Shimano S-Phyre XC9 shoes review

Alongside its new Boa-dialled road shoes, Shimano has recently launched equivalent off-road versions.

The S-Phyre XC9 is the top of its mtb shoe line-up and worn by a number of elite cyclo-cross riders, including Mathieu van der Poel and junior world, European and British champion Tom Pidcock.

The XC9s have the same upper as the RC9 road version, closed by two Boas. They are perforated along the front sides for ventilation and have a mesh insert over the toes too. There’s more than adequate airflow for cold, wet winter cyclocross races.

>>> Ten banger shoe bargains perfect for a spring upgrade

On the bottom, there is a stiff full carbon sole, which Shimano rates at 11 on its stiffness scale as against the 12 of the road-going RC9s.

There’s the standard two-bolt cleat mount with plenty of fore and aft adjustment. The outer sole is Michelin rubber with aggressive lugs and a central cross-hatched area between the cleat and the heel which can be used to pedal unclipped if required.

I found that these gave good grip when off the bike in muddier conditions. They can be augmented by two screw-in toe spikes for extra grip, which are supplied with the shoes.

I found that I needed to dial the uppers down tight to suppress heel lift when running up banks. The heel cup is fine for a road shoe but a bit shallow to retain the heel well for cross: some alternative makes have a deeper one.

But fortunately the XC9s are very comfortable and the insole is well shaped to support the foot. The two Boa dials mean that you can tighten up without discomfort or hot spots. Accompanied by the stiff soles they give efficient power transfer to the pedals.

Watch: Coolest shoes of 2017

There are lots of sizes and two width variants between 36 and 48 including many half sizes available too, so it should be possible to find a pair which fits well.

The shoes are available in yellow and black as well as Shimano’s trademark sapphire blue. The blue surface wipes clean easily and hasn’t scuffed, although the dimpled vents accumulate muck and will need a more thorough clean if you want the S-Phyres to remain pristine.

I did break and lose two of the four blue plastic rings surrounding the toe spike mounts, suggesting that these are not robust enough to handle abuse.

The mounting screw blanks and the shoe bases have begun to show wear as a result. After a few more months’ use I suspect the screw heads might be too worn down to remove easily.

The studs are easy to install and more robust though. They replace the blue mount surrounds and are better able to handle wear and tear. They aren’t so aggressive that they hamper walking around on hard surfaces either.

But the XC9s are definitely at the top end of the price range for cyclocross shoes and an expensive acquisition for the amateur.