For as little as $80, you can find the X-Trail EVO mountain biking shoes for sale online. A good value, no doubt, as these shoes from Italian brand Diadora fit well and are fast pedaling on the trail. Over 10 months of hard riding in Nevada, my home state, there is nary a pulled thread on my well-loved X-Trail shoes.
Fit of the shoe is good overall — they quickly conformed to my feet, and Diadora’s roomy toe box for me was a much-appreciated design touch. A soft rubber outsole gives insane traction for rough stuff when you have to jump off your bike and push.
After pedaling these through four seasons this year, from summer heat to slush on winter trails, I am impressed with Diadora’s quality. But not everyone is, apparently. On forums we researched, some users note the cleat ripping out of the sole. Yikes.
Another forum commenter noted “cheap padding breeds bacteria smell that wouldn’t go away. Couldn’t leave them in car or it smelt like THE PLAGUE!”
I’m sitting at about 10 months of use right now and currently the cleats feel fine. They smell OK, too, though I would not recommend you taking too close of a sniff on these or any of my shoes!
One thing I have noticed, however, is that the shoes’ ratchet closures are getting a little loose. Not a big deal, but that is a sign of wear I will watch.
On the whole, I think the X-Trail EVOs are a solid buy, especially if you can find them for the aforementioned $80 as I have seen. These are not top-end shoes, but instead middleweights that for me have stood up to the test for nearly a year of hard riding in the mountains and in the woods.
—Kevin Glover is based in Elko, Nevada.
