Ironically, as I was singing the praise of riding in sneakers, the guys at Mission Workshop ( @MissionWorkshop ) gave me an exclusive first look at a new shoe they're in the process of working on. One special detail sets these apart from other attempts at glory; SPD cleats. Yep. Finally, a simple and clean silhouette you can wear to the bar and the office while riding your favorite steed equipped with SPD pedals. Hell, because of the recessed cleat, you can ride toeclips too! Not bad at all. I might actually have to try a pair out and maybe give a few away on Prolly is not Probably.
Stay tuned for future details as events warrant.
Comments
These are rad.
Posted by: ZLOG | July 12, 2010 1:17 PM
Nicely done
Posted by: Scott | July 12, 2010 1:23 PM
These are amazing. The best part is the ability to go from clips to clipless without changing shoes.
Posted by: Kelly | July 12, 2010 1:28 PM
do you always refer to your blog in third person? ;)
Posted by: oneangrytoast | July 12, 2010 1:29 PM
oh man, i've been waiting for a professionally-constructed SPD sneaker for years. SO stoked.
Posted by: blair | July 12, 2010 1:31 PM
If they need any one to test a larger size (13) send them over my way.
Posted by: Lowell | July 12, 2010 1:37 PM
I'd hit that.
Posted by: Richard Masoner | July 12, 2010 1:40 PM
THIS IS SO FUCKING COOL!
Posted by: Gordon | July 12, 2010 1:44 PM
Very clever with the sole tread pattern. Nice idea fellas.
Posted by: KrEEEstowfUr | July 12, 2010 2:04 PM
Clean.
Posted by: Burd | July 12, 2010 2:07 PM
WANT!
Posted by: Gunnar | July 12, 2010 3:07 PM
Finally! I've been waiting for years. both Adidas and Vans tried, but none got anywhere near this close to the perfect hybrid show. I cannot wait to buy these!
Posted by: James Home | July 12, 2010 6:15 PM
mmmmm i like, i like! Check out the
AGU AQ24 MTB Shoe at Nashbar though, it's $30 and i'm digging the pair they sent.
Posted by: Catnap | July 12, 2010 6:17 PM
i hope it doesn't fit like their other shoe. i hated them as they destroyed my feet and others i talked to
Posted by: jordan | July 12, 2010 8:21 PM
What other shoe? They're working with a company that specializes in sneakers like this...
Posted by: prolly | July 12, 2010 8:44 PM
FINALLY! I have posted several times in the comments section about wanting something EXACTLY like this. When the BMW shoes came out and i thought this is what they were, those reissue Cinellis...man, this is so so so so awesome.
Posted by: austin | July 12, 2010 9:34 PM
I use Time ATAC pedals, and I hope the MW tested these shoes out with non-Shimano mountain bike cleats. I am hoping that the ATAC cleats won't protrude out of the recessed area past the tread. Anybody from MW want to comment?
Posted by: JD | July 12, 2010 10:02 PM
Hopefully they dont fall apart like my chrome shoes did.
Posted by: Brett | July 12, 2010 10:08 PM
and no air holes? who sweats anyways?
Posted by: brett | July 12, 2010 10:09 PM
I knew it would take a small bike company to finally do urban SPD shoes right. Sorry Shimano your shoe designs are lame (hire or steal some good ones). And sorry Nike you hit the nail on the head for Bejing but utterly failed to market it or put it at an attainable price point (but im sure theyll hop back on once these MW's get popular). Im actually surprised it wasnt Chrome, since theyve already made their own shoes for a few years, you think the leap to a semi stiff sole with SPD would have been obvious.
Posted by: Ben Grimm | July 12, 2010 10:15 PM
WOW!!!!! I've been looking for something like these for ages. The profile on these shoes is perfect. I really hope that they make them in womens sizes.
Posted by: Jen | July 13, 2010 5:21 AM
This is a great idea, I'm shocked it has taken this long for a shoe like this to be released. They remind me of Vans old skools a little. The Vans Warners are a good comfortable shoe that looks like a skate shoe (if you're into that sort of thing). They are well constructed and last as a result of this. However because of the shape of the sole and depth of the recess the cleat sticks out slightly, not good. Also with that style of sole there seems to be more wear parallel to the recess on both sides, may be it's to do with surface area and load distribution, may be it's just because that's where you walk. Perhaps a denser compound in that area would fix that issue.
