07.02.2020 improved picture placement, removed outdated links.
17.02.2023 improved picture placement, removed outdated links. Improved review, added more cons, pictures.
I have used these shoes for one winter and few wet summer & spring days.
The shoe is flexible the right way(up) but not too flexible, but won’t bend down(very important if you ride hard & ride on gnarly trails and jump, this result in a shoe that is very comfortable to walk in, the Impact shoes much stiffer, but they are still quite comfortable to walk in, I even played soccer with them once, but definitely not ideal for that use, obvious reasons.
But the Freerider ESP is comfortable when running, the sole bends as much as running shoes upwards.
I’ve bought second pair, and experience with those was the same, but in 2022/2023 winter I tried different shoes.
Winter use:
I have seen reviews of this shoe, saying that they will not be so warm on very cold days, but maybe they did not wear wool sock, Like I do, I have not had any issues with cold feet with these shoes. of course there is a limit to the isolation, I wear size 44, and there is room for 2 pairs of wool socks.
I have used the Freerider esp down to -11 Celsius, with 2 pairs wool socks, I stayed warm.
Pros:
- Super sticky and grippy outer soles.
- The laces don’t wear out after months of use they are like new, unlike the 2015 Impact shoes.
- The long tongue that extends higher than the shoe itself.
- Very easy to tie and untie, when tying the laces, I bend my legs down and tie the shoe, with few millimetre of room between the laces and the tongue, which gives perfect tightness,without Hurting , and when doing it this way I know it’s going to be right, if I do it this way, I can tuck the laces on to the side.
- The shoelaces don’t untie if you tighten them properly.
- Easy to take off, the tongue and the ankle area won’t restricts you from taking the shoes on and off fast.
- The tongue stays in place.
- I need to wear size 44 for the width, I have 11cm wide feet, the size 44 fits me well, but the shoes are a bit too long, but they still fit well as long as the laces are tightened properly, the heel does not lift or move around.
- Somewhat waterproof, water won’t come in, unless it gets in the upper part of the shoe or your socks.
- The tip of the shoe is stiff, I hit some hard surfaces, few times and I did not even feel it.
- But there was no big wear or damage on the shoe, the outer sole failed before this would happen, but FiveTen offer replacement soles, on their site, but I have not seen it in any shop yet.
Cons:
- No gaiter, so snow gets in the shoes too easily.
- The outer sole is too thin, which means it wears fast.
- The mid sole lacks support, so the shoe flexes down too much, with out Catalyst pedals this would have been horrible and I would not be using these shoes as long as I did.
- Not great for hiking in.
- Water can come in where the fabric mesh is. friction damage caused by shoe touching the crank arm.
- I feel rough gravel and rocks trough the sole, so uncomfortable to walk ion rough rocky terrain and rough gravel.
Wear update July 2017:
After 1 winter plus some wet summer weeks the outer sole gave up.
The inner sole was in pretty good condition, but the was a bit of wear in the big toe area, but once the soles wear out you can buy new ones.
autumn of 2017 I noticed some changes:
Five Ten claims the whole front of the shoe is Leather, but the brown stuff is clearly not leather, it’s most likely latex cover, the inner layer looks to be leather though. the outer sole started to separate from the rest of the shoe, but the stitching stopped it from going any further. the tips of the shoes are stiffer for added protection.
Pics of the second pair
To stay dry I had to use plastic bags at the angle area.
Verdict:
Definitely not the perfect winter shoe, for that gaiter and better waterproofing is needed.
The shoes will outlast the outer soles, so getting replacement soles might be a good idea. If you can find any.
If you replace the outer sole & repair the wear on the fabric, you should be able to use these shoes at 1- 2 winters.So far it’s the only proper winter cycling flat/platform shoe.
Maybe reinforcing the shoe lace holes for more durability. But so far I did not have any issues with the holes for the laces. could be as high as the summer version with leather higher up on the ankles, to provide better protection.
mtbboy1993 