Shimano SH-R151 Shoes
By Jon Sharp

Shimano makes everything. Including shoes. They also make fishing reels, though that’s not quite relevant to this review. What I don’t understand is how Shimano can make so many different products without sacrificing quality, or—and this would be my fear—just generally missing the mark with some of them.

Take shoes, for instance. As near as I can tell, shoes have nothing to do with chains and derailleurs. I don’t think there is one bit of R&D that can carry over from the drive train department to the footwear department. And yet, I have here before me a very nice road shoe, made by none other than Shimano.

Shimano’s SH-R151 shoes have a beautiful shiny carbon sole. I’m kind of a sucker for carbon. (Judging by the amount of carbon fiber on the market today, I don’t think I’m the only one.) Of course, as my eyes scanned the length of the sole, one of the first things I noticed was a small hole in the toe area. A closer look inside shows the insole has a corresponding hole. Because these are Shimano shoes, they are drilled for Shimano cleats—which, coincidentally, is just like Look-style, or three bolt cleats. The SH-R151 is held to your foot by a tried and true three Velcro strap closure.

Though I always felt my previous shoes were stiff, the SH-R151 sole proved surprisingly more stiff. Combined with the PD-R540 pedals, I felt as if my legs were extensions of my crank. I never felt any amount of flex in the shoes. Throughout my testing, the only spot to show wear on the shoes was that poor shiny carbon sole. Road shoes aren’t made to walk in and these are no exceptions. Don’t worry, a few cosmetic scratches won’t harm the performance of this shoe.

Though I was excited about the ventilation hole in the front part of the sole, I wasn’t sure it’d do much. After all, my foot is there. With no corresponding exhaust port, I didn’t think much air would make it through. I was partially right. Most of the time, I didn’t notice much difference. However, when I started to feel my toes getting a bit too hot, I’d lift them up about in the roomy toe-box of the SH-R151 and would instantly feel fresh air swirling around my toes and past my foot. That small hole was a welcome relief on many hot summer rides.

Summary: Though not Shimano’s top end shoe, the SH-R151 is definitely high-quality. Also, with a retail price of $169.99, they are more money than the average cyclist might want to spend. These, however, aren’t average. For that price, you get a very stiff and comfortable road shoe with plenty of carbon and excellent ventilation. In addition, the Velcro closure system is sure to stand the test of time without having to dig up replacement parts. Also, they’re black. And black is the new black.

Jon Sharp is a contributing editor for GearReview.com.

For more information, contact:
Shimano