Sidi
MTB Gravel Shoe

Never had a bad Sidi shoe in 25yrs, and these are super comfy. Not a good choice for racer-boys wanting super tight/rigid shoes since there's only one tensioner, but killer casual road/gravel/trail shows for SPD riders. I save the Dominators for aggressive MTB play.

I liked these shoes for fit and comfort in warm weather. They are light weight and just stiff enough tone efficient for riding gravel and pavement.

Overall I like the shoe but I find the sizing to be a bit of a bummer. I'm typically somewhere between a size 10.5 or 11, depending on brand, which has historically translated to a 44 or 44.5 shoe. For instance I recently got a pair of Fizik Arias in size 44.5 and they're about perfect so I was surprised when the size chart suggested 45.5. My old Sidi Dominators were 44 but they're feeling a little tight and I wanted more room in the toe box so I gave the larger size a shot. They felt great around the house but I quickly found them to be a little too large once I got them out for a ride. The tongue is heavily padded and makes it difficult to get the snug fit that I'm used to. I appreciate the extra volume when wearing heavy socks but I think I might have to look for something else as the temps rise. Of course I've ridden them so I can't return them but I really wish that I went with a size smaller.

The Sidi ratchet is OK but not great, I prefer an actual BOA that allows you to adjust tension without having to flip up a little lever fiddle with buttons. I would also prefer to have either a second dial or a strap closer to the toes to be able to adjust volume more precisely.

The overall build quality is excellent as has been every Sidi shoe I've ever owned. The fabric is very tough and abrasion resistant and my shoes still look great ever though I've ridden them on some tough trails and have knocked them around a bit.

If I had to do it again I would order 2 sizes and kept the best fitting pair, or just tried them on in person before buying. I would also check out the Fizik offerings as they've been really great though not quite as durable as the Sidis.

I've been wearing Sidi road and MTB shoes for years. I recently got a gravel bike and wanted a shoe that was more durable and easier to walk in than a road shoe but not quite as rugged as a MTB shoe. These meet those requirements. I normally wear a US size 11-1/2 and my feet are on the wide side. The 46 works for me.

I have noticed that I have to tighten the adjuster a click or two a few miles into the ride as the padding packs down. This will probably go away as they conform to my feet.

I have a couple months in these shoes now and here are my impressions. I use them on my gravel bike and on my mountain bike.

Things I like:

1) They look good, the overall fit is good, secure, and true to size.

2) The single dial closure system is adequate and fairly easy to adjust on the move.

3) They are ok to walk in. Not as slippery as previous Sidi's I've owned.

Things that bug me:

1) The tongue is only fixed down by your toes, not on the sides. When I ride, the tongue slides off to the outside of each shoe and does not stay centered under the "laces." This is VERY annoying.

2) The insert foot beds are extremely thin and offer zero cushion. The sole is rock hard under my foot and my feet were hurting after an hour or so of riding. I had to buy a pair of 1/4 inch foam foot beds and cut them to shape. This helped a bit.

Nice comfort. Nice shape. Nice look. Best price .

I used my newly purchased Sidi Gravel MTN shoes in the Steamboat Gravel Race this Aug. 21. And they were just awesome. Very light on the foot. I didn't have any numbness in the ball of my foot. I would like to see a toe spike option if possible.

Thanks,

Cliff

I am a retired road bike racer with many ultra distance events as well. These shoes have a great toe box and good mid foot support. I did slip in an aftermarket footbed for added arch support to fully seqiire my feet.