Sidi Nix winter biking shoe
Worth: £299 / $269 / $ 324.99
Weight: 403g – Measurement 44
Sizes: 40 – 48
Colors: Navy-Fluo / Black / White-Black
Sidi launched a model new winter biking shoe named the Nix again in October, changing the model’s long-standing winter boot – the Zero Gore 2 – which had been round in a few guises for fairly a while.
There are a number of devoted winter biking boots and sneakers in the marketplace and opinion is mostly break up between winter boots and a shoe/overshoe mixture for winter using and coaching. For me, winter boots supply benefits and are one other good possibility however aren’t a magic bullet for heat, dry, snug toes when the temperature plummets.
The Sidi Nix boots carry a retail worth of £299 / $269 / $324.99, so not a reasonable possibility. There is a alternative of three colors, a Gore-Tex membrane, glass fibre sole, Sidi dial system with powerful Dyneema wire, and a comfortable, fleecy inside. I’ll unpack the options in additional depth under.
In addition to the finest winter biking sneakers I additionally take a look at the finest biking overshoes and the finest winter biking gloves right here at Cyclingnews and by no means draw back from a chilly, moist journey, so I am well-placed to overview this new winter providing and assist you resolve if these sneakers is perhaps best for you. I acquired my pattern pair in October and have been using with them just about ever since.
Design and Aesthetics
Aesthetics first, it is uncommon in my expertise to see three completely different color choices for a winter shoe; they are typically all black. Fizik broke the established order again in 2022 although with the discharge of the white Arctica GTX Tempo winter boots.
The Sidi Nix can be found in black, a white model which does not look blinding and has loads of black, and the navy/fluoro yellow that I am testing. That is the primary blue winter shoe I’ve seen and it has grown on me. The fluoro yellow provides visibility, particularly with the toes rotating while pedalling. If it helps increase my visibility that little bit extra on murky winter days I am all for it. This colourway is perhaps slightly too ‘work security boot’ for you, however I prefer it and it is good to put on a winter shoe that is not black. Brighter winter sneakers additionally make sense, from a visibility perspective, so maybe it will turn into extra widespread within the coming years.
They’ve a glass fibre / composite sole, which Sidi has given an in-house stiffness ranking of 9. The stiffness goes to be high-quality for almost everybody I believe, and the sneakers do not feel missing. There’s a tiny little bit of flex to be felt within the sole, and it is not as stiff as a inflexible carbon efficiency shoe, as you would possibly anticipate. The only real itself takes a three-bolt cleat becoming, so you have to an adaptor for a four-bolt system.
The outers really feel sturdy and hard and Sidi has used a PFAS-free Gore-Tex membrane to spice up winter safety, one thing quite a lot of winter sneakers function. The outer additionally has a sequence of small triangular perforations throughout primarily the perimeters of the shoe.
Picture 1 of 2
Retention-wise, there’s a single Sidi dial closure which makes use of an excellent sturdy Dyneema wire. I’ve discovered the dial acquired slightly bit sticky when undoing the sneakers after a journey and a squirt of penetrating spray helped easy it out once more. On the tall ankle, there’s a wraparound Velcro strap which makes up what Sidi calls the ‘wrapper closure system’. The strap is anchored to the surface heel and wraps by the heel pull loop and throughout the entrance of the ankle from the left. It is simple to do up shortly and has two reflective bands.
The tongue on the Sidi Nix is mounted, including further safety, and solely separating from the shoe on the ankle. Inside, every shoe is lined with comfortable, fluffy fleece that makes your toes really feel comfortable and cosy.
These sneakers use the Sidi Millenium match which is barely longer and roomier within the toe field than the alternate ‘Sidi match’. I believe the as soon as well-liked, and at instances correct label of Sidi sneakers being slim / developing small is melting away, however ensure that to measure up correctly in case you are curious about a pair of those.
I wore a dimension 44 pair of sneakers, and the match was actually snug, the toebox of the Nix is noticeably rounder and extra open than the outdated Zero Gore mannequin and feels much more up-to-date. I discovered the sneakers very snug. I had wiggle room even with heavier biking socks, and there was some motion for my toes which felt nicely suited to low-intensity winter rides which is what I am primarily reaching for these sneakers for.
Picture 1 of 2
Efficiency
The Sidi Nix Winter sneakers have carried out nicely for me on a sequence of chilly and moist rides and I’ve discovered them to be very snug. Nevertheless, there are a couple of chinks within the armour and the proper winter footwear setup will range between riders.
