Nearly every time we bring up the subject of mountain bike shoe pricing, DHB’s £47 M1 is held up as the exception to the rule that you have to pay big for quality.
Winner of several What Mountain Bike 'Value' and 'Gold' awards, the M1 sets the budget shoe bar high with a nylon midsole that performs as well as those on shoes costing three times as much. The outsole doesn’t feature anything high-tech but it does what it’s meant to: it grips, and it grips well.
The workmanlike upper is a mix of manmade leather and wear-resistant Cordura panels, and comes in low-key black, tan or racy red colourways. The result is good wear and a shoe that’s neither too warm in the summer nor too cool in the winter.
The rear plastic heel cups are well shaped and stiff to give good stability, while the wraparound plastic toe guard means you’ll cope better when rocks leap at your feet on the trail, and the triple Velcro straps work well to keep your foot planted.
The it isn’t especially stunning but is perfectly acceptable, especially given the price. We’ve tried before but, once again, we really can’t fault the DHB M1 for under £50. A fantastic value bike shoe.