Sidi MTB Drako 2 SRS: my first impression of the high-tech cycling shoes
27.1.2022
Translation: Eva Francis
I need new cycling shoes, as my old ones are kind of worn out. Are Sidi’s MTB Drako 2 SRS any good? My first impression: absolutely.
My current cycling shoes don’t support my feet the way they should any more. They’re worn out. That’s a shame, as I was happy with the Giro Rincon model. I’ve had them for almost a year and have since cycled my gravel bike all over the place and also used my bike trainer quite a bit.
My cycling shoes have been great so far – but they just don’t feel right any more and make me go crazy. Why? The Boa fit system seems to be worn out. I need to turn the little wheel every five minutes to adjust the fit and give my feet enough stability. Time to get new cycling shoes.
Sidi MTB Drako 2 SRS: high-tech for your feet
The MTB Drako 2 SRS by Sidi are made for off-road cycling, according to the manufacturer. Whether on a mountain bike, gravel bike or cyclocross bike, these shoes are supposed to meet the highest demands. I haven't been able to try them out off-road yet, as I've been carrying out an indoor test of the Wahoo Kickr and the training platform Systm.
These shoes are packed with technology: from the carbon sole to the cushioned insole made of ergonomically shaped foam and the closure system. Sounds impressive. I've wanted to give these high-tech cycling shoes a go for a long time.
My first impression: twice Tecno-3 beats once Boa, but ...
Unlike the Rincon by Giro, the Drako 2 SRS doesn't feature a Boa and a Velcro closure, but two Tecno-3 closures. Like the Boa variant, Sidi also uses a thin wire to pull the shoe together. This allows fine-tuning the tension across the upper without the shoe laces getting tangled. With the MTB Drako 2 SRS, the second button is at the top of the instep – with other Sidi models such as the Eagle or Dragon, it’s on the side. This is intended to make it easier to fit the shoe to the foot, especially while cycling.
So far, I've only tested the shoes on the bike trainer in my garage and have worn them for about eight hours. Therefore, this is more of a first impression than an actual review.
Nevertheless, I can already say one thing for sure: I prefer two Tecno-3 closures to one Boa and one Velcro closure. My feet are stable and I've never had to readjust the fit during a workout. So far, once I'd closed the shoes by turning both buttons as far as necessary, I could cycle for two hours and they offered great stability and fit throughout.
These shoes are equipped for a 2-hole standard (SPD) cleats system. Cleats are small plates you screw into your clipless cycling shoes. They’re the connector between the shoe and the pedal. After some back and forth, I decided not to go for clipless pedals, but for magnetic pedals by Magped. They feature metal plates instead of cleats.
One slight concern
However, and here's a concern, handling the Boa closure on the Giro Rincon is easier. All you need to do is turn counter-clockwise to tighten the wire and pull the button upwards to loosen. That's it. The Tecno-3 version requires you to first turn the button clockwise until the shoe fits and then fold the closure down. To release, the two small latches need to be pressed, then the buckle can be lifted above the instep. Too complicated? Check out this video.
It also remains to be seen whether the two closures will still work after cycling over a muddy trail. I can imagine that dirt, stones and twigs get stuck in them and break the mechanism. We’ll see.
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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