Review: Shimano SH-MT43 SPD Mountain Bike Shoes

Years ago I used to use toe clips, they were great for that day and age, which was about 15 years ago. Clipless pedals were already available then, but they were expensive and most of the time the actual "clip/cleats" protruded from your shoes, making it both difficult to walk in and also ridiculous in the looks department.

The classic Toe Clip. (Image sourced from http://www.bywayofbicycle.com)

I wasn't quite prepared to go clipless, but I did want a good shoe to cycle in, so I decided to meet it halfway. Buy a cycling shoe, but without using the cleats.

After shopping around, I came by the Shimano SH-MT43, an SPD compatible cycling shoe that looked good and could perhaps double as a hiking shoe.

The beautiful SH-MT43

UNBOXING AND INITIAL THOUGHTS

I've seen many cycling shoes, both for road and mountain biking and one thing I really liked about the MT43 was the fact that the area where the "cleats" would be fasten on was covered. Meaning, the shoe didn't have gaping holes in it. Let me tell you why this is significant... if you leave in a country with frequent rainy spells. You DO NOT want to step into a puddle only to have water reach your socks from under your feet... sound logical? Believe me, many cycling shoes do not have that area covered by default. (ie: Shimano SH-M064G)

The shoe with the cleat area screwed up and covered.

Unscrewed, the four holes are where the cleats will be fastened.

You'd notice that there are also something that looks like a sticker. From what I've read, they aren't very useful. But what you are supposed to do is to stick them inside your shoe, over where the cleats will be. This is to minimise the amount of water that may seep through... but again, apparently they are of minimal help (they are made of paper!) and some seasoned mountain bikers recommend using aquarium sealant to plug up the gaps instead.

(Note: Cleats are not included with the SH-MT43. I've seen this asked online a lot. Cleats are normally bundled with your clipless pedals)


THE RIDE

I completed a 10km off road ride with these babies at FRIM and let's say my impression is a bit of a mixed bag.

The whole reason for using proper cycling shoes are:

1. To use the cleats, in this case it would be Shimano's SPD system.
2. To provide a shoes with a hard rigid sole so your feet/toes/etc doesn't bend when you pedal.

In my case, it'd be for the second reason.

Did it work as expected? I really don't know. They are definitely comfortable... no doubt about that. The sole was so rigid that it doesn't bend AT ALL, not even if you used your hands to bend them. But I can't rightly say that I felt any different from using these as opposed to regular sports shoes.

Walking definitely felt different though, since the front portion of your feet no longer bend as your walk. But in terms of cycling... not so much.

Moreover, I am now using non-fancy plastic pedals and the rubber sole of the shoes turned out to not like them very much. They felt slippery... probably due to the rubber being of the harder sort.


FINAL NOTES AND WHERE TO BUY

I had in mind to double up and also use these shoes for anything from hiking to a stroll in the mall (they do look good enough). But now I doubt I'd ever... they just aren't comfortable enough to do lots of walking in.

Plastic pedals don't hurt as much when they bash against your shins.

But if you are looking for a great and somewhat versatile SPD shoes that's affordable, you can and should consider these. I got them for only RM235 including shipping at Wan's Cycle. You can buy from them online. If you do, bare in mind that most cycling shoes use European Shoe sizing and if you end up being a 41, you may want to consider buying at 42 instead. I did, and it fit just right.


~Step on Pedals, Not Puddles.