Bike Shoes – FR/Trail/Enduro/Epic shoes reviewed
This page is all about reviews of bike shoes for freeride, trail, enduro and epic use.
- If you want reviews on cycle shoes for XC/Race use then click here
- To help you work out what mountain bike shoes you are best suited to, ask yourself these questions.
- To learn the 4 key steps to looking after your mountain bike shoes click here
Onto the reviews…
Cannondale Roam
| Price | $150 |
| Use | FR/Trail/Enduro/Epic |
| Pros | These shoes have a slightly higher cut than most trail shoes and are a good looking shoe that you could easily wear out after a hard ride. The cleat clearance is nice and wide and can be used with just about any cleat – including wide caged SPDs. They are available in both men’s and women’s mountain biking shoe varieties. |
| Cons | The sole isn’t super stiff and sometimes seem a bit soft when trying to get the power down quickly. |
| Rating | 6.5 / 10 |
Carnac Mistral
| Price | $179 |
| Use | FR/Trail/Enduro/Epic |
| Pros | These tough shoes are made of leather and Cordura and the sole features shock absorbers to smooth your ride. Even with shock absorbers the sole is stiff and provides for great power transfer. These shoes have surprisingly good grip in the wet. Overall there are solid and comfortable and lend themselves to a quick hike very well. |
| Cons | The cleat seat is quite narrow and provides a poor interface with platform SPDs. The tongue is made from neoprene and gets hot on longer rides. The position of the laces makes it difficult to get the perfect fit. |
| Rating | 7 / 10 |
Go On Terra
| Price | $145 |
| Use | Trail |
| Pros | The sole has plenty of traction and the laces and strap help to give a nice fit. They are made of leather and have double stitching around the toe, side panels and heel cup. These shoes work well with caged pedals and you can easily walk in them on wet trails. These shoes have quite a high cut so DH or FRs who are after a bit more support will like them. |
| Cons | They have a thin inner and flexible sole. As with most leather shoes they can get hot and when wet they can get quite heavy. |
| Rating | 6 / 10 |
Lake MX165
| Price | $199 |
| Use | Trail/Enduro/Epic |
| Pros | These shoes have a stiff sole and double stitching on the toe and strap supports. The rear tread is deep whilst the front has a shallower cut. If you are going out in greasy conditions removable spikes can be fitted for extra grip. They are made from coated leather and synthetic material and are quite breathable. |
| Cons | These shoes don’t have much internal support and can get a bit hot on long rides. The shoe won’t work with caged SPDs and the recessed cleat is prone to collecting mud. |
| Rating | 7 / 10 |
Nike Kato III Lace
| Price | $129 |
| Use | FR/Trail/Enduro/Epic |
| Pros | A low cut shoe, the Kato has recessed eyelets and a solid synthetic leather and nylon construction. It also has double stitching around the important areas. This shoe has a great tread pattern for walking but is still stiff enough for riding. The internals have good support and are quite a comfortable shoe. |
| Cons | The tall tread profile will need trimming if you want to use these shoes with some caged SPDs. When wet these shoes can get pretty heavy. |
| Rating | 7 / 10 |
Shimano SH-M120S
| Price | $159 |
| Use | Trail/Enduro/Epic |
| Pros | These shoes are made of synthetic material and have a low cut body with 3 straps. They have reasonable grip in wet conditions but toe spikes wouldn’t hurt. There is double stitching around the heel and side panels. They have are lightweight construction and are quite breathable making them more comfortable on longer rides. |
| Cons | They have a recessed cleat that won’t work with caged SPDs. The tongue isn’t secured so tends to slide around on long rides. |
| Rating | 7 / 10 |
Specialized Taho ATB
| Price | $149 |
| Use | Trail/Enduro/Epic |
| Pros | Another shoe from the Body Geometry line that is extremely comfortable. They have a mid cut profile and a padded tongue that work well when walking. The leather and synthetic upper has double stitching around the toe and heel and heavy reinforcing on the sides. The sole gives great grip on slippery trails. These shoes offer a good combination of walking and riding comfort and are well suited for free riders and technical trails. |
| Cons | The sole isn’t as stiff as it could be and the cleat doesn’t work great on large caged pedals. They can be warm and can also get a bit heavy when wet. |
| Rating | 8 / 10 |
