ShimanoSH-MW81 Gore-Tex Cold/Wet Weather MTB Shoe(Return to Product Page)

I recently bought this winter pair of cycling shoes and they are outstanding. I tested them last weekend on a 23 degree day with only one pair of medium weight wool socks and my feet were so toasty all day. I also wore them on a day that started out very rainy, then hard sleet and back to rain for 4 hours in the raw elements. I again had mid weight wool socks and my feet stayed dry and warm. These shoes are surprisingly light weight and very comfortable. I have already recommended them to my friends as a must have for our wet winter mtn rides. Thank you for carrying such a great product.

Purchased these to extend my riding in less favorable temperatures as my road shoes even with chemical foot warmers and covers were letting my toes get cold on typical 2 to 4 hour rides near freezing down to 25 F. My rides are typically hard with 50% of the time spent at or near threshold power. As an older rider (late 50's) I do suffer from circulation problems in the extremities which results in cold toes and fingers at temperatures that would have been fine in years past. Like most of us, I prefer riding on the road to the trainer and so having warm cycling gear helps me avoid loss of fitness over the Winter as I am putting more time in on the bike

After switching pedals I have used these on several rides in the upper 20's and low 30's At freezing and above, no chemical warmers and no covers, they keep my feet comfortable. Likewise, in the upper 20's with chemical warmers my feet are comfortable for these rides and I haven't had to try using toe covers for additional warmth however I expect they would be good to the low 20's for me. They do breath well, but are not drafty, no problems with sweaty feet. For people with better circulation they should be good even lower.

For fit, my road shoes are Shimano R-170s in a 44, and I purchased these in a 45 to allow a bit of extra room for thicker wool socks and the toe warmers when needed. Sizing up 1 size was a good decision for me- they fit just the way I wanted. I have enough room in the toe box to wiggle my toes to help keep them warm while using the chemical warmers and thicker socks. The strap system still let's me get an appropriate fit so these aren't loose moving around on my feet. They do take more work to get into than regular cycling shoes but they aren't difficult to get into, just takes a bit more time.

The high top on these come up high enough to cover the bottoms of my Gore and Castelli wind blocker insulated tites and don't restrict movement for riding or walking. I haven't had a chance to ride in the rain yet however on wet roads they have kept my feet dry on a bike with no fender protection from spray off the front wheel.

Cleats are recessed adequately so they don't drag on a hard surface, I can walk around on our hardwood floors (albeit carefully) without scratching them up, and there are spots for spikes in the front if a person wanted them - they aren't included with the shoe though.

I can't comment on durability or performance off road as I haven't owned them long enough and only ride on the roads however I can't see any reason they wouldn't be good long term performers or do well off the road.

Overall, if you are looking for a high quality warm shoe to extend your riding season in comfort - I would highly recommend

I bought these shoes for cyclocross during snowy and muddy conditions. The protection from snow, mud, and wet was great. My feet stayed dry and comfy. But on relaxed rides in the cold the insulation wasn't enough to keep my toes warm the entire time. I'll be using these shoes down to 40 degrees and switching to warmer shoes below 40, but I think they'd do fine down to mid 30's for an hour or so.

With all that said, the caveat is that my toes get pretty cold no matter what. So if you're someone with generally warm feet, they'd probably do great.

Traction on slippery surfaces was just okay as is, and perfectly acceptable with toe spikes. If you're going to be walking up a slippy incline, you'll need spikes.

They're nice and stiff so power transfer was good. The tread is very tall, so I had to shim my cleats, and even with that, clipping into my crank brothers pedals was frustrating on occasion.

Like all winter shoes I think you lose a little connection to the bike, but it's not too bad.

I think they look good too...not overly bulky like you're wearing mukluks or something.

I normally wear a size 40. I bought a 42 and it was perfect for a smart wool sock and a thin sock together. Two smart wools are a bit tight, but doable (though you might be reducing circulation at that point).

Overall I'm very pleased with the shoe. I wish the tread was a bit more aggressive and provided a bit better clearance for the cleat, and maybe a smidgen more insulation would be helpful for long rides.

