REVIEW
I’m not sure what explains it, but with each passing year, I get a little less fussy about grip. I was an all-out, maximum-grip FiveTen Impact-wearing guy for a lot of years. And then, after a five-year break, clipping in, I came back with a different but no less particular preference. I wanted ample grip, but not so much that I had to sit down to reposition my foot. This is a challenging target that involves choosing both pedals and shoes carefully. If the shoes are right for pedals with 4 mm pins, they will be too sticky with 3 mm pins. And vice versa.
Lately, I seem to have reached a different plateau where I can deal with an even less grip, particularly when the sole is stiff. It turns out that stiff soles actually increase grip in my experience. I used to think that a sole that didn’t deform over the pedal was too stiff, but that may only be the case when the rubber is very soft. It seems that stiffer soles allow higher grip with rubber that is a little harder, which turns out to be a win. This makes the shoes longer-wearing and even easier to reposition, despite high grip.
Hopefully, this will give you a sense of whether shoes that I like will suit your own discerning grip palette. It turns out these suit mine very well.
The Descentios’ tread pattern is unconventional, but it seems to work well. The “Materiis” rubber compound was developed for Sidi’s moto boots, and the combo of somewhat sticky rubber with a moderately stiff sole results in ideal grip for me.
Sidi Makes Mountain Bike Shoes?
Sidi is certainly most well-known in the cycling world for its road shoes. The company is renowned for quality construction, durability, and, of course, performance. Their top-of-the-line road shoes cost 700 CAD. Obviously, that doesn’t automatically guarantee those traits, but you’d better have a solid reputation if you want riders to lay down that kind of cash for your dancing shoes. The company also makes off-road moto boots with the pointy end tipping over a grand. So they have some pedigree, and you’d best not expect these to be bargain-priced. The Descentios sell for 300 CAD / 256 USD, making them the most expensive flat-pedal shoes I have worn, aside from another Italian shoe: The Northwave Multicross GTX.* Those are winter-specific Gore-Tex shoes, however, and they are still available for 370 EUR or 431 CAD / 313 USD, so sort of a special case. Interestingly, the shoes share a very serious flaw, although the cause is slightly different.
*Actually, it turns out Fox Union Boa shoes are now 315 CAD / 275 USD but they were significantly less when I tested them.
Velcro and a Sidi Dial on each shoe for precise tension. I prefer the Sidi Dial to every other Boa-style closure I have used. When the tab is clicked up it gives you much better leverage and control than a conventional Boa-style dial.
Unfortunately, the metal release tabs aren’t easy to see in this photo, but pushing them in from both sides releases the tension with a very satisfying click. I find other closures like this are a little sticky at release, but these let go very well. You can actually release tension one click at a time with the release tabs, but you need to alternate if you want more than one click. Unless you only want one, it’s easier to release and retighten.
Where my foot sits on the pedal for descending. I slide it back if I’m pedalling seated.
Descentio
The Descentios give the look of a higher-performance skate-style clip-in shoe. The materials, velcro strap, Sidi dial and bright yellow accent on the strap all add to that impression. These shoes have a higher cuff on the inboard side of your ankle, with added D30 protection. I really like this feature. It’s executed well and is very comfortable. I don’t feel it, on or off the bike, but I appreciate the extra protection. The fit is very good for my medium-width feet, and they are very supportive when cinched up tight. I find them very comfy, on and off the bike. They don’t have much obvious ventilation, but they haven’t been hot on the few days we’ve had warm temps this spring.
These may not be the perfect style for aprés at the saloon, but at least you’ll be comfortable. These also come in a brown and black colour scheme.
Features / Specs
- Materiis rubber sole – high-grip compound with damping structure for landings and control
- Sidi’s dial system plus velcro strap
- Reinforced Upper with rigid reinforcements at the toe and heel, and D30 protecting inner ankles
- Weight – 437 g per shoe
- Fit System: Internal reinforcement for lateral support without restricting movement
- Made in China
The instep before any damage was done. I wondered if the D30-labelled panel on the inner ankle actually contained D30. It turns out it does not, and one of mine fell off, without leaving any adhesive residue on the patch or the shoe.
