O’Neal’s dimpled Honeycomb tread aims to strike a balance between high grip and easy foot repositioning. On the trail, this is born out to some extent. In direct comparison with other shoes on pedals with an intermediate level of grip, we did find them to bounce around and slip slightly more than the extremely grippy Shimano AM41s.
The flip side is that it’s noticeably easier to adjust foot positioning on the pedal. With grippy, tall-pinned flat pedals, the traction is spot on. The sole its self is marginally the flexiest here, which boosts feel on the pedal and traction, but this flex, combined with the 1030g weight, makes them less than ideal for efficient mile munching or hard sprinting. Off the bike, though, they’re a joy to wear. The flexible sole and grippy tread are a winning combination on steep uphill pushes or hike-a-bikes. The toe box conforms to the movement of the foot nicely, and the slightly cupped heel doesn’t lift too readily either. Despite the low cut ankle, a thick layer of foam around the shoe provides decent protection. The downside of this extra padding is crank rub and increased weight, especially in the wetwhere it can soak up water like a sponge. They can also get quite sweaty if the weather is hot too.
Weight 1030g
Price 127$