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Shimano kicks out new Enduro, Trail, XC & Road shoes, plus new footwear for winter & Tri

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Shimano_SH-ME700_ME7-enduro-mountain-bike-shoes_gray

Last year Shimano went all out on the 25th anniversary of the first SPD shoes and pedals with a huge expansion of their trail and road shoe offerings. Well it certainly doesn’t look like they are slowing down a year later with even more new kicks on the way building on a lot of the same technologies.

We saw earlier today some of the classy new shoes that Shimano has in the pipeline for the road touring crowd as part of their Explorer Transit collection, but at the same time they are overhauling their mountain bike shoes with new top end version targeted specifically at XC, Trail & Enduro. That’s not to mention a new top end road shoe, and some more affordable options for men and women triathletes and winter training both on and off-road…

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The big new shift this year is probably the new partnership with Michelin soles that we first saw back in 2014 in a collaboration with Northwave. Like we saw then, Shimano also kicks off with a dual-density Michelin-soled Mountain Enduro shoe. The new ME7 is designed to have the light weight and pedaling efficiency of an XC race shoe with the added grip and protection needed for more aggressive racing where you’ll be blowing through rock gardens and over obstacles. They are the new incarnation of the previous M200, and the new shoe gets reinforced armor over the toe, instep and hidden speed lacing system, and a neoprene ankle cuff to keep mud and debris out.

The ME7 gets a carbon sole for power transfer stiffness, but uses Shimano’s Torbal tech to allow the heel to twist more naturally for better balance and control on the pedals. The shoes will come in both black or gray and claim a weight of just 375g a piece.

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One step below the Enduro shoe on both aggressiveness and stiffness is a new all-around trail shoe called the ME5. It drops some of the armor, the neoprene, and speed lacing and gets an opposing pair of velcro straps for retention in addition to the same low-profile cam-buckle as the ME7. It also sticks with a standard dual-density rubber set of traction lugs instead of the Michelin tread, but still uses a carbon sole and Torbal flex for a efficient trail-riding shoe at a claimed 385g.Shimano_SH-XC700_XC7-cross-country-race-mountain-bike-shoes_red-black

Over on the new race cross country side of things, Shimano puts an even stiffer carbon sole into the new XC7, without any built in heel flex but with Shimano’s own Dynalast shape that claims to lead to a smoother, more efficient pedal stroke.

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Intended to be a top-tier XC race shoe, Shimano combines a single Boa IP1 dial with a velcro strap at the toe to hold the foot securely. The XC7 uses a perforated synthetic upper and gets a lightweight Michelin sole to come in at just 335g per shoe. It also offers standard width and a wider last through the bulk of its whole size Euro sizing run.

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The road shoe line-up gets its own version of the carbon race shoe with the same Dynalast, perforated upper, and Boa closure. Like the XC7, the new RC7 uses a seamless upper without a separate tongue that lets the shoe wrap around the foot under the Boa’s Powerzone wires for a more uniform and hotspot-free fit. Also like the cross-country shoe, the RC7 uses an ultra-stiff carbon sole to maximize power transfer. The RC7 is claimed to weigh only 245g per foot, and comes in half sizes from 38-47 and wide last options for the full size run up to a 50 to dial in that perfect fit.

Shimano_SH-TR500_TR5-triathlon-road-race-bike-shoes_women Shimano_SH-TR500_TR5-triathlon-road-race-bike-shoes_men-sole

Triathletes benefit from some new specialist shoes too. Sharing a similar design to the elite-level TR9 model with the same breathable synthetic upper, 3D mesh lining, and T1-quick strap for fast transitions, the new TR5 gets a more affordable vented fiber-reinforced sole that actually trims a few grams off the more expensive carbon model.. The TR5 will work with either SPD or SPD-SL pedals and claims to weigh 265g a shoe, and come in both men’s and women’s sizing and colors.

