Article by Jeff Valliere
Shimano XC-7 (XC702) Ultread ($220)
Introduction: The RX-7 is a competition level off road racing shoe designed for cross country mountain biking and cyclocross racing, featuring a dual BOA fit system and a grippy Ultread outsole, with deep lugs and sticky rubber for those times one needs to hike a bike. They are lightweight and designed for maximum pedaling performance.
Pros:
lightweight, stiff/efficient, secure upper with dual BOA, quality, durability, traction, versatility, value
Cons:
t would be nice to have dual direction BOA dials (though that can be found on the S-Phyre XC-9 at nearly double the price).
Available in Black/Silver/Red
US Men’s Size 10(EU 44) 12.28 oz / 348g
Sizes M 5-14 (EU 38-50)
Also available in Wide version
Upper:
The synthetic leather upper with TPU breathable mesh is soft and supple and built for comfort.
Breathability has proven to be very good, even on hot days (in the 90’s), my feet do not feel overly warm.
On cooler mornings, I do notice the ventilation more and my feet can get a little chilly, which is a good sign they are getting air, but when colder, I may need to invest in shoe covers.
The RX-7 has a “full surround upper” that wraps the foot with a glove like fit and features dual BOA dials to easily adjust tension over the midfoot and toe. The BOA dials are the absolute best choice on any cycling shoe and do a remarkable job of creating a custom like fit, very secure, with no gaps or pressure points and are easy to adjust on the fly.
The dials are single direction though, so only ratchet in the direction of tightening so if you want to back off the tension, you have to pop the dial out to fully release and then press in and start dialing again. I have not found this to not be a problem if I lightly snug the shoe at the start of a ride and then I can cinch them as needed o the move.
I wish they were dual direction, but that is a lot to expect at this price point (though dual direction dials are available on the S-Phyre RX-9 at nearly double the price).
I find the fit to be true to size where I am a US Men’s 10/EU 44 and they fit me perfectly with just enough wiggle room to not feel overly confined, yet I can really crank the BOA dials to snug things down over the top of the foot and the toe. The heel is very locked in and secure with no lift whatsoever, either when riding or walking.
Midsole: The midsole is carbon reinforced and low stack height to help stabilize the foot for a more efficient pedal stroke. On the Shimano shoe stiffness scale, the RX-7 is a 9/12 and strikes a great balance of not feeling excessively stiff when walking, yet is plenty stiff enough for maximum pedaling efficiency. Having ridden in many different shoes through the years, some of which were excessively stiff for pure race performance, the RX-7 is a relief, as they are very comfortable, while not compromising performance.
Shimano’s description
“The high-density upper integrates seamlessly with the midsole, creating a stable platform for launching powerful sprints. Professional DYNALAST fit technology conforms to the anatomical curves of your foot for a more efficient pedaling performance. When the going gets tough, clip into SPD pedals to transfer every ounce of energy to the trail.”
Outsole:
The Ultread outsole was a big draw for me, as I have been using the Shimano RX-8 for gravel riding and mountain biking, but the RX-8 is not adequately treaded for that much hike a bike in rocky terrain.
The RX-7 however is very much designed for this with a sticky rubber covering the entire bottom of the shoe (aside from the SPD cleat of course) with deep, sharp lugs that have some flex/give so as to conform to the terrain and thus grip optimally, either on rock or in loose terrain. Durability thus far is proving to be very good.
Performance/Conclusions/Recommendations:
The RX-7 is a top performer for the $230 price tag, or for any price really, with high quality materials and rugged durability, a very comfortable and secure wrapping upper with a dual BOA fit system, a carbon reinforced midsole and and an Ultragrip outsole that provides confidence inspiring grip when off the bike and hike a bike situation. I would love to see dual direction BOA dials and I think it would be fair to charge a bit more for that, but that is a minor quibble.
I would highly recommend the RX-7 as a dedicated XC mountain bike shoe because of its overall performance, reasonable weight, stiff pedaling efficiency, dual BOA security and grippy outsole. And all of that carries over to gravel biking (grippy outsole less important and still can be super handy) and even for more casual road riding, where you may be making stops and need a shoe that can walk reasonably well.
Comparisons:
Shimano RX-8(801) (RTR Review) - Both are great shoes, but serve two different purposes. The RX-8 is lighter and stiffer, which is felt when it comes to harder efforts and more high performance oriented riding. The RX-8 is geared more towards gravel riding, but works also as a mountain bike shoe, as long as you do not hike your bike much on rocks. For more dedicated mountain biking though, I find the RX-7, despite the added weight, tare a much better choice, as they are still quite stiff and performance oriented, are more relaxed overall and I like having the dual BOA and Ultragrip outsole.
RoadTrailRide Reviews HERE
Tester Profile
Jeff Valliere has been around bikes his entire life, as a toddler following his dad to bike races and bike shops, BMX racing as a kid, working in bike shops as a mechanic for 14+ years (10 at U-Bikes in Boulder where he met John) and racing as a professional road cyclist for several years. Jeff no longer races, but still loves to ride as he introduces his daughters to the joys of cycling. In addition to being obsessed with cycling, he runs mountains daily and has been reviewing running shoes/gear/tech for RoadTrailRun since 2015 and for other publications/companies since 2005.
1 comment:
Thanks Jeff! I get more and more interested in MTB reviews as I have to slowly quit running because of a problematicankle.
Only weakly related to your post. Do you have any experience/advice regarding SPD shoes able to cop with winter XC/trail biking (rain, cold, snow, mud)? I see a few GTX, Sympatex, Primaloft shoes but nothing seems to stand out or at least it is difficult to figure out.
Thank you in advance for your views!
Greetings from Switzerland.
Antoine.
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