Gear Review: Shimano MT34 2016 SPD Shoes

Shimano's MT34 2016 SPD shoes have been my go-to commuter shoe since my trusty MT41s were retired. After five years and countless miles, it was time for a new daily shoe.  As a commuter on a budget; I didn't really want to spend more than £50, and the shoes had to have a good tread as I want to be able to actually walk in them, even it's just around the shops. The MT34 seemed to be a perfect fit and four months in; they're still a great shoe.

They arrived much cleaner than this. 

It was not love at first ride though. It took half a dozen rides to break the shoes in, the upper sides around the top lace holes were stiff to the point of being painful, although they quickly softened. Now the shoes are as comfortable as my old MT41s and as good as any hard-soled non-SPD trainer/shoe.

Build quality is good for a budget shoe, there's a little bit of flash left over from the moulding where the uppers meet the sole. Overall design is fine. Mine are a mix of matt and glossy black, with silver and red highlights. A blue version is also available. Walking in the shoes is comfortable and you (mostly) don't sound like a tap dancer. There's an elastic tab on the tongue to tuck the laces into which works well. 

In dry conditions these SPDs are great. In the wet? Not so much. In dry and dusty conditions these shoes are spot-on. The venting keeps your feet cool and comfortable. There is a downside though; like a Gremlin, these should not get wet. These are not winter shoes by any stretch of the imagination but if you get caught in a rain shower, these will soak up the water and then take a fair while to dry. Mine did not come with the waterproof sticker to cover the cleat holes either, but duct tape fixed that. 

Mud clearance isn't great either. I first ran these with Shimano's A530 pedals before moving to M250s, I've found it difficult to engage the cleats when the shoes are muddy. Much more so than on my MT41s. 

If you're looking for a year-round shoe, I'm not sure these are the best. They're good value but I'm not looking forward to winter.