Review - Fizik X5 Terra Mountain Bike Shoes

This year fi'zi:k completely redesigned their shoe range, with fresh ideas in both road and mountain bike lines. The fi'zi:k X5 Terra Mountain Bike Shoe might be at the lower end of the price and specification spectrum within the brand's range, but it is a well built and comfortable mountain biking shoe.

New Lasts

The first big change for all the fi'zi:k shoes was a change in the soles / lasts. The brand brought new technology to their design process, which looks at shaping the carbon sole of the shoe to match more closely with the contours of the foot; so providing more support and ultimately comfort for the entire length of the foot.

The change is notable. I owned fi'zi:k shoes from the previous age, and they felt flat and shapeless in the footbed by comparison. This newer design feels more encompassing and more supportive. It is a solid base, even with the relatively small contact point of many mountain bike pedals.

New Closures

Going hand in hand with the more supportive foot bed is the asymmetric 'volume control' closure system, designed to provide a personalised and supportive upper to the shoe.

Cycling shoes are only as good as the fit they provide for your foot - the better the fit, the better the power transfer and comfort. The fizik X5 Terra shoes use a combination of an offset BOA dial with asymmetric lacing, coupled with a Velcro fore-foot strap, to provide an adaptive fit to any foot volume. 

The system seems to work very well, with the flexible Microtex upper wrapping around the foot and supporting the arch and heel, without restricting the toe box. The design holds its shape where it is meant to, but is highly adaptable and flexible where it needs to be.

New Looks

Appearance is the third thing to be redesigned with the fizik mountain bike shoe range. The range gets a fresh splash of colour, with the X5 Terra available in this strong red / pink tone that I am reviewing here, as well as military green, grey and fluorescent yellow, and dark blue with brick red (or just plain black).

Shoes are a key part of 'the look', and with this new collection of colours there should be something to suit every off-road rider; from the flashy XC'er to the camouflage bikepacker. 

New Impressions

Overall, I am impressed. The new X5 Terra Mountain Bike Shoes from fi'zi:k are more comfortable, better made, and better looking than many other mountain bike shoes that I have reviewed to date.

At £159.99 RRP, they aren't a ridiculous price tag either, despite their stiff carbon composite sole, good tread pattern, high-end uppers, and BOA closure system.

The Italian brand seems to have hit that difficult balance of making a 'starter' mountain bike shoe for their range, which feels and looks like a more expensive counterpart. The X5 Terra will be my shoe of choice for many off-road adventures to come, that is for sure.

>> Shop the fi'zi:k X5 Terra Mountain Bike Shoes here <<