{"id":8091,"date":"2019-09-24T21:18:41","date_gmt":"2019-09-24T19:18:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sparkbikereview.com\/?p=8091"},"modified":"2022-05-02T18:33:18","modified_gmt":"2022-05-02T16:33:18","slug":"shimano-xc-7-mtb-shoe-review-power-to-the-pedal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sparkbikereview.com\/shimano-xc-7-mtb-shoe-review-power-to-the-pedal\/","title":{"rendered":"Shimano XC 7 MTB Shoe Review \u2013 Power to the Pedal"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
The Shimano XC 7 mountain bike shoes are one of those powerful pieces of a cycling kit, that can literally make a ride. In fact, it\u2019s quite amazing to see what companies can do with cycling shoes now. Gone are the days when you\u2019d have to put up with sore and cramping feat, just to get a shoe that\u2019s rigid enough to handle the pressure. Shimano have managed to pull their vast and reliable discoveries over the years to craft a shoe that feels powerful, not just because of its structure strength, but also because of its minimalistic design.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Instead of basing a cycling shoe design on that of a normal everyday shoe, Shimano developed, what they call, Dynalast. This system of cycling shoe design focuses on what riders need from their shoes, and then formulating a design. Essentially this means any Shimano cycling shoe is 100% optimized for cycling. The claimed improvements are more hip mobility, less tension on your feet, and 5% more pedalling efficiency.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
At a Glance:<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Shimano have added great features to the XC 7\u2019s, so that you as the rider get to experience a shoe that fits and adapts to your needs. Firstly, the carbon soles are one the major highlights. They allow you to push hard on the pedals without losing watts. The more carbon a shoe has integrated, the more rigid it will be. And that\u2019s exactly the type of feel Shimano has targeted with the XC 7 model.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
While the shoe does have a great deal of stiffness, its worth noting that it also comes balanced out with flexibility. The high-density synthetic leather, that creates the outer part of the shoe, is flexible enough to re-adjust itself to the shape of the top part of your foot. And it has some good ventilation to keep your feet feeling fresh.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Boa and Michelin for the win!<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n
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To crown the comfort of the shoe off; Boa and Michelin have come on board. Boa takes care of all the adjustment \u2013 tightening or loosing. In fact, having the Boa adjustment dials on your shoe is the way to go for cyclists. Even the micro-adjustments make a massive difference. Under the shoe, Michelin rubber lines the outer part of the sole. This rubber is well known for grip and even its minimal weight. So now you can have a cycling shoe that won\u2019t let you slip around and doesn\u2019t compromise on weight for the racers. A perfect win-win scenario.<\/p>\r\n
326 grams in total weight – on a men\u2019s size 42<\/p>\r\n
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SPD cleat type<\/p>\r\n
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9.0 stiffness index<\/p>\r\n
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The Ride: <\/strong><\/h2>\r\n
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Back in 2017, when I was first introduced to the XC 7\u2019s, the design and ride feel was a lot different. The shoe, then, was a lot more plasticky and lacked a lot of ventilation. As a result, you really wanted to get the shoe off after the first 60min of cross-country racing. Fast forward to 2019, having now tested the 2020 XC7\u2019s I can truly testify to the dramatic change the shoe has received!<\/p>\r\n
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My recent rides with the shoes have felt good, and in fact I can\u2019t get enough of them. Of course, I have not yet ridden in the new XC9\u2019s to know which is better, but the 2020 XC7\u2019s are pretty dam close to perfection. The synthetic leather feels a lot more flexible and malleable and doesn\u2019t put pressure on any area of your foot.<\/p>\r\n
Riding in 30-degree heat, is also not a problem for the 2020 XC7\u2019s. The shoe has received major improvements with its ventilation, and when riding you can feel it. My feet didn\u2019t really overheat, although I think the shoe can still get some more ventilation. I\u2019d say from my experience you\u2019re good to ride in these shoes for 4 hours, before your feet really started to feel claustrophobic.<\/p>\r\n
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It\u2019s not a clich\u00e9 to say that the 2020 Shimano XC7\u2019s feel like a second skin. They don\u2019t have any bulky bits, that would otherwise feel like a nuisance when pedalling. Pedal stroke after pedal stroke, there\u2019s no play between your foot and the shoe\u2019s fit, which in turn puts every turn of the cranks to good use.<\/p>\r\n
Another noticeable fact about the XC7\u2019s is that they don\u2019t scuff easily. Some other shoes in the price field, tend to compromise on shoe durability and they forget that this is the mountain biking game that they\u2019re playing in. But not Shimano.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
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Verdict:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n
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The Shimano XC7\u2019s left good test vibes here at our HQ. Granted, the shoes are not the ultimate XC race shoe \u2013 that seat is reserved for the XC9\u2019s \u2013 they do raise high in terms of value. We can strongly recommend them for weekend race warriors, as they are light enough for that category. However, the rigid carbon soles are also a large persuasion point that can do well to help you secure a podium position.<\/p>\r\n
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