Shimano GE7 shoes review

The GE7 shoes from Shimano are designed to be used with clipless pedals and have been built with enduro and downhill riding – and racing – in mind.

They’re packed with all sorts of features that are said to boost control on the bike when you’re riding on the ragged edge, are competitively priced and in my experience, should last.

In use, it’s clear that with the GE7, Shimano has nailed it in terms of comfort through the upper, as well as offering a very balanced blend of flex and support through the sole.

There’s plenty of cleat adjustment available, a secure fit that’s still roomy enough, plus a decent amount of protection where it’s needed most.

Compared to the competition, though, the strap and laces feel a little dated, even if they work well (and save you some cash over the GE9s, which feature a Boa dial closure).

On the whole, however, there’s a serious amount to like about the GE7 shoes.

Shimano GE7 shoes specifications and details

The GE7 is Shimano’s mid-priced enduro and downhill shoe, sitting right in the middle of a cheaper GE5 and top-tier GE9 sandwich.

In terms of features, the GE7 isn’t a million miles off the GE9, with the main differences being it uses a glass-fibre reinforced nylon midsole, rather than the carbon equivalent, and doesn’t get a Boa dial closure as found on the pricier model.

There’s a lot of shared tech, though, despite the £50 price difference. And you know what? I think the cheaper GE7s look better. There, I said it.

The soft upper is perforated over the top of the toes and down either side to help with cooling.

To keep your feet locked in place, the GE7s use a combination of good old laces and a sturdy Velcro strap that not only helps limit heel slip once tensioned correctly, but also enables you to hide flappy laces.

An asymmetrical ankle cuff is raised on the inside and more heavily padded to better protect against crank strikes.

There’s more protection and a decent level of reinforcement right at the front of the shoe to protect your little piggies which, thanks to the broad toe box, have plenty of room to spread out.

Deeper inside the GE7s, you’ll find the TORBAL (torsional balance) 2.0 midsole.

Shimano says TORBAL 2.0 is designed to maintain stiffness through the centre of the shoe for pedalling efficiency, but allow for some lateral flex and roll on either side of the shoe for a more natural feel when descending.

It has been designed to work hand-in-hand with the layered EVA foam that sits beneath it (placed there to absorb impacts coming from the pedals) to boost comfort and overall control.

The outsole uses ‘Ultread GE’ rubber throughout, with taller toe and heel lugs for improved off-the-bike traction.

Shimano has lengthened the cleat channel, and included long cleat slots to enable cleats to sit back towards the mid-foot, which it claims helps to enhance stability and bike handling.

My EU43 shoes, with Crankbrothers cleats fitted, weigh a reasonable 946g for the pair.

Shimano GE7 shoes performance

Slip the GE7s on and they feel instantly comfortable. To do so, you’ll need to properly loosen the laces and strap, though.

The padding around the ankle and across the top of the foot feels plentiful, while the subtle support through the arch of the foot is shaped just enough to do its job without feeling overly pronounced, awkward or uncomfortable, especially on longer rides.

The uppers don’t feel stiff or restrictive in any way either and Shimano has placed the Velcro strap almost perfectly, meaning once it’s cinched up, not only does it help prevent any heel lift, but it doesn’t dig into your foot when it’s flexing.

Thanks to those long cleat slots, I managed to get my cleats stuffed right back towards the middle of my feet, just where I like them.

I find this position really helps in terms of both control on the bike and reducing fatigue (compared to more forward-positioned cleats) on long descents.

As a result, I felt instantly at home in the GE7s.

I rode with Crankbrothers Mallet E LS and Mallet DH pedals and found clipping in and out easy in both, using just one spacer beneath each cleat.

I’m also a big fan of the broad toe box. This enables you to splay your toes out comfortably. I’ve found this to be a plus on long rides, especially on warm days.

But that wide toe box means it’s worth shunting your cleats over slightly to one side to ensure the toe has sufficient crank clearance when you’re twisting your foot to disengage from the pedals.

Underfoot, Shimano has done a great job of balancing flex through the sole with enough stiffness to ensure your feet aren’t left clawing at the pedals when you start putting the effort in.

Feedback from the pedals is muted enough to prevent any discomfort when blatting through rough rock sections, but without dulling it so much that you’re unable to feel where the pedal is or what it’s doing.

It’s hard to say for sure whether the claims about the TORBAL 2.0 technology stand up, but I feel I’m able to roll and twist my feet while still clipped in to the pedals when I sling the bike from turn to turn, which only helps with overall confidence.

Off the bike, there’s enough flex through the toe and a secure enough fit around the heel to enable you to walk normally.

The tread on the underside offers reasonable traction when scrambling back up the side of a trail to have another go at ripping a turn.

How do the Shimano GE7 shoes compare to the Specialized 2FO ClipLites?

I tested the GE7 shoes back-to-back with the Specialized 2FO ClipLite, which costs just £5 more at £175.

The ClipLite has a lower profile and less bulk, which is reflected on the scales.

Oddly, I wear a size EU42 in Specialized shoes and EU43 in Shimano, so this isn’t quite apples versus apples here.

But for those interested, the ClipLites tip the scales at 862g with the same Crankbrothers cleats fitted.

Unsurprisingly, the double Boa dials of the ClipLites make getting them on a little quicker, though the GE7s feel more locked in once cinched up securely.

In terms of cleat placement, both shoes offer almost the same amount of rearward adjustment – the ClipLites have around 1mm more.

The GE7 offers a wider toe box, though the ClipLites' narrower profile means there’s a little more in terms of crank clearance when twisting your foot to clip out of the pedals.

When putting the power down through the pedals on a climb, both shoes respond in a similar way, with almost evenly matched levels of flex through the sole.

Both are comfortable on longer rides, though the GE7 offers a touch more padding and protection.

Overall, while the Boa dials are more convenient and the ClipLite shoes offer really impressive performance on the trail, I’d pick the GE7s because they’re a little more comfortable.

Shimano GE7 shoes bottom line

The new GE7 shoes from Shimano offer masses of all-day comfort, a protective, well-supported feel and just the right blend of stiffness and flex to make them one of the best mountain bike shoes to ride in.

They’re not cheap and don’t come with the fancier Boa dial closure of similarly priced competitors, but that doesn’t impact on their performance.

I really like them. And yes, I think they look pretty cool, too.