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New Sidi MTB Turbo performance mountain bike shoes strike balance between XC & Enduro

Sidi MTB Turbo trail all-mountain bike cycling shoes, teaser
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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

Sidi MTB Turbo trail all-mountain bike cycling shoes, front

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

Sidi MTB Turbo trail all-mountain bike cycling shoes, side

That top tier is said to deliver a “high-performance and versatile” pair of mountain bike shoes – balancing all-day pedaling efficiency, comfort & walkability.

Sidi MTB Turbo trail all-mountain bike cycling shoes, angled

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.

Sidi MTB Turbo trail all-mountain bike cycling shoes, sole

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.

Sidi MTB cycling shoes: Defender 20 vs. Gravel
MTB Defender 20 (left) vs. MTB Gravel (right)

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

Sidi MTB Turbo trail all-mountain bike cycling shoes, heels

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.

Sidi.com

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4 Comments
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nooner
nooner
2 years ago

Love me some SIDI shoes but these look heavy, they can also run painfully narrow for those with wider feet. I hope i’m wrong on both counts, i would like to try them.

Tom
Tom
2 years ago

wish these came in high tops for a little ankle protection

JULIEN
JULIEN
2 years ago

I have the SD15 and they are a bit wider than the regular xc shoes.

Alistair
Alistair
1 year ago

I’ve used Sidi shoes for 46 years; talk about brand loyalty. My current mtb bike shoe is an old version of the Tiger, a super stiff, very comfortable shoe for riding but not for walking. Previously I had Dominator 5s which lasted forever and were OK for walking though the stiffness of the Tiger was immediately noticeable and pleasant when pushing on the pedals. I wanted some shoes for a mtn bike tour in the Azores.

The OUTDOOR sole is absolutely great for walking with great grip on loose terrain; that part is the star of the show. For stiffness, it’s a blah. I can feel the pedal beneath my foot and don’t like that, I’ve clearly been spoilt by the Tiger.

The Single Techno 3 is not for me. I have a bunion on one foot and the single techno does not let me keep the top tight and the bottom loose, so the bunion gets irritated causing pain such that I just want to get the shoe off at the end of a ride. If you’ve no bunion then it might be OK.
 
The upper are made of mesh which one review described as “for better breathability” and above as “more comfortable”. I beg to differ. They are thick and squishy; I’d rather have the thin uppers that the majority of the Sidi ranges use and with which I’ve had no breathability or comfort problem. I also found that the tongue didn’t like staying centered.
 
My last gripe is that it doesn’t come in half sizes so I went up half a size. It’s not a snug fit.

Weight is ok, about 50g more than the Tigers; not an issue.

If I were sticking with Sidi I’d try the Trace 2 or Eagle 10 though would love it if Sidi made one of those with the rubber of the Outdoor sole.

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