Specialised Tahoe Mountain Bike Shoe

Specialised Mountain Bike Shoe
As I have blogged about previously, I have upgraded my pedals to a pair of Shimano SPD types with both a SPD clip-in mechanism and a pedal cage so I can ride "clipped in" or "clipped out". Sounds obvious but to ride clipped in you need a set of shoes with SPD cleats on.
Now I am no serious mountain biker and have viewed some of my peers off their bikes, gingerly teetering around pubs, cafes or car parks in their SPD shoes. This is due to the SPD cleat being prominent on the sole of the shoe, so it is not a flat sole. These type of shoes work really well on bike, but make walking off your bike on a hard or flat surface a little tricky, all though sometimes amusing to the ideal spectator!
Plus my requirements were initially a little different, as aside from riding alone, I do also go out for family rides, so I needed a shoe that allowed me to ride both "clipped-in" and "clipped-out", but also allowed me to walk around normally with my family or friends when we reached our destination.
That is why the Specialised Tahoe shoe ticked all the right boxes for me. My reasoning of why I choose these shoes were:

1. Styling & Looks: they look great and can be worn with shorts or jeans dependent on what attire is required for different types of rides
2. Fit & Comfort: using Body Geometery these Specialised shoes are fantastically comfortable and really do support the foot so well
3. Combination Sole: can be worn or used with or without a SPD cleat as the sole is designed to be multi-use
4. Price: less than £50 for a great set of highly specific, great quality shoes.

The Specialised website details and describes the shoe as follows:

• Trail Traction rubber outsole combined with our midsole plate which is stiff for efficient cycling, but flexible enough for walking
• Our most padded Body Geometry plush insole for on-the-bike support and off-the-bike comfort
• Rubber sole inspired by an MTB tire tread pattern for reliable traction
• Suede leather upper with breathable mesh panels
• Top strap for secure closure also keeps laces safely out of chainrings
• 2-bolt SPD-style cleat pattern, compatible with all major MTB pedals
• Approximate weight: 460g (1/2 pair #42)

Fitting of the SPD cleat is very simple. Just remove the square section from the middle of the sole and this exposes the SPD cleat fittings. Just add a little bit of grease to the fixing holes and bolts and then position in either the front or rear position. Easy.

I have worn these shoes on many occasions. When covered in mud the are easy to clean and quick drying. Plus it has nice feature of a Velcro top strap that helps conceal and keep the laces safe and away from chain rings.

The scientific bit about Specialised Body Geometery can be viewed as a PDF article at : http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bc/SBCTechPopup.jsp?pid=Shoes_KeyTech09

Summary:

These shoes in my opinion are highly recommended and ideal for first timers to SPD pedals and shoes. Being dual use and flat soled I think is a massive advantage over dedicated shoes. Giving you the confidence and option to ride clipped in or clipped out dependent on your pedal choice, plus the big advantage of being a normal shoe when off bike.