Sidi Frost Gore 2 shoe review

Sidi has long been one of the most premium brands in the cycling shoes market, with a strong reputation on the road and a wide range of cross-country-focused mountain bike shoes to boot.

The Frost Gore 2 is its winter MTB shoe, with a Gore-Tex lining and more insulation than you’d get in a traditional MTB shoe.

Sidi Frost Gore 2 shoe specification

The shoe features Sidi’s nylon MTB SR17 sole, which has fairly deep rubber treads to give grip in the mud, paired with bosses to mount studs if you wish.

The front tread blocks sit on a replaceable plate, so they can be switched if they wear out.

Between the fore and rear foot, there’s a rubberised Sidi logo to help with grip if you miss your pedal’s mechanism.

To aid cleat positioning, the cleat channel is marked but is narrow and doesn’t extend particularly far back in the shoe. The shank of the sole is stiffer than most other winter mountain bike shoes.

The multi-panel upper features a range of faux-leather and mesh panels, with fair levels of toe protection. Behind the outer surface is a Gore-Tex liner extending most of the way to the top of the shoe.

A shallow neoprene sock (with a Velcro closure) sits above the top of the shoe at the ankle.

Sidi uses its own Tecno-3 System to secure the shoe – it’s a Boa-dial like system, requiring you to squeeze the wings to release and featuring a pop-up lever to tighten. This is backed up with a Velcro strap at the toe. Inside, there’s a moderate amount of arch support, and a soft, finished material.

The heel cup of the shoe is a stout plastic, and there's also reflective detailing at the back.

Sidi Frost Gore 2 shoe performance

The Frost Gore 2 has a very low bulk for a winter shoe, making it feel light and easy to wear, while also avoiding scuffing on the cranks.

Part of this low bulk comes from the internal dimensions, which suit smaller-volume feet. Though not uncomfortable for my neutral-shaped feet, these shoes have a classically road-feeling shape, with less wiggle room for toes than many other shoes.

Despite this, I found the shoes relatively (though not extremely) warm – they felt snug but not constricted.

The Tecno-3 System closure allows for fine control of the fit of the shoe, especially when paired with the Velcro strap over the toe.

Once the feet are in, they are comfortable, although the narrow heel cup initially feels odd, especially when compared to most other shoes.Sidi claims its heel cup aids power transfer.

Certainly, power transfer is good, because the sole is very stiff, wasting little energy when pedalling.

It does compromise walking performance, though. Likewise, the incredibly narrow stature of the heel treads makes the shoes feel unstable to walk in on all but smooth surfaces.

If you’re not frequently getting off the bike, though, these should help keep you rolling forward, fast.

In use, I faced a number of issues with the shoes. I’m not a fan of the Tecno-3 System closure, especially compared to the Boa dials found elsewhere.

The wings, which needed to be pressed to release tension, are fiddly to use with gloves on, as is lifting the lever to twist the system. It’s also exposed to mud and water, unlike on the Shimano MW7, for example.

I also found it trickier to open up the shoe fully to easily get my feet in and out.

The other issue came from water ingress. The ankle sock is shorter than most other winter shoes, and so is more prone to over-topping if you step in deeper water by mistake. This means water is more likely to drip from waterproof trousers into the shoe.

Likewise, if you’re wearing tights, it’s harder for the these to sit over the top of the neoprene sock, to help keep water out.

In my immersion test, which simulates walking through waterlogged ground or streams, my feet became wet relatively soon. However, at 912g for a pair (size 44), the Sidi Frost Gore 2 shoes are competitive in weight.

Sidi Frost Gore 2 shoe bottom line

The Sidi Frost Gore 2 is an expensive shoe. On paper, it should perform well, but in use I had a number of issues that affected its overall score.

It’s a low-volume shoe that feels race/XC-focused and this may well suit many riders.

However, it doesn’t perform well if you spend any time pushing or carrying your bike. Likewise, it’s not the best in its field when it comes to keeping your feet dry.