BIKERUMOR REVIEW: I have been using a pair of AM40s for about four months now, through weather conditions ranging from the depths of Scottish winter to the heights of Spanish spring. Riding five or six days a week has meant that I have given these shoes a proper testing.
OK, so the styling of these shoes isn’t going to suit everyone, but it is their performance that they should be judged on. After all, you shouldn’t be looking at your feet when you’re blasting downhill!
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First and most important for any mountain bike shoe is where it contacts the pedal, and Shimano have collaborated with Vibram to produce a specially sticky sole exclusively for their use. The sole grips really well on the pedal, indeed I can’t feel any difference between them and the benchmark Five Ten stealth rubber. In other words, they are amazingly sticky! The soles also seem to be wearing well, I have done well over 300 hours of riding in mine and they still look great.
The AM40s are light and comfortable to wear whilst still offering plenty of protection. I love the Velcro flap over the laces, it helps keep the foot dry, prevents the laces from working loose and provides extra protection against flying debris. The rest of the shoe is also quite padded and features a raised ankle protector. So far I haven’t felt any painful impacts.
In the last four months I have been riding in temperatures from -15°C (5°F) up to +30°C (86°F) and, with a change of socks, I have found that the shoes performed as well as could be expected! They also seem to be wearing well, and even the white bits don’t look too tired.
The AM40s come with an insert to make them stiffer but I haven’t used it. The standard insert feels perfect for me and I don’t feel any inclination to change it. If you are buying over the internet then it is worth bearing in mind that I have found the sizing to be slightly on the small side.
I think that the AM40’s are fantastic, I honestly can’t find anything to complain about. So long as you’re not fussy about the styling of course!
