Shimano MW702 shoe review

Shimano’s venerable MW7 mountain bike shoe has had another update.

The new version takes on the title of MW702 and features a slightly skinner silhouette than the outgoing Shimano MW701.

It gains a full outer cover, protecting the Boa dial from trail debris and dirt.

Meanwhile, the outer sole features Shimano’s Ultread rubber built into spaced-out, cross-country-inspired fairly aggressive tread blocks.

Shimano MW702 details

The mid-foot section features a layer of the Ultread rubber, too, helping add grip if you miss the pedal’s mechanism. At the front is a pair of bosses for studs, if you wish to use them.

The cleat has a reasonable range of adjustability and sits fairly far back in the shoe. Meanwhile, the sole is moderately stiff, although there’s a hint of flex towards the toe to aid walking.

The upper features a Gore-Tex liner to keep water at bay. While the upper construction is relatively stiff, from ankle height it merges into a neoprene sleeve with a Velcro closure.

This closure also acts as a cover over the shoe’s Boa system, protecting it from front-wheel spray.

Thanks to the insulation, the shoe’s upper is fairly thick with little internal contouring to aid with heel-hold.

The inner material is slightly fluffy (which gives it warmth), as is the insole (which also has moderate levels of arch support). The toe-box offers moderate levels of protection.

Meanwhile, on the outside, there are reflective details around the shoe.

Shimano MW702 shoe performance

The XC-inspired sole offers good pedalling efficiency with no hotspots from the cleat.

The tread blocks are aggressive in shape and dig into mud well, but the Ultread rubber material and tread shapes conspire to offer little confidence when walking on rocky or rooty surfaces.

While the MW710 felt like a decent trail-riding shoe, the MW702 has returned to XC-styling, which I feel compromises overall performance.

Overall, despite the XC-styling and sole, the shoe is fairly high in bulk and will scuff up cranks more than some.

The volume inside is fairly generous. I could use thicker socks to boost the warmth of the shoe, but wearing standard socks I had to tighten the Boa dial more than expected to get a really secure-feeling shoe.

The cover over the Boa dial is an improvement over the MW701. Protecting the system from dirt minimises any compromise in the performance of the dial.

The Velcro extends right to the edge of the cover, though, so getting gloved fingers under the edge to pull it open can be frustrating.

The warmth of the shoes is reasonable without being exceptional. However, that extra volume means you can wear thicker socks to boost warmth if you need it.

Waterproofing is good. The neoprene sock will soak through eventually (particularly in heavy rain or on a very splashy ride), but it still retains warmth when the upper portion is damp.

It is low-profile, too, so elastic-cuffed trousers tend to ride up over the cuff less than with other shoes. It’s also tall, so the opening of the shoe is less likely to be exposed.

In my submersion test, which simulates walking through a stream or waterlogged ground, the MW7 performed moderately well.

However, the baffle between the tongue and the shoe doesn’t extend all the way to the top of the tongue. This means the shoes get overwhelmed by the time the neoprene is submerged. And when they do get soaked, they take a while to dry.

Shimano MW702 shoe bottom line

The MW7 was one of my favourite winter shoes, however the new focus towards an XC-style shoe takes away from the shoe's performance. In my eyes, this makes it less suited to the majority of riders.

It’s a fairly bulky shoe with generous internal volume. It’s warm enough for most winter rides and the waterproofing is good (if not the best around).

Shimano’s footwear tends to be reliable, though, and with the Boa dial protected from dirt, I see no reason why the MW7 shoes shouldn’t last a good few seasons.