I'm a fan of Skechers "go" series shoes, so after working with the goRun Ride Ultras for a while, I picked up a pair of these for an even more "minimal" experience.  (As an aside, I love Amazon's prices--about $95 for both pairs in unpopular colors.)  I'm just learning about the whole "minimal" shoe movement, which is inspired by an effort to find a perhaps saner alternative to "barefoot" running or those funny-looking toe shoes.

That said, these shoes are quite "minimal," and probably too much so for your average casual runner or fitness enthusiast--at least as a first shoe in this category.  The sole is thin and flexible, but rugged enough to provide meaningful protection from rocks and other road hazards.  There is some cushioning, but very little compared to a typical running shoe, and much less than the Rides.  As with other shoes in the go line, the toebox is very roomy, which is awesome for my broad forefoot but may require those with narrow feet to size down a half size.  They are ultra-light--somewhere in the 6-7 oz. range.

I took these out for a few mile test run on asphalt after receiving them, and boy do they give you road feel and stability.  It is pretty much impossible to heel strike while running with these--you'll inevitably land on your midfoot or further up, which is definitely easier on the knees and ankles for me, and just feels more natural.  But I could really feel the after-effects of this first run the next day in the form of soreness in the calves and in certain muscles of my feet that have apparently been atrophying by being coddled in over-supportive shoes for years.  Many people will be put off by the necessary adjustment period.

The upshot is that I recommend rotating these shoes with more cushioned ones in the beginning.  I do this with my Rides, and slowly but surely my feet, calves and achilles are strengthening and adjusting.  That said, running on a treadmill with the Bionics is something I think many people can do right away, and those that do will likely feel much more stable and effortlessly balanced than they do with traditional running shoes.  These are also excellent for weightlifting and as general purpose court shoes because of the flat sole and broad footprint.  But for running on pavement, most people would not want these as their only pair of shoes right away.  You'll need to transition.