Firstly, I fee the match and luxury, the sneakers are comfortable and the fleece lining makes your toes really feel comfortable and guarded. The comfortable ankle collar can be good and induced me zero irritation. The sneakers are hardy and can take some abuse, I’ve stomped throughout frozen floor, by ice and flooded roads and have even clambered over a big fallen tree blocking the highway. Regardless of all this there’s not a mark on the sneakers and the uppers clear up properly.
Sizing could dictate this to an extent however I believe some riders may need an extra dial closure to attain a snugger match. The bulkier nature of the sneakers and tongue means the one dial has quite a lot of work to do. The velcro strap may be pulled pretty tightly but it surely does not actually cinch down massively.
‘Sure, however are they heat and are they waterproof?’ I hear you cry. Properly sure, they’re fairly heat however no they aren’t proof against water.
First off, thermal effectivity. The Sidi Nix does a superb job at holding your toes heat, and I’ve worn them on loads of rides in freezing temperatures or simply above and so they have finished nicely. I’ve nonetheless acquired chilly toes from time to time, however general it has been successful and the roomier match aids this. In the event you actually wrestle with chilly toes, they in all probability will not treatment issues and go away you wanting, however using at a low depth round freezing, they’ve saved me snug. Fairly good general.
Subsequent up, waterproofing. As I discussed in my Madison DTE waterproof glove overview, our winter climate is almost all the time moist and chilly, the 2 go hand in hand right here in Britain. Water and spray are the important thing weaknesses right here. I eliminated the entrance full-length mudguard from my trusty Dolan winter bike to essentially take a look at the sneakers’ water resistance and had fairly moist toes inside an hour on a moist day when current snowfall was thawing out.
There are some gaps across the shoe’s ankle space that are a straightforward goal for spray and water to penetrate the sneakers. Entrance-wheel spray covers your decrease legs and ankles and makes its means into the sneakers over time. I used to be using solo however this might be elevated for those who sat on somebody’s wheel within the rain or when using moist roads. I am additionally not fully satisfied there wasn’t some water ingress from the underside of the tongue space.
As talked about, I had fairly moist toes inside 60 minutes with out a good entrance mudguard. With a mudguard, safety goes to be so much higher, nonetheless, on this occasion, my toes would have been dryer with a set of tall overshoes just like the Spatz Fasta. Nevertheless, the bulkier nature of a winter boot means not many overshoes will match over it, some will however it could not look very tidy. Right here lies the rub with overshoes and winter boots. One possibility to help issues could be neoprene or waterproof socks like these in my colleague Will’s information to the finest winter biking socks. This setup ought to maintain your toes extra snug however the water would nonetheless be within the sneakers.
Lastly, I’ve additionally come to worth the flexibility to simply pull the sneakers on, do them up and set out. It saves time over a shoe and overshoe setup and the heel pull tab works rather well. This has been helpful on lunchtime spins and could be a plus level for commuting too.
Worth
The Sidi Nix winter sneakers are a reasonably costly proposition and I am unsure they provide incredible worth.
They do not maintain your toes dry in moist climate, and you’d do nicely to make use of them with a entrance mudguard within the moist. For the cash, I believe riders will ask, ‘Properly what is the level then?’ Some cheaper overshoes and your customary highway sneakers would prevent some money and maintain your toes extra snug within the moist.
Nevertheless, I perceive completely different areas may have completely different climates and for dry, chilly situations the sneakers could also be a very respectable, hardy winter possibility if you’d like the comfortable feeling a boot affords and to maintain your bling white highway sneakers wanting that means.
Verdict
The Sidi Nix winter sneakers have confirmed to be very snug, sturdy and heat on some freezing rides. I additionally like the broader vary of color choices Sidi has made accessible for this shoe. Spinning alongside in them on chilly, frosty rides was nice sufficient and I felt protected and cushty in them.
Nevertheless, I’ve ended up with moist toes shortly when carrying the sneakers in moist situations. They have not saved my toes dry, limiting their vary of usable situations and lessening the shoe’s worth. For a moist journey, I’d attain for normal highway sneakers and a few high quality overshoes I believe.
The sneakers have loads of plus factors however as I discussed early on, aren’t a silver bullet for a full winter of winter using and situations.
| Design and aesthetics | An aesthetically pleasing design, with a Gore-Tex membrane and three color choices. A heat shoe however not waterproof | 7/10 |
| Consolation | Very snug and cushty inside, good roomy match helps this | 9/10 |
| Heat | Fairly good general, saved my toes fairly heat in near freezing situations | 8/10 |
| Waterproofness | The sneakers will let in water, primarily on the ankle, moist toes inside an hour on a moist day | 6/10 |
| Worth | These are costly sneakers, and the dearth of complete waterproofness lessens the worth | 7/10 |
| Total | Row 5 – Cell 1 | 37/50 |