Closure System
The combo of Velcro and the Sidi dial system works well, and Sidi’s version of Boa may be the most functional I have used. It has a tab that folds up when you want to tighten your shoes, providing additional leverage and making it easier to hit the perfect tension. This would make adjusting from the saddle a little trickier, but I almost never have to do that. It lacks that dual direction to tighten and loosen control of the Boa Li2, but it opens much more fully and easily with spring-loaded metal squeeze tabs.
The Velcro strap also tightens well and stays put. The combo feels secure and I find it easy to get the right fit for my needs on the day. These start a little tight and loosen up once they get warm. After a few minutes, they actually relax more than most other shoes I’ve ridden in for some reason, but this has never been a problem.
This is only a minor flaw. One of these things is not like the other. The patch of material on the right shoe just came off. There was no evidence of adhesive on either side afterward. The other one seems to be attached relatively well, and it isn’t causing any issues. Photo – Cam McRae
The Fatal Flaw
The Velcro straps cinch around a metal loop secured to the instep of the shoe with a fabric strap. That strap is sewn into the outsole from the outside, leaving stitches exposed forward of your ankle. It turns out that Sidi doesn’t have any flat pedal riders who rub their instep against their cranks because they surely would have discovered this.
After 5 or 6 rides, I noticed that the straps holding the loop were looking frayed and a little loose. Closer inspection revealed that crank rub had cut through the stitching securing the canvas loops to the shoes. The left side was a little worse, likely because it’s my forward foot descending, but the stitches on the right shoe are also partially gone.
These photos were taken after 10 rides. The problem was getting worse, but there were still some threads hanging on. Despite this valiant effort, I wasn’t willing to risk a ride to find out when one strap would finally let go completely. I’d still be able to ride, but not with any confidence.
More stitches have disappeared from the left shoe’s instep, likely because it’s my front foot descending. Photos – Cam McRae
On the right side, there is still significant damage, but I obviously rub less on that side.
While I have noticed some aluminum or dirt discolouration from rub on various shoes, I don’t recall ever damaging shoes because of this contact. Do all flat pedal riders who ride aggressive technical terrain rub their insteps? I’m not sure if there are riders who never rub at all, but it seems unlikely to me. I’m not sure if I rub more or less than the average flat rider, but I’d bet most riders who like the sort of terrain I enjoy rub quite a bit. Does this occur pedalling or just descending? The presence of wear on both sides, with more on my front foot, leads me to believe it’s a bit of both. Unless I am some kind of crazy outlier, it seems to me this was a major oversight.
As mentioned above, my Northwave Trailcross GTX shoes, which I love, had a similar problem, but not because of heel rub. The actual fabric of the loop failed over time. First one side and then the other. I don’t believe this was the result of instep contact because these are placed higher and more outboard. I took the issue to my local shoemaker (Modern Shoe Renew on Lonsdale for locals), who repaired the first one, but the fabric he used was no better. I took it back, and he did both, and it’s been fine ever since.
Can you tell if my shoes are rubbing my cranks?
In The End
These are really good shoes by many measures. They are mostly well-constructed, they feel great on the pedals and provide good grip (but not too much) with either 3 or 4 mm pins, they have nice protection for the inboard side of your ankles, and the dial and velcro combo is easily adjustable and has a wide range of available tension.
I’d love to give these shoes a hearty recommendation, but unless you are certain you don’t rub your shoes against your cranks either pedalling or descending, I cannot. The exposed stitching that has been removed by crank rub on mine may not be an issue for you, but if you do notice some rub marks on your shoes, I would steer you away.
I’m going to miss these shoes while they are being repaired.
And then there is the price. While these are well made, they are constructed in China like most other shoes, so manufacturing costs should be similar. Some shoes of parallel quality are even pricier, like Fox Union Boas, currently at 315 CAD / 275 USD, but those seem too steep to me as well. It often seems to me the world has gone crazy. It remains to be seen whether I will take these to my wizard shoemaker, but I probably will. I bet he’ll have an elegant solution.