Hi Folks
Thought I’d share my views on the new Shimano M200 shoes that I’ve been using for a couple of months.
I paid £105 for them from CRC
Good points:
Very stiff – they have a carbon reinforced cleat bed and you can really feel the stiffness especially when standing on the pedals.
Good cleat adjustment – Lots of for and aft adjustability of the cleat position, more than other spd shoes I’ve used.
Easy to walk in – despite being stiff there is still a bit of flex in the middle of the shoe to let you walk normally, the cleats are also almost completely isolated from the ground by the tread when walking, which stops you sliding around on the cleat on hard surfaces and sounding like you have high heels on. The sole also offers pretty good grip, I’m used to shiny plastic tread but the M200’s use a mixture of different rubber compounds and they grip well.
Good closure system – the integrated lace system is really quick to adjust and comfortable.
Good weather protection – they aren’t waterproof and don’t claim to be but the flap covering the lace system and the small number of vents does well to fend off the worst of the weather. A pair of waterproof sock would see you right for all 4 seasons I would say.
The Bad:
All that good weather protection makes them pretty warm for summer rides. Out and out racers might want something a bit lighter and better ventilated.
The ankle protection on the inside of each shoe gets a bit scuffed up by the cranks.
The looks are a bit er different – in black they look a bit like shoes you might where to school if you went there on a special bus!
Overall though very impressed. First pair of Shimano shoes I’ve owned after Specialized and Diadora, they seem very well made but its the combination of stiffness when pedaling and ease of moving around in them off the bike that really impresses.
Fit wise, I’d suggest go a size bigger over your trainers and they are quite narrow across the toes.