The Sole of the Dragon, 7 years later!

A couple of months ago [Summer 2017], I found a great deal on a pair of SIDI Carbon Dragon 3 MTB Shoes, and I thought to myself, hey, they get great reviews; let's dump the cheap $100 shoes and try what the pros wear!

It's been six weeks, 10 rides (4 on my Cross and 6 on my MTB), and just over 250 miles - but now a small yet expensive problem has cropped up!

Update 2024: It's now been 7 years. over 10,000 miles in 620 rides and over 280,000 feet of climbing, everything from dirt to crushed granite. And I still have the original Dragons I bought in 2017.

As compared to...

But first, let's back up a bit. I have been wearing the Shimano SH-M088 MTB Shoes ($99.99) since late 2011, and until this recent purchase, I only had to replace them once (with the newer L version) because I wore out the rubber soles.  I wore these things everywhere and all the time during my cycling adventures. From when I left the house, I drove to the trailhead and even had lunch afterward. They typically never came off until the bike was hung back on the rack. These are time-tested and awesome shoes, especially for the price. And add the fact that they run a little wide (great for me), which has made them a very popular choice for many mountain bikers.

Fast forward

SIDI Carbon Dragon 3 MTB Cycling Shoes

Now enters the SIDI Dragon 3 at $400, yup $400 bucks - not something that the average Joe is going to fork up for a pair of shoes. But, since I did find a brand new pair in my size on eBay for less than 1/2 retail - I figured I'd give them a try.

The month wait for them to be shipped from S. Korea wasn't too bad, especially since snow was still on the ground. And when they finally arrived, I was stoked! I can tell you there is a LOT to like about these shoes. Normally, I test products for much longer than just a couple of weeks, but as mentioned above, I have run into a snag that I feel needs some attention.

When reviewing this shoe, two components need to be considered:

1. The shoe itself
2. The replaceable soles.

The Shoe

MTB shoes are specifically designed for mountain biking, providing grip and support for off-road terrain. It's a toss-up if you want to wear Flats or go Clipless. Personally, I prefer clipping in attaching my shoes to the pedals of my bike! This provides a more secure connection between me and my bike, allowing more efficient power transfer and better control.

The Dragons SRS Carbon Carbon composite sole has fully replaceable tread inserts to improve power transfer and traction when off the bike. They have reinforced toe boxes and basic ankle support for added protection on technical trails. The Dragon features the Sidi Soft Instep Closure System for the top and BOA dials for a secure fit on the toes. They are well-ventilated and lightweight.

But there are a few highlights that I would like to point out. The shoes weigh a respectable 760 grams per pair, are stiff and very comfortable, stay cool in the heat, are very durable, dry quickly when wet, and wash up easily with a damp cloth—almost everything you would want and expect in a $400 shoe, but...

The Dragon's Achilles Heel

The Sole of the Dragon is where the weakness lies. As mentioned above, I only had 10 rides / 250 miles on them [2017], and it's time to replace the soles. At $50 a set, this can add up extremely fast throughout the summer, moreover, the life of the shoe! I have posted photos below, but let me preface this with the fact that where I ride here in Colorado, there is not a lot of "dirt." What we mostly ride on is crushed granite, and this stuff is brutal to all things MTB (including the rider). To top that off, we probably hike a bike a little more than, say, on the East Coast. But, I did wear these the same as the Shimano to keep a fair comparison review.

Missing a complete lug from the rear of the sole.

Toes ground down to the plastic.

New soles installed.

Closeup - new soles installed.

Update 2024: Now that we're seven years in, I will say that wearing professional shoes with such stiff soles can tear up the tread quickly if you don't learn how to walk in them. It did take me a while to figure it out, and now, seven years later, I've only had to replace the soles four times or about every other year.

I don't baby them; I ride hard in all kinds of terrain. I walk through creeks, small rivers, and mud - lots of mud. They drain quickly, dry fast, and have held up to all the abuse I can throw at them. When they do finally give out, I will not hesitate to drop $400 for the next pair.

One final note: It is getting harder and harder to find bits and pieces and parts for some of the older models of SIDI Shoes, but I ran into a place called Tour Cycling out of Florida that is well stocked in replacement soles, shoes, as well as parts for the SIDI line. If you're even remotely interested in a new pair of shoes or need to find some replacement parts for your existing shoes check out to recycle here at this link!