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Chainsaw-Proof? New Bike Shoe designed for Trail Builders

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Five Ten is historically a climbing-shoe brand. But as of late the company has branched into making footwear for niche activities ranging from slacklining to BASE jumping to “Action Running,” meaning parkour and other acro-influenced foot games.

Talk about a niche, a shoe new this summer, the Diddie Schneider, is sold as “the first and only shoe designed for biking and trail building.”

Trail-builder’s boot: Bike shoe does double duty for freeriders wielding shovels and saws

A boot-like design with a lightweight internal Kevlar-type barrier ostensibly will keep shovel-wielding trail builders safer. The upper is a tough leather and there’s a cut-resistant lace cover. A composite toe guard is touted as “chainsaw resistant.”

The unique shoe, which costs $165, is named after the man himself, Diddie Schneider, a top bike terrain park builder and rider.

The company touts protection from shovels, chainsaws, nails and other hazards of a freeride construction site. A special sole pattern and stout heel are designed for stomping, packing and “working with the surface of the trail.”

Flat sole made to grip pedals as well as pack down dirt on trails

The bonus is that this workingman’s shoe can also ride. Shovel a jump, nail together a ladder bridge, and then throw a foot over your frame to pedal in and try out your gravity-defying creations.

The shoe has a cage-compatible toecap. The outsole is made of the company’s sticky Stealth rubber. It’s designed for platform pedals with no SPD style clip-in cleat.

Trail building can be an art for dedicated riders. For the first time, Five Ten has a shoe for people who like to get their hands dirty before gripping handlebars and dropping in for the ride.

—Stephen Regenold

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