Review: Shimano M071 SPD Shoes

Last update: 3 March, 2007

Review and test by BMXUltra.com's AA Pro Jonathan "Jon Jon" Hoare (3 September 2004)

Out of the box the Shimano M071 SPD shoes looked slick. They are functional yet still have the aesthetics of the top of the line shoes that are available today, without the hefty price tag. The shoes come in black only with a little silver on the straps.

A double Velcro strap on each shoe ensures they are kept tight throughout the day with out any problems. The sole, like most SPD shoes, is made from a hard nylon plastic and ensures that maximum power transferred through to the pedals. A thick rubber layer covers the sole to protect the cleat from being damaged. The tongue of the shoe is made from neoprene which means that your feet will be padded as well as supported well. The outside of the shoe is made from durable PVC leather upper which means that the shoe will be durable in most conditions (as I found out).

As with any new shoe you need to find the sweet spot for the cleat to sit in. In the past I have had some trouble finding the right position for the cleat, but not this time. I positioned the cleats and never had to touch them again. A lot of problems some people have with shoes is the rubber outer sole is not deep enough and this results in your cleat wearing out sooner and also a sloppy feel with regards to “float”. The Shimano shoes sole was the perfect size which resulted in a good solid feel in the pedal and “float” and also not wearing the cleat out by walking on it.

The M071s were put through the rigorous testing period that you would expect from a bmxultra.com review. The weather wasn’t exactly what I had in mind on more than one occasion, but the shoes pulled through with out any hiccups. We had some very wet race days and my feet were kept dry throughout the day. They also held up through some heavy crashes, without even a scuff.

Rating 19/20:

Comments:

• An awesome price for SPD shoes that can take all the abuse of BMX, and then some.
• Not that too many people worry about shoe weight, but 1002g is pretty light for a pair of SPD’s.
• The M071s perform their function perfectly without going overboard with pointless extras.
• A clean cut shoe, that looks great but doesn’t have any useless attachments, they could have a few more colours.

A big "Thank You" to Shannon & Bruce from Bayswater Cycles for supplying the M071 shoes. If you are after some Shimano shoes, or you’re in the market for anything bicycle related they know their stuff down there so shoot down to 687-689 Mountain Hwy Bayswater, Victoria or visit www.cyclelink.com.au to get all the help you need.