DRILLit.TV GEAR OF THE YEAR 2009

WHAT IT IS: Shimano SH M-230

WHY IT'S RAD: Shimano's custom-fit off-the-shelf concept brings tailor made luxury to your feet, sort of. You go into a Shimano dealer, stick your foot in a special vacuum-sealer and heater, and the insoles and shoes are molded to your feet. Bam, shoes that fit your feet perfectly. Really. I was very impressed with my experience at iMartin in LA. It took less than a half hour and when I took my maiden voyage a few hours later, I was rolling in the best fitting bike shoes I've ever owned. I've run into trouble with low-volume, narrow toe boxes on Shimano shoes in the past, but not with this model. Plenty of headroom and width up front, but not too much, and a heel counter that holds my foot perfectly in place. I still prefer the even feel of the Boa lacing system over the straps and ratchet arrangement found on this shoe, but it's not a deal killer. The Shimano sole remains one of the stiffest of any shoe manufacturer out there delivering seemingly zero loss of power transfer without being so stiff your feet go numb. The custom-fit insoles are heaven on your candy pillows. The aggressive tread makes getting off the bike to push or stomp on rattlesnakes easy, but it also adds a noticeable amount of weight to the shoe. If you're not a World Cup racer you may not care. Put this shoe on a diet and give it a Boa lacing system and it's 100% home run. As it is, still a killer shoe, will fit your foot better than anything else you buy off the shelf, and may make you feel 8% more beautiful and lean.

BUMMERS: Noticeably heavier than any other mountain bike shoe I have owned in recent history, and heavier than shoes I owned half a decade ago, too. The gigantic heel lugs and overbuilt sole seem to account for most of the weight. The weight in the heel feels like it weighs down the back of your foot on the bike but the aggressive, overbuilt sole means they won't wear out too fast. You'd need a rotary grinder to wear these things down.

$: $250

INFO: http://tinyurl.com/yfauun5

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