GE5 Gravity Enduro Mountain Bike Shoes

The Shimano GE5 acts as the foundation of Shimano’s all new line of Gravity Enduro (GE) shoes. While the GE9 is adorned with BOA dials and the GE7 is constructed with synthetic leather, the GE5 takes a simpler approach to delivering a clipless shoe promising all day comfort both on and off the bike. I have recently put dow trail time in a pair to see how they perform on the trail, how comfortable they are to walk in and if they’re worth your hard earned dollars.

On the trail

First impressions on the GE5 were just how soft and supple the upper of the shoes are. Once I got the laces dialled in, I went for a little jaunt around the house to see how comfortable they are off the bike. I can say without a doubt they are the most comfortable clipless shoes I have ever walked, or hiked in. The compliant sole and ULTREAD rubber really do offer all day comfort, with the cleat channel also being deep enough that you don’t need to listen to your cleats click and clack against the floor pre and post ride. While out on the bike, I could also really notice the compliance of the shoe – although it wasn’t all roses. I typically ride with a set of Fizik Gravita Tensor shoes, which I prefer for their stiffness over all else. These GE5s are very soft and flexible in comparison, and as such channel a lot of feedback though the contact point of the pedal and into your feet. Similarly, when sprinting I could feel the shoe bending and flexing under me – meaning some of that power was not being transferred to the bike. This isn’t all bad though, as riders who don’t choose their shoe primarily for their level of force dissipation and power transfer will enjoy the comfort and feedback the GE5 provides.

Verdict

The Shimano GE5 is the perfect clipless shoe for someone who wants to be able to do more than just chase Strava segment times on their weekend ride. If you tend to do a fair bit of walking or hiking pre, post or during your ride – these are for you. The soft sole, comfortable construction and grippy rubber make these shoes ideal for more than just time on the pedals and should leave you blister free no matter how many times you push your little one back up the hill for another lap. 

Out of the box

Anyone who knows me will agree with the fact that I adore black bike kit. Shoes, jerseys, helmets – make it black. As such, I was stoked to see that Shimano had shipped me the GE5 in the all black colourway. While the Light Green and Sand Beige variants do look great, something about an all black shoe really does it for me. These kicks are available in sizes 38-48, with the 45s I have on test coming in at 452 grams – very competitive given the price point. The sole is made of Shimano’s own ULTREAD GE rubber, which has been formed into a pattern which has deep channels for both pedal and hiking traction. The midsole is again Shimano’s own proprietary system called TORBAL 2.0, which prioritises torsional compliance of the shoe without sacrificing pedalling stiffness. On a scale of 1-10, Shimano rated this shoe a 5 for stiffness. This has all been wrapped around a long and deep cleat channel, which allowed me to get my SPD cleats right where I wanted them – between the ball and middle of my foot with the cleat pointed towards my big toe. Moving up the shoe, we see a fabric upper which is reminiscent of a Vans Classic skate shoe, and a one sided laces strap. As is with the entire GE line, the upper also has a raised ankle collar for a touch of extra protection.