Sidi has a new pair of MTB Turbo mountain bike shoes that strike an all-mountain, trail riding balance between full-on cross-country or gravity racing. The bulk of the high-performance shoes Sidi is most known for focus almost entirely on pedaling efficiency, but these new Turbos for more walkability to cover more varied terrain, and a more forgiving and vented upper for all-day comfort on any adventure.
Sidi MTB Turbo trail riding shoes
The new Sidi MTB Turbo falls right in the middle between their Tiger 2 XC & Dimaro DH shoes, as a more versatile all-mountain and trail riding solution. The shoes are a direct progression of Sidi’s long-running, but less well-known SD15, now upgraded with better adjustment, more secure fit, and a more comfortable synthetic upper.
The new MTB Turbo sits at the top tier of Sidi’s oddly named versatile Outdoor/Freetime family of off-road cycling shoes – the same mixed platform & clipless compatible category that includes their gravel, all-mountain, e-bike & gravity shoes – essentially every bike shoe apart from their race-focused Road or MTB lines. To be fair, the Turbos do cross over into the MTB family too, where they end up in the mid pricing level.
All-mountain & Trail – Tech details
That top tier is said to deliver a “high-performance and versatile” pair of mountain bike shoes – balancing all-day pedaling efficiency, comfort & walkability.
The MTB Turbo features a suede-like synthetic upper like the Gravel, now with large mesh panels for better breathability, and the same single Sidi Wire Tecno-3 dial system for fine fit adjustment. The Turbos also now get Sidi’s latest reinforced nylon heel cup for extra security & durability as well, but ditches the plastic Defender side protector of the Gravel & Defender 20.
Its sole is the same rugged & grippy MTB Outdoor rubber outsole of the old SD15 (and last year’s Defender 20), with wider lugs for improved walking grip over loose terrain. Inside, extra reinforcement through the midfoot is said to deliver high stiffness for pedaling, while allowing the heel & toe to flex a bit for a natural hike-a-bike feel. The new Turbo shoes feature 4-bolt SPD-compatible inserts, or a bolt-on tread insert for those riding flat pedals.
2020’s Defender 20 is functionally the same as 2020’s Gravel, with this more stable MTB Outdoor outsole, both similar +/- 10€ to the new Turbo.
Sidi Turbo – Pricing, options & availability
The 200€ MTB Turbo trail riding shoes are available now through Sidi distributors, in whole sizes only, from 38-48. The new Sidi MTB Turbo shoes are offered only in matte black, with classic white Sidi logos & red graphics. Sidi isn’t clear about the origin of the new Turbos, but it seems likely that they are made in Sidi’s factory in Romania.
