Shimano M087G Mountain Bike Shoes

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The M087 is one of Shimano's lower priced XC shoes that have a top ratchet closure... and that ratchet makes the shoes look like they mean serious business! On your feet, the solid constructions combined with the well placed straps provide a glove fit. The stitching and build quality rivals the best shoes out there. So what is the difference between an entry level shoe like this compared to one of the top tier options?

Materials and features play a key role in determining the manufacturing costs and price point. Shimano has been making shoes like this for many years so they have the process down pat for all levels. Every year there are lower, medium and higher priced shoes in their product line so even though this is an older model year, the same observations can apply to current years. 

The M087's are visually stunning for a $50 shoe! And even though they have that beautiful ratchet that you fell in love with while trying them on, it's when you start to actually use them in the wild that you begin to feel where the corners have been cut. This is what happened when I bought these as backups during complications encountered on a road trip. I also own higher end spd shoes from Shimano and flat pedal shoes from FiveTen for comparison. 

At the trailhead, I bolted a set of spd cleats to the bottom of my newly purchased shoes and shifted them towards the back to match my personal riding preference. The footbed is cast plastic, but sturdy looking. On the first test drive, I found the insoles to be so thin that I was feeling every indentation on that plastic footbed. I used handy duct tape to fill in some of the recesses and to seal the air gaps around the cleat holes. Still using the thin factory insoles, the second test drive was much better and I started to appreciate the fit and support. 

The mesh fabric on the top and along the sides breathes very well. You can feel air movement through these panels and also through the tiny orifices that are drilled in the thicker fabric. The rubber tread on the bottom is well made and provides decent traction when you are on hike a bike sections or trying to blend in with regular civilians off the bike. One item that is sorely missing for off road hiking are the threads for toe spikes or some form of actual toe spike on the front of the sole.

The soles are stiff and adequate strength for level pedaling. It's when you begin to add horsepower and speed to the equation that noticeable flex can be encountered. The soles will bend under the extreme pressure encountered when you are out of the seat tackling a steep climb, pinballing through rocks or trying to rail that one bermed corner. That said, I probably rode these harder on their first day than even the shoes expected. They held up fine and my feet were also in good shape at the end of the ride.

After using them for several more rides on the same trip, I didn't experience any damage or further problems. I kept the thin insole in play, but adding a thicker insole would definitely improve the comfort. I dealt with the shortcomings mentioned above without many reservations. I will occasionally still use these shoes for a ride around town or short trail rides. But I do prefer stiffer spd shoes for long mountain bike rides. 

My rating is three stars but, this is probably closer to a four star shoe for beginners or someone who wants to use spd pedals for in-town and easy pedaling trails.