Review: 10 Months With Shimano's GE9 Gravity Shoes
Shimano’s footwear team has produced some cult classics over the years, with the Stormtrooper-esque ME7 standing atop that heap. Those shoes were discontinued last year, replaced by this new model: the GE9. Aimed at the broad “gravity” market, they’re meant to hit for anything from trail riding to DH racing, with a relatively flat sole and features throughout.
They carry over the stretchy gaiter from the ME7, implement a Boa ratchet, and have a simple Velcro closure at the cuff. With sizes from 38 to 48, two muted colorways, and a neutral/wide fit, the GE9s are meant to cover a wide range of rider preferences and needs.
They carry over the stretchy gaiter from the ME7, implement a Boa ratchet, and have a simple Velcro closure at the cuff. With sizes from 38 to 48, two muted colorways, and a neutral/wide fit, the GE9s are meant to cover a wide range of rider preferences and needs.
Shimano GE9 Details
• Ultread sole
• Carbon-reinforced midsole
• BOA dial with plastic shield
• Mesh ankle collar
• Weight: 460 grams (size 45, per shoe)
• Colors: black, olive
• Sizes: 38-48
• $225 USD
• www.shimano.com
• Ultread sole
• Carbon-reinforced midsole
• BOA dial with plastic shield
• Mesh ankle collar
• Weight: 460 grams (size 45, per shoe)
• Colors: black, olive
• Sizes: 38-48
• $225 USD
• www.shimano.com
Shimano's Ultread sole.
Works well with my slammed cleat position.
Performance
Sorry to anyone who was a megafan of the ME7s, but these are not going to be the direct replacement you're looking for. The GE9 fits and feels much more like a skate shoe, with a wider toe box and much more compliant sole. As a result, things are very comfortable right out of the gate, especially for someone like me with a wider forefoot. The updated Ultread sole is lower profile than the outgoing design, and works well with pedals that feature large platforms and pins. There isn't much sole contact unless you wind those pins out a ways, unlike some other shoes that have a deeper cleat channel to meet the pedal directly.
I really like the BOA adjustment on these shoes, and had zero issues with durability, wear, or stickiness of the mechanism. There's probably something to the fact that Shimano integrated a little guard into the molding, protecting the dial from rock strikes and other impacts. The upper hook-and-loop strap never lost tack, and is a good way to fine-tune the security of the shoe. I was running it very loose for a bit last summer and actually popped out of my shoe in a crash - the shoe stayed connected to the bike.
I'm conflicted about the stiffness of the GE9s. Their soft feel is part of what makes them so comfortable, but with a bit more rigidity to the sole the pedaling and cornering would be improved. Neither is horrible as is, but there's some compromise made to gain the walkability and all-day comfort. One thing to keep in mind is the width of the shoe, as I've seen some pedal/crank combos that seem too cramped to fit things perfectly. Most notably, Time pedals seem to bring the shoe in too close to the cranks, leading to some extra rubbing. I had no issues with this running either Crank Bros or SPDs.
All-in, they're a great everything shoe, especially if you have wider feet or find yourself hiking a fair bit to get around in the woods. I'm happy to trade off some sportiness for a pair of shoes that feels like home, but I'm still on the hunt for my next Goldilocks pair.
The one durability weak point.
The upper strap's attachment loop eventually blew out due to crank rub.
I simply cut a slit with a box knife and things have remained peachy.
Durability
I've been riding the same pair of GE9s every day for about 10 months now, and the durability is shaping up to be pretty good, with one exception. As you can see, there's plenty of wear on the sole, and some scarring on the uppers, but functionally everything has remained solid. I run my cleats far outboard to get a narrower pedaling stance, which in tandem with the wider shape of the shoe led to the strap loop wearing against some crank designs. That loop eventually blew out, but I cut a slot in the shoe itself and that system's been working for a couple months now.
The sole stiffness seems to have softened a little over use, but that's to be expected from anything you're riding or walking in day after day. If anything they're just more comfortable for it.
Pros
+ Very comfortable on and off the bike
+ Easy, effective adjustments
Cons
- Wide fit (and wide external dimensions around toe box) won't be ideal for everyone and all setups
- Stiffness could be increased
Pinkbike's Take
 | Far from a reinvention of the ME7, the GE9 feels like a much different animal. Fairly wide and relatively soft, the shoe is supremely comfortable, and adjustable enough to fit a wide range of foot shapes. They feel stiff enough for hard pedaling, but conform nicely to wider platform clip pedals. Not the sportiest out there, but a good daily driver. |
My shoe of choice since last year's Field Test.
Author Info:
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Anyway. Bummed about the ME7's. Mine will probably last another 12-24 months at my rate of wear, but still gonna be a journey to find a suitable replacement.
If all you're doing is shuttle days and 'winch-n-plummet' gravel grinds, you won't find a better shoe than the Mallet. There's always going to be compromise.
I have some ride concept shoes for flats I got cheap and they are ok (a bit boxy, but for the money no complaints). I could try their clipless but there's not way they'll be as good as the pearl izumis.
One thing I noticed on these is running the cleats inward causes some release issues as the rubber is very tight to the cleat cutout on my shimano trail pedals. YMMV though.
That's not a con for me at all.
Let me guess, Go to flats!..
The other way one can go about it is from the shoe side, if you find a shoe that has an excessively deep cleat pocket, which would prevent easy clipping in/out, you can use cleat shims to move the cleat out to where you want it, and then as the sole wears, you can gradually remove the shims to keep the cleat/sole relative height in the optimal zone.
Lastly, you can build up the worn sole of your shoe with Shoe Goo, or a similar shoe repair product, although I've found the durability is pretty poor, so you have to re-do it after every few rides.
Anyway, hope that helps.