Customer Reviews

Pearl iZUMi Men's X-Alp Seek Cycling Shoe,Black/Moonlight,45 M EU

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great shoe. Light weight, looks like it would be comfortable and it's reasonably priced. The only thing is that Amazon's size matrix is way off. According to Amazon the shoe sizes break down into the following matrix:

EU ----- US Size
38 ----- 5
39 ----- 5
39 ----- 6
40 ----- 7
41 ----- 8
42 ----- 9
43 ----- 10
44 ----- 11
45 ----- 12
46 ----- 13
47 ----- 14
48 ----- 15
49 ----- 16

According to the manufacturer the shoe should have the following size matrix:

EU ----- US Size
39 ----- 6.25
40 ----- 7
41 ----- 7.75
42 ----- 8.5
43 ----- 9.25
44 ----- 10
45 ----- 10.75
46 ----- 11.5
47 ----- 12.25
48 ----- 13
49 ----- 14

Please don't make the same mistake I did and order the size according to Amazon and be forced to pay $5.00 to ship it back to them. Order according to the above matrix which is also available on the manufacturer's web site.

I will buy these shoes again but I will be buying a 48 instead of a 46.

This is a great shoe. It's light. It's highly reflective. You can walk in it because it does flex--yes, it flexes. It's what you want when you walk.

I got a pair for commuting. I can actually just wear them all day if need be. Or walk into an office building for a meeting.

They are way to soft to be 'serious' but i've done some half centuries in them - plus i can walk into any store or antique shop and not clack like a vaudeville act. That said, I would like it a little stiffer. But its a great multi-purpose shoe w/ recessed cleat.

This is a very nice pair of shoes. They are well designed for a recreational rider that would like to ride most of the time but still be able to walk normally when you arrive at a location and do a little sight seeing on the way there.

However, they run VERY small. I normally wear a 9 1/2 or 10 in US sizes. I ordered a size 44 EU which compares to an 11 US according to the chart. It is very small. With the laces completely relaxed, my toes hits the end of the shoe. I'm going to try a 13. Maybe it will be my lucky number.

These are sized small, so recommend getting a size larger and wider than you'd normally buy.

Went from standard pedals to Shimano clips & this shoe has been great. Even with the cleats it is easy to walk around & its materials & venting make for a cool & comfortable ride. Big improvement over flip-flops!

Bought a pair to use out in Iowa (RAGBRAI). Worked out very well going from town to town when you want to get off the bike and walk a bit. Good support and comfort. Fits more like a running shoe with decent arch support. Very happy with my purchase. Recommended, just get the next size up as mentioned previously. I normally wear a size 8.5 dress shoe and 9.5 running shoe so I got the size 43 (just slightly snug).

These shoes are light weight yet provide a very comfortable fit while maintaining a sturdy construction. I ordered the size according to the chart and needed to return them for the next size up. I would definitely suggest ordering the next larger size than what the chart indicates. Overall, I'm very pleased with the quality and feel of these shoes and would recommend them to my friends.

These are the first pair of clip-in shoes I've owned.I have gone on a couple rides now and these shoe/new pedals make it so much easier to ride it feels like they unlocked power I didnt know I had. I paid $60 for these on clearance at Estern Mountain Sports. I have no complaints. These are my first bike shoes. I ride a Trek FX 7.3 bike, and I think the road shoes look ridiculous so I got these. Their pretty comfortable. Definitely stiff, but that's to be expected(compared to a regular shoe). Very breathable, They seem to be great quality. I would recommend these if anyone asked. The only time I hear the cleat is when I walk on concrete.

I tried on a bunch of shoes at a store and none of the strictly road biking shoes which have the hard plastic soles seem to fit me comfortably. I'm a mens size 12 and I have a wide foot, and even the largest size 13 road biking shoe I could find felt really snug. When I tried on these shoes however it was like putting on really comfortable trail running shoes or a lightweight hiking shoe or boot. The size 12 fit me and my wide feet perfectly. Not only are they great for biking but if you're on your bike and want to stop and go around a store or whatever, you could wear these shoes and walk around in them all day comfortably. You can't really do that with most road biking shoes. I love these shoes. I highly recommend them and I've never been disappointed with a Pearl Izumi product.

Fit:
They fit snug in the heel with wide toe box, which is good for me. Arch support is moderate but easily added. Heel cup is tall, which feels good on the bike, but it chafes my ankle bone just slightly. I bought them in winter and they were reasonably warm. I'm still wearing them all day in 70F weather, and somehow not getting sweaty feet. These are not the Gore-tex model. Overall very comfortable -- more comfortable than any other cycling shoe with a mountain bike sole that I have worn (Adidas, Shimano, Alpinestar). I like the slightly-elastic laces, and the lace holding loop is a nice touch. I am glad that they do not have a velcro strap. They are funny looking enough without a strap, and velcro usually gets worn out while the rest of the shoe is going strong.

Performance:
Setting up cleat was no trouble. I have cleat far forward in slots in order to match my standard road position. My cleats do hit the floor slightly. You can't hear it on smooth floors, but you can on concrete or stone. It might be different with the cleat back a bit. I wore them on a 65 mile ride with 8000' of climbing intervals. Flex is happening, but in size 8 it's hard to tell. I would recommend them for anything but racing. The thickness of the sole may require adjusting saddle height.

Aesthetics:
The red fabric is a dirt magnet! After one ride in the rain, they will never look the same. I don't like the red, so I'm hoping to get it evenly smudged... One day a company will make some sensible-looking black or brown shoes and I'll buy 2 pairs. What are they waiting for? I have no idea. I was hoping to get used to the way they look, but I have decided that they look ridiculous off the bike.