Shimano is celebrating its 25th anniversary of SPD pedals and cleats with some commemorative gear. The relatively new M163 trail shoes are among the anniversary-gear lineup, but the $150 / £99 / AU$TBC shoes stand on their own with a few unique features.
The M163s are part of Shimano's so-called TORBAL line (for torsion/balance), which offers substantial torsional flex to keep contact with the pedals without torquing on your feet when you're leaning the bike. The plastic sole has enough give to be hike-a-bike friendly while still delivering your pedal power to the drivetrain.
Speaking of hike-a-bike, a soft rubber tread runs the length of the sole. Additionally, parallel rubber blocks on either side of the cleat deliver stability on the pedal.
A straightforward ratchet buckle secures the fit with opposing Velcro straps. Whether the cross-strap has any effect or not is debatable, but the uppers themselves do move easily with the foot under flex, so that when when sole twists so too does the whole shoe, not just the foot inside.
There is good protection for the toe box and the heel, with some safeguarding along the sides, too.
The M163s offer a whopping 3cm of fore/aft cleat adjustability, thanks to easily reversible and sliding backing plates and little plugs that fill in the gaps to keep muck out of your shoes.
While this 25th anniversary edition is gray, the M163s also come in black.
These size 45 samples weigh 876g for the pair.
Check back soon for a full review.
