will be any less trouble than the sidi's.
The privateer looks like a great shoe for cross at $150 as well as being easy to clean (one of my gripes about the sidi's)

[JeffS]

The privateer seemed nice, but they ran small. I'm already in a 48, so I couldn't do anything but send them back. Too bad. Campmor had them on sale for under $100 at one point.

Diadora is the only brand that seems to consistently accommodate my big flat feet.

[holliscx]

Diadora is the only brand that seems to consistently accommodate my big flat feet.

Sidi makes a Mega (wide) model and Giro offers a High Volume (HV) version of many of its shoes including the Privateer

[ned]

All about fit. With a stiff sole, a poor fitting heel cup will slip substantially when running. Sidis fit me perfectly, especially the higher end ones with the heel pincher device. Complaints of slick sole under the mid foot (for botched clip ins) can be remedied by glueing on a section of old tire. Maybe you shouldn't have to do that on $300 shoes, but if the shoe fits...

[xjoex]

I too am a big fan of the Shimano mid range shoes. You can usually find the carbon soled ones on sale too. I am on my second pair because they are so nice.

Although I am totally curious why mountain bike shoes don't come with Vibram soles, seriously why must the lugs be so slippery? Sidis are the worst as far as that goes.

-Joe

[John M]

I switched from Sidi to Northwave. They can be found on sale for cheap enough that I don't worry about them getting trashed, muddy, or the like. The fit and quality seem fine.

[roseyscot]

Thanks for the suggestions. The matte black Giro Privateer w/ gum sole looks quite nice actually.

Re: Sidi you're probably both talking about the non-replaceable hard plastic sole on models like the Dominator 5 which is slippery. Sidi's replaceable soles (beginning with the Spider) are a rubber compound that grips very well.

Nope, I owned dragons too and those soles sucked just as much, and the treads broke off while riding across the country. In other words, not even mountain biking. But hey, for only $75 I could replace all of the treads, even though it was only one area that broke. I'm done with sidi. So many better, less expensive options.

Regarding the code buckles mucking up, they don't. They still function even when packed with mud. And I personally like the stiffness, though they may be too stiff for some for cx or hike a bike trails.

[BShow]

Sidi's suck for cx, no way around it. Soles are slippery, buckles clog too easily in the muck, and they are expensive.

Now that you mention it, my sidis do pretty much suck for cross. They also suck for off the bike sections of MTB races - and I race my singlespeed everywhere. And the new buckles are even worse than the old ones but at least they're still expensive... Wait. that sucks too.

Maybe I should be looking for a different shoe. Ugh. I hate changing things.