SHIMANO SH-XC702 Competition-Level Men's Off-Road Racing Shoe

Product Information

Aside from a few small mesh zones on the tongue and tiny perforations around the toe box the XC7s don’t appear to provide a lot of ventilation, yet I haven’t found them to feel overly stuffy, even on hot, early season rides. On a related note, water is slow to infiltrate the shoe through creek crossings, which I appreciate. Expanded Cleat-Adjustment Range - Set the initial cleat position according to the difference between shoe size and measured arch length. If the arch length is longer or shorter than the shoe size, the cleat maybe positioned fore or aft from the center line of the cleat range of the shoe by the difference of the scale. Expectedly, XC mountain biking shoes prioritize stiffness and pedalling efficiency over on-bike comfort and off-bike walkability. People who buy shoes in the same category as the XC7 are looking for a shoe with efficient power transfer more than anything else.

This might mean that you accept the fact that you have to spend some time trying out different shoes from manufacturers until you find your “ holy grail” of bike shoe fit. One of the great paradoxes of cycling gear is this: there are so many great cycling shoes on the market, yet it is incredibly difficult to find shoes that fit just right. This especially true if you often do long-distance rides and/or prefer efficient (read: stiff) shoes.Closure duties are handled by a single Boa IP1 dial per shoe along with a Velcro strap across the forefoot area. My personal favorite feature, however, is a super grippy and very durable Michelin rubber sole. For example, if the right shoe size is 43 and the arch length measurement is 44, the cleat should be positioned (distance A) forward, toward the toe end, from the cleat range center line of the shoe sole. From what I can tell though, the XC7 sole wouldn’t make getting off to hurdle barriers too awkward. Micro perforations in the upper provide ventilation. - Stan Portus / Our Media

A fairer comparison would be the Fizik Terra X5, which also has XC potential, and weighs 766g in the same size. Ultread -Meet Ultread, the all-new mountain bike shoe sole technology that delivers superior durability and an extraordinary grip. With an all-new rubber compound from Shimano, Ultread combines precisely engineered tread patterns with an advanced proprietary rubber blend to keep riders planted on and off the bike.Simply speaking, if your cycling footwear is not offering the necessary comfort and support to your feet, then ( assuming no other issues) the resulting inability of your feet bone structure and musculature to perform optimally become the weak link on the bike.

I have about 5000 miles on my XC7s, including a few XC and gravel races and that shows in the various signs of wear and tear they’re now starting to show (even if you wouldn’t be able to tell from a distance). Lightweight Ultread XC rubber outsole delivers competition-grade grip and riding performance that lasts. Their MTB cross-country and cyclocross racing formulated rubber is optimally applied with lightweight outsole patterns to maximise performance in dry and wet conditions. Plus, its multi-discipline capabilities mean you’ll get more value out of it than a specialist shoe.They were one of the first cycling shoes manufacturers to start offering shoes that accommodate wider feet.