I would like to purchase some mountain shoes. obviously, sidi dominators are the connoisseur's choice, but I just dont have the extra $300. I would like to spend around $100-120 or so. I've seen the budget options like the pearl izumi quest and attack but I am concerned about durability.

any recommendations for a quality and comfortable shoe that wont break the bank? I also prefer the look of a cycling shoe rather than the casual shoe look as well.

I like some of the Specialized shoes

Adidas Adistar XC are good and can be had online for around $120.

Let's be shoe buddies!

These have held up quite well for me. I once had to wear them at work all day as somebody had stolen my work shoes and it wasn't bad.



Pearl Izumi Vagabonds

The Specialized shoes are pretty nice, I can attest. I spend a lot of time on my feet besides riding, and I also have arthritic feet, so shoes that I can spend a long time in are a plus. And I got my pair for less than 100, though that might've been a sale at the shop I got them from.

I've got a pair of 661 mountain shoes that I'm quite happy with. They're very basic, but they have held up well over the last two years and are much more comfy than almost everything else I tried - your feet may vary. Only ~$60 too on sale at my LBS...

SIDI Dominator 5.

I used a pair Pearl Izumi Vagabonds for a while and they did a great job for me.

Specialized Tahos are great for the $$$. The sole is more bootlike and less soccer cleatlike, so walking on them is more tolerable. The sole is still stiff enough to pretty much eliminate hotspots too.

I've had these for a few months and love them, plus an you can look like a referee
Shimano SH-M086L around 100 bucks

Get Sidi Bullets. I have them. They're good. They fit awesome. Super comfy. I wish I had dominators, but it's like $100 for a buckle. ('m sure there's other benefits, but you get Sidi fit with the Bullets for not much munniez.)
https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...e.aspx?sc=FRGL

i got a set of dominators for 120 one day.....mismarked and having a sale. It was a great day!

Another vote for the M086 from Shimano.

I have been a SIDI/Shimano guy for years, but this shoe is the best value out there IMHO.

If you do a lot of hike a bike you'll appreciate the full rubber sole that doesn't slide all over the place like most plastic soled shoes (like most mid to high end race shoes).

This is the shoe I've been waiting for Shimano to make for years. No silly bolts in the toe where toe spikes can go but more than likely never will, buckle and two velcro closures, roomy (but not boxy) toe box, front of the sole/toe is protected (unlike SIDI's)...

What more can I say? Best shoe I've tried yet.

I do have this unexplainable urge to Sharpie FIFA on one of the white stripes...

+1

i have pearl izumi vagabond m4's.
it's $40 on nashbar, but with a 20% discount code reduced it to $32. pretty good deal if you ask me. i like the looks on them.


these are hot! i was trying to find a pair of all-red mtb shoes. maybe next shoes.

I like them. They fit nicely, they're well ventilated, the straps are secure, the carbon sole is stiff as hell, and they're walkable. I thought maybe the red would be a little bit much, but then I figured if people are busy checking out my big red shoes, they might forget to run me over.

I quite like my nashbar shoes.

I saw Dominator 5 at Nashbar last year for $85. You can find deals on them from time to time. I want the Sidi Dragons. They are "almost" reasonable at Totalcycling with the falling exchange rate of the GBP.

I've got a pair of Forte CM200's that have done me well as my commuter and ultradistance shoes for the past 2 years. I've done everything from my hilly 30mi r/t commute on my singlespeed to a couple geared double centuries in these shoes, and I paid less than $50 for 'em.

Are you wanting a MTB shoe for offroading, or for SPD cleat compatibility? Because Shimano (and a few others) now have SPD cleated road shoes. I think the Shimanos rock in around $120.

If I needed a new set of shoes, I'd get these. You can get them in this hilarious/awesome gold metallic color.

maybe the mountainbike sub-forum could help you...

Just to confirm: all of these MTB shoes are 'walkable', right? (i.e. recessed cleat so that it doesn't click when you walk?)

Generally, yes. Some more walkable than others but all definitely better than road shoes.

The sandal shoes are getting real popular with a lot of cyclists in my area. I see people riding in them even in the winter.

I like my road shoes, but the big problem is they click when you walk (big LOOK cleats) and that really ruins them for me, b/c I ride everywhere.

How can I know which MTB shoes will sufficiently recess the cleat to avoid the cleat from hitting the ground or not?