I am a new mountain bike rider (less then 3 months) but have been riding casually for years. I am 51 years old 6 feet 5 inches tall and weigh 270 pounds. My riding style is only slightly aggressive, being new to it, I am still learning. I wanted something to help keep my feet on the pedals without clipping in, and running shoes were not helping. After reading as many reviews as I could find on these shoes, decided to give them a try.

I must admit...out of the box (literally) I had issues. The elastic strap that the laces get tucked into actually came OFF the shoe as I took it out of the box. Not the greatest start for 100.00 pair of shoes??

My first ride was several days later....and they worked as advertised. Bumps and technical areas where my running shoes came off the pedals, these were sticking true to the platforms. The stiffness of the shoe (sole area) even helps a bit on climbs. I think it might take several more days of "break-in" as the entire shoe is made stiff and with thick materials, this is a good thing as I really like the extra support.

One thing a new owner should be aware of....proper foot placement on the pedals becomes a HUGE deal now....I was used to being able to adjust my foot position on the "fly" with my running shoes (even with the pins in the pedals, it was not to difficult) now that is not as easy. The pins really stick to the sole of this shoe, if my second foot sets up on the outside of the pedal, it has to be lifted up and moved inside...not just "scooted" over...not complaining, just saying it is something new to get used to, and considering the main reason for me buying the shoe was stickyness, well it is a GOOD thing.

As for the fit...I wear a 12 in most leather style shoes and boots (mostly KEEN)...12.5 in most sneakers (nike) these were 12's and seem to fit properly, as they break in I imagine the fit will be even better....if they last.

Overall, I gave the shoe 3 stars because it does what it is said to do...but the elastic breaking leads me to believe that the quality and longevity of the shoe might be in question a little....especially for the price paid...it is getting close to the end of normal riding season here in Colorado...but I will update this as needed in the future.