Shimano_SH-MW500_MW5-mountain-winter-bike-boots-shoes-Dryshield Shimano_SH-RW500_RW5-road-winter-bike-boots-shoes-Dryshield

Lastly Shimano has two more reasons to not stop riding all year long. Their new Dryshield MW5 and RW5 boots offer a pair of more affordable options than their other Gore-Tex offerings like the MW81s that a few of us have ridden through several winters. Using their own breathable & waterproof membrane with a fleece liner should keep costs down vs. the Gore option and take away one more obstacle to buying that additional pair of shoes to get you through the cold, wet months of riding. Both shoes offer an easy to use speed lacing system and get neoprene ankle cuffs to keep the weather out. The mountain MW5 is SPD compatible and gets a legged outsole with the provision for toes spikes, weighing 445g. The road version RW5 drops a good bit of weight down to just 340g by forgoing pretty much all tread except enough to get you down the front steps. In addition to SPD compatibility, the RW5 adds SPD-SL so you can run whatever pedals you want on your winter training bike.

Most of Shimano’s new shoes are anticipated to be available in shops from the first weeks of September, with the winter shoes a bit later but in time for northern hemisphere winters.

Shimano-LifestyleGear.com

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Tom Bender
7 years ago

@Bikerumor, any idea if the XC7 is replacing the XC90? This shoe doesn’t seem like its targeting that XC90 market…maybe another release with an XC9(?) to come?

nick n
nick n
7 years ago
Reply to  Tom Bender

considering the way shimano names their products and also the shoes spotted on pro’s feet at the tour, it looks like there’s one more design for the road shoes at least, which will probably carry over to mtb too since the “recommended pedal” for the XC7 on shimano’s website is the XT pedal, not the XTR. I like the look of this but I might just hold out a little bit longer

SA
SA
7 years ago
Reply to  Tom Bender

Shimano is working on a replacement for the top-end XC shoe. Don’t know too many details, but I heard from a local rep that it’s gonna have BOA, come in blue, and be a balls to the wall XC shoe somewhere in the neighborhood of $400

What up T Benz
What up T Benz
7 years ago

Stoked about the new Shimano Crossmax shoes

Nick
Nick
7 years ago

Just because you love to ride a bike doesn’t mean you have to clip in Shimano.

mech
mech
7 years ago

any word on the new S-Phyere shoes by shimano’s new company. i’ve seen the white road ones on some website, and the black mtb ones in person.. they are great.

Andy
Andy
7 years ago

My god shimano’s product design is really killing it this year. First the neo 80s urban group set, then the silver fade-to-black dura ace 2017 and now these space age shoes. I am seriously impressed.

Marin
Marin
7 years ago

Having owned M088 and M089, Shimano shoes are very comfortable but very frail.
The sole is not really made to whitstand any walking over anything other than asphalt or soft dirt. The thread is very soft and poorly attached to the stiffer sole so it rips off while walking over the course of just month or two.

That’s shared among all M models. Ironically MT models have much better execution of the thread but they’re too soft and flexible for good pedalling performance and have those stupid laces.
Now if they could just merge those two things together…

It’s actually pretty hard to find good clipless shoe with certain parameters:

– velcro straps and ratchet or boa system (best for quickly getting them on and off since velcro stays put and you just slip the shoe and adjust via quick system)

– stiff enough for good pedalling performance

– grippy thread

– light and not necessarily waterproof or winter shoe type

– durable and well put together so they won’t break after one hike&bike trip

Geoff
Geoff
7 years ago

Shimano says ME5 is not a carbon sole on it website??

ctguru
ctguru
7 years ago
Reply to  Cory Benson

cheers

Bill
Bill
7 years ago

Please someone bring back the boa in the rear. Side mounting is the worst place to have these things for cyclocross.

Jordan Yard
7 years ago

So what’s the deal with Shimano now? I have used Shimano shoes for a number of years, but now I can’t find half sizes, neither in a store on online. 44 is too small and 45 is too big, so if they have stopped with half sizes I’m looking for a new company. I don’t see how they can market shoes with no half sizes.

rubensbelly
rubensbelly
7 years ago

I had a pair of Mo75 a few years back. Good shoe but when you looked down at your feet it read 5Low ! Not the motivation one needs while pushing

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