Shimano were displaying their latest shoe models at this week's Icebike trade show, which included some new mountain bike footwear, updated road shoes and a new custom-fit tarmac-going slipper.
The off-road shoes all feature new soles, toe studs as standard, and a triangle shape moulded into the bottom of the sole to prevent your foot slipping off the pedal in the event of a missed clip-in.
The new £99.99 zebra-striped M161 replaces the old 160 and has reinforced material at the rear, on both the outer and inner, where the shoe is likely to wear most.
At the same price, the AM51 has a high ankle cut, reinforced high-wear areas, three wide Velcro straps, reflective detail on the rear and breathable mesh panels.
On the road side of things, the R240 at £199.99 replaces the R220 and falls under the company’s ‘Custom Fit’ series with its heat-mouldable heal and sole section. It has a full carbon fibre sole with offset straps so that one part of the foot isn’t taking all of the pressure. An anti-slip coating is used on the inside of the shoe to reduce shoe lift (think of a cat’s tongue…).
The RT81 is an interesting shoe which has been created specifically for riders who want the look of a road shoe with the ease-of-use of a mountain bike-style SPD shoe – ie. a shoe you can walk in comfortably. So it should be perfect for beginner riders, sportive riders who want the ‘road look’ or mountain bikers who want to join the Lycra club. The shoe costs £89.99, and the matching Ultegra-level single-sided pedal (A600) is £79.99.
While not a new shoe, the £99.99 R105 gets a limited edition colour, and a matching limited edition white pedal.