The last piece in my winter cycling gear puzzle is finally complete. I've ridden with these for just over an hour with chemical toe warmers in 7 degree weather as well as in wet, snowy, muddy, windy temps in the 20s for three hours and I've not had cold toes yet. I wear a size 42.5 in a Sidi so I got these in a 43 and they seem just right. Either with a thicker sock or with a chemical toe warmer, the toe box seems to accommodate it all without feeling bulky or booty. I've seen folks complain that they are hard to get on but.they just aren't. There is a little strap inside that keeps things sorted and it might get a bit out of whack but you simply reach in and adjust it. They also don't feel overly clunky as I was expecting warm boots to feel. Add in that I got these for [$] for Western Bike Works (compared to some sites with them at [$]), they seem a screaming deal. I've not had them long enough to give them a five star rating but assuming they hold up for 4-5 seasons, I reckon they are a 5.

If you are looking for an excuse NOT to ride when it is cold, these shoes are not for you.

I was drawn to this shoe locally when I saw a number of riders wearing it. While I see others, the Shimano was a standout for sure. I was able to try the shoe on along side others at a LBS and found that the roomy fit suited me best. I like a toe box that allows for some movement and this one has it. My warm weather shoe is also a Shimano, so it was something I was familiar with.

What has held me back from buying a cold weather shoe was cost. Most ran over [$] and I had a hard time making that work. WBW offers this shoe at a great price which, after trying them on, made the whole thing possible. Gone are my gore-tex socks over wool socks stuffed into a regular shoe! Now it's just a mid-weight hiker in this shoe and BOOM, all is well. Most of our rides are in the mid 20's and include stream crossings. No problems here. Snow? No problems here!

The shoe can be finicky to get on due to it's internal construction. There's a small strap that crosses over the top of the foot that I just point my toes below and the shoe then slides on easily. It's no big deal once you identify it. Once on, it straps up easily and off you go. The construction is solid. The soles have a functional tread that has worked well in most conditions so far. As a cold weather only shoe, I have a feeling it will last for many, many years. A great choice, indeed.

As the title says, these shoes fit my foot really well. I wear an 11.5 normal shoe, so the size 47 Shimanos are awesome. With my thick socks on, wearing my summer biking shoes, my toes still got cold. That is not an issue with these shoes! Toes stayed warm and toasty, yet not overly clammy. I liked the overall feel of this shoe so much, i chucked my Mavic Rush summer shoes and bought a pair of sh-xc61l shoes, in size 47, for the upcoming season.

I got these for the winter months in New York State. I was advised by a friend to go up one size (US) from my normal, which was good advice. Running one winter sock feels good, but you can sneak two in without too much trouble. The windwater proofing, high ankle along with wool socks let me go down to the low teens (F) for 2 or so hours without discomfort. The hard plastic sole, can make dismounting, or dabbing on ice very exciting. Putting a short metal screw into the plastic helps tremendously with this. Overall very happy with the shoe. 4 rather than 5 stars only because the sole is so incredibly friction-less on ice.

Keeps my feet comfortable and warm on my commutes and winter training rides. For the most part they will keep things dry for a short commute in moderate rain without shoe covers. I did one longer ride where I was out for a while on a very wet day and the shoes got soaked through even with covers.

I use these on my fat bike. During winter riding my feet stay warm and they keep the snow out when I happen to fall off the bike! I plan on using them on my road bike for early season riding as well. Wish they had speed play compatibility.

Use this on my commute. 30 miles round trip. When the temps are below zero, these and a thinmed weight wool sock keep my feet nice and warm. Have used on weekend cold rides of three to four hours. Very comfortable once the straps are adjusted properly

I bought a pair for my wife and I. If it weren't for these shoes we couldn't have been biking this winter. So far we have biked in temps down to 23 degrees and these shoes keep our feet warm. We've gone up to 40 miles without a problem. Shimano hit a home run with these.