Posted by: prettyboy | July 13, 2010 5:32 AM
Want want want.
Posted by: Craig | July 13, 2010 9:15 AM
I would love to test these badboys out in a 9.5 ;)
Posted by: Igor | July 13, 2010 3:52 PM
looks good in the photo! and ben, chrome IS doing a casual spd shoe. saw a crew of people shooting photos of them on the streets in SF a couple of months ago. don't know when they're coming out though.
Posted by: wesley | July 13, 2010 6:14 PM
To all of the comments saying "why hasn't a shoe like this been released".
http://www.sixsixone.com/Catalog_661Bike.aspx?id=98342a29-3236-424a-bc19-80ccae7ab32c&product=8f39445a-6a88-44ff-b0ed-254eee406449
http://fiveten.com/products/footwear-detail/23-minnaar
http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/shoes/mtb/product.-code-SH-MP66W.-type-.html
http://shop.vans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=592020&storeId=10001&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&vcategoryId=SEARCH
I'm thinking that cleat pocket will be more of an issue than anything else, especially if you're running pedals with a larger platform area around the actually spd/crank bros/whywouldyourunanythingelse clipless mech.
But thats just speculation.
Posted by: danny | July 13, 2010 7:33 PM
To all of the comments saying "why hasn't a shoe like this been released": *snip*
^those are not like these
Posted by: coz | July 14, 2010 5:24 PM
Nice. I actually have a very similar pair from Lake, but they discontinued that model for some reason. I've been wearing them sparingly, hoping to make them last.
Posted by: UrbanJeff | July 14, 2010 6:30 PM
Just curious coz, describe to me the ways these are 'not like' other spd sneakers?
Posted by: danny | July 14, 2010 10:34 PM
yeah danny, those are great...if you wanna look like a RAVER
Posted by: austin | July 14, 2010 11:35 PM
Yeah, they should test the compatibility with other MTB clipless systems like TIME atac / eggbeaters and let us know. Looks great so far though.
Posted by: llortaem | July 15, 2010 12:55 AM
To all of the comments saying "why hasn't a shoe like this been released".
http://www.sixsixone.com/Catalog_661Bike.aspx?id=98342a29-3236-424a-bc19-80ccae7ab32c&product=8f39445a-6a88-44ff-b0ed-254eee406449
http://fiveten.com/products/footwear-detail/23-minnaar
http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/shoes/mtb/product.-code-SH-MP66W.-type-.html
http://shop.vans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=592020&storeId=10001&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&vcategoryId=SEARCH
I'm thinking that cleat pocket will be more of an issue than anything else, especially if you're running pedals with a larger platform area around the actually spd/crank bros/whywouldyourunanythingelse clipless mech.
But thats just speculation.
I think they mean a pair that doesn't look uber gay. The Mission workshop shoes look awesome, whereas all of the others in your post looked like platform shoes or soccer shoes.
Posted by: Dizzle | July 15, 2010 4:18 AM
SPD-SL?
Posted by: TJ | July 15, 2010 10:28 AM
Austin, maybe I can answer to your question,
all these shoes are different 'cos they aren't vulcanized, only the Vans one might be but you don't even want to try to walk around with them....no flex, heavy and really hot, plus the velcro strap wrapping your uncles can be really painful
Posted by: Fabio Rattazzi | July 15, 2010 2:00 PM
TJ, SPD-SL = 3 hole road cleat = not recessed = not gona work on a "casual" shoe
(i like my 2008 adidas super pro classics for good looking "road pedal" stuff and i think Velo Orange has a nice one as well)
Posted by: dontcoast | July 15, 2010 6:42 PM
So to those who are wondering, I can only assume that the Crank Bros and Time would work fine, considering those are crank bros cleats in the picture, and those stick out the most of any of them.
Posted by: Dale | July 16, 2010 12:01 AM
WANT! in a ladie's size 7.5, please
Posted by: liz | July 18, 2010 12:12 AM
no thanks, ill stick with my nike gyrizo dunks...
Posted by: `pokertron` | July 28, 2010 2:31 PM