[Superdeft]

I've decided that I'd like to put some Mallet pedals on my hardail to avod my feet getting bucked off going over the bumpy stuff at high speed. I love my a-frames and vans, but they're not cutting it on the trail when I really get up to speed. This is becoming a nuisance to the point where it seems being clipped in would help out a great deal.

I'm not worried so much about foot protection as I am about comfort and grip on the platform. The two shoes it's come down to are the sidi dominator 5 and adidas hematoma.

The main issue is grip on the mallet platform: should I need to unclip, I'd want to be able to balance/ride until I can clip back in. I imagine the hard sole and limited area of the sidi shoe is going to be hard, but am I going to slip off instantly? I tried on a pair of dominators at the local rei, and was impressed by the fit and comfort, and I can't imagine the adidas being any less comfortable than the xc-type shoes.

I like the weight and freedom of motion afforded by the sidi shoes, but the price and grip of the hematoma is better. Is the weight-savings an issue?

Input from people that use one of the three parts would be great!

sd


oh and here are the pics of shoes/pedal:

 

[Banga]

I run hematomas on old school dx pedals, they are the best shoe for that type pf pedal ever.
I have no expeiance with mallets
but I would think the hematoma would be a better bet than the dominator

 

[bizutch]

if you're going from flats to clipless I reccomend you make the transition nice and simple:

they are SPD but still have a skate sole for good solid contact with the pedal when not clipped in. Hematomas have NO traction on the sole and are skinny as crap at the arch.

 

[Superdeft]

Thanks for the 661 recomendation, but I'm looking for a little stiffer power transfer along with the grip.

edit: have you tried the hematoma shoe? if the sole is hard rubber it may not be worth the extra weight.

 

[dhtahoe]

I have the hematoma/mallet combo. My wife has the sidi/mallet and I had to cut the hell out of the sidi soles to make them work, and I hate grinding on a brand new pair of $200 sidi's.

 

[Superdeft]

hmm, sounds like the adidas one is a safer bet, do you need shims/mods at all? Also if you've got a few min, could you describe the sole and overall feel of the shoe?

 

[buildyourown]

I have 3 pairs of sidis and 2 pairs of mallets. I haven't had to cut any of the soles and I'm not using any shims. Maybe I got lucky, but for me it has been a good combo. Honestly, I'm just a Sidi whore.

 

[JTVW]

Sanjay uses Hematomas doesn't he? There's reason enough to wear 'em. If only they made me ride like him...err...I mean...you ride like him.....

 

[bizutch]

Thanks for the 661 recomendation, but I'm looking for a little stiffer power transfer along with the grip.
.

ummm...not stiff enough...you ever try to bend the sole in one of these? They're not like the Vans Exacerbate that flops like a banana peel. They're frickin stiff.

 

[Superdeft]

I have 3 pairs of sidis and 2 pairs of mallets. I haven't had to cut any of the soles and I'm not using any shims. Maybe I got lucky, but for me it has been a good combo. Honestly, I'm just a Sidi whore.

do you find yourself sliding around on the tops of the mallets with the hard plastic sole of the sidi shoes?

 

[sanjuro]

I use the Dominator/Mallet Combo, and all I did was use a .5 mm shim underneath the cleat. No problems with pedaling or sole-to-axle height.

 

[Jeremy R]

If you are deciding just between those two, I would get the Hematoma's just for the sole alone.
I used to run the Sidi Domi's, and they are a great XC shoe, but there soles are made out of owl $hit, and are gonna slide all over that pedal when you are unclipped. Their old soles were too slick to really walk in on the wet stuff.
You touch a slick root with a Sidi sole, and it was lay down time.

(this was a few years back, and they may have changed their soles by now.)

 

[buildyourown]

I don't notice the soles sliding, but I've been on Sidis for about 7 years now. I want my shoe to float on the pedal. If anything, the Mallets have less of a slippery feeling than my old Time Zs.

And yes, walking in Sidis in the wet is a bad idea.

 

[bizutch]

this is a semi-derailment of the thread but 5.10 mentioned to me that they would consider making a clipless version of the Impact. That stealth rubber sole blended with a clipless cleat would be the best of both worlds. You would definitely stick to the pedal regardless of being clipped in or not.

I sort of advised him it wouldn't sell that well b/c of all the competition from other manufacturers but if you guys wanted to email or call them expressing interest. All 3 of you who are reading this thread

 

[Zutroy]

this is a semi-derailment of the thread but 5.10 mentioned to me that they would consider making a clipless version of the Impact. That stealth rubber sole blended with a clipless cleat would be the best of both worlds. You would definitely stick to the pedal regardless of being clipped in or not.

I sort of advised him it wouldn't sell that well b/c of all the competition from other manufacturers but if you guys wanted to email or call them expressing interest. All 3 of you who are reading this thread

Actually I mentioned that before to Eric, i thought that would be a great idea. I'd buy them.

 

[DHperu]

i run hematoma's with mallet and they work awesome, but i am running one schim. anybopdy else using schims?? how many??? maybe a couple would be better..but im just too lazy to give it a try

 

[jmvar]

Just got back from Diablo......the inside of my akles feel like they were beat with hammers and one of my toe nails is about to fall off. I wear Sidi dominators and I need something with more protection.

Are there any other SPD shoes out there that have a raised inner section and good toe protection? I am thinking about getting the hematomas but would like to know if there is anything else I should be looking at.

 

[blt2ride]

if you're going from flats to clipless I reccomend you make the transition nice and simple:

they are SPD but still have a skate sole for good solid contact with the pedal when not clipped in. Hematomas have NO traction on the sole and are skinny as crap at the arch.

I second that, the 661 shoe will be your best bet...

 

[SpasticJack]

I had the inside end of the ratchet strap come out of my Sidi Dom 4 in a crash during my race run at Massanutten and lost a whole bunch of time to putting my shoe back together. I can't really recommend them for more DH oriented use. I ended up getting a pair of these and am pretty happy with them.

http://www.rei.com/product/47849243.htm?

 

[intensified]

Hematoma gets my vote, without as much protection that I use also and like are the shimano dx shoes (ugly grey ones),not to floppy.. I disliked the mallet when I tried them and swapped to the old faithful shimano clipins. The protection of the hemas is good for dh.

 

[Superdeft]

Not to dredge up an old thread, but i ended up going with the shimano bmx/dh shoes because of the price. Any of the 3 probably would have worked though.

 

[Jamsoul]

if u go with sidi u have to continually experiment with the spacers to find the right clip in un clip feel. Addidas gives a bit more toe and ankle protection, either way you cant loose with either shoe. Specialized also makes a shoe with carbon fiber ankles, similar to the addidas