I've had these shoes for about a year and have ridden several rides both road on my cyclocross bike and MTB. I was surprised to see all the 5 stars. In regards to keeping warm, with 2 pairs of socks I keep my feet nice a cozy for a good 3 hour ride. I put toe warmers on them for colder days too. In regards to water ingress, I'm not very satisfied. I can go about an hour in drizzle and I can start to feel the water start creeping in typically draining down the neoprene seal against my ankle. I've tried putting my pants over the neoprene and it extends the dryness by about a half an hour.

I'll be looking for a better option for me next winter I think.... Not a bad shoe for the money, but I think there are better options.

I had tried all kinds of combinations of socks and covers but this shoe takes the cake! My toes were nice and toasty on my cold, wet rides. I'd lean toward a size larger than normal or plan on thinner socks, it's a snug fit. Definitely worth the money for warm feet.

I haven't had a chance to ride in these below freezing yet, but near it and in wind they are decently warm yet breathe well with a thin sock. Not warm, but not cold on rides up to 3 hours at 32-35. I imagine with a thick sock you can get into low temps comfortably. The fix is on the wide and long side. They seem quite sturdy so far in the singletrack, but not so gnarly that I feel silly having put Time ATACs on my road bike for the winter.

I live in Tacoma. There is lots of water out here In the NW. I bike to work 5 days a week. 30 miles round trip. Needless to say I really was looking forward to using these shoes. My previous pair were a different brand and waterproof as well. I thought I would give Shimano a try because it has not failed me when it come to the components. So here is my irritation, The right shoe get soaked all the time! I thought it might be the shoe cuff, so I started wearing shoe gaiters that go all the way to my calf. Well that did not do the job. Step 2, i started to wear rain pants as well. So i baked in the rain pants and thought it might stop the problem, but no!! Step 3, contacted Shimano about the issue. They told me to contact western Bike cause they might be faster solving the problem. Well, WBW does not have them in stock any more!! So I am stuck with a pair of faulty shoes that I paid good money for!! I wish Shimano would back up their product better or provide better customer service. The WBW crew I contacted and a representative informed me that they would get back to me with a solution, but never did. I am NOT blaming WBW as they are the middle person. I just want people to know what might happen if they get a pair of defected shoes. NO SERVICE from shimano, out of [$] and a wet fooot!!

This shoe keeps my feet warm during cool weather riding..... So far I've worn them them while riding in temps as low the low 40's and with a woolie boolie sock my feet stayed warm.... They also have kept my feet dry after a good many creek crossings.... I orderd 1 size larger than what I normally wear in a Specialized brand summer shoe to accomodate for wearing a thicker wool sock and the fit is perfect....

I use these shoes for winter riding my Fat Bike. I ride in mountains at elevations starting at 4500 ft and climb from there. I followed other web advise and ordered a size larger, removed the insoles and replaced them with wireless heated insoles and have ridden comfortably at minus 25 degrees for several hours. I can see using these shoes in the shoulder seasons riding my regular mountain bike.

This is my first cold weather shoe. Prior to this I was using my summer shoe plus a neosock underneath a thick wool sock and chemical toe warmers with an outer layer of insulated shoe covers. Well, with this shoe, I have ditched the shoe cover, chemical toe warmer, and the thick wool sock. Thats right. I can now ride comfortably for up to 3 hours in temps down to the low 20's with just a neoprene sock and this shoe! What an improvement. This is probably the best money I have spent for anything related to mountainbiking in a long time. I highly recommend these shoes. You will not regret it. And, the price that WBW is the lowest I have seen anywhere.

I live in Ohio so we get our fair share of up and down weather, I was using XC shoes with wool socks overtop and booties I could handle 30degrees for a couple hours these shoes took that down 10 degrees, for about 2 hours in 20 degrees and wool socks I will start getting a chill in my toes if I added toe warmers it would last a lot longer. Great shoes overall I could not be happier!

I love these shoes. I ride 2-3 hours in 20 degree snowy, wet conditions and my feet don't even begin to get cold ( I wear 2 pair of socks). Have done several creek crossings also and feet stay dry. They run true to size. I got the best price at western bike works and got them within a few days. I would recommend these shoes to anyone who rides in the cold weather, well worth the investment.