Pedaled Mido Boot Review: Handsome but Costly

compose Cass Gilbert
time Sep 26, 2018
comment 39

For those who aren’t familiar with the brand, PEdALED (note pecularly capitalisation) is a very high end bike clothing manufacturer from Japan, though their Mido Riding Boot is actually made in Italy by Diemme, an Italian shoe company of high repute.

I inherited these shoes from Logan, as they didn’t quite fit him. And I was thrilled to receive them, seeing as I’ve ridden my previous pair of 5.10s into the ground. Here’s the caveat: I’m hard on shoes. I can’t think of a pair in recent years that I haven’t worn a hole through the sole, broken the heel, ripped off lugs, or mangled the toe bumper. Once I find shoes I like, I wear them all the time. And I mean all the time. On biking trips, out hiking, walking, commuting, or just scrambling around to take photos.

The Before

Let’s start with the eyebrow-furrowing price tag: $305 or 260 Euros. Although the following footware isn’t a direct comparison, by way of example, Giro’s Chinese-made, clipless Alpineduro is $200, 45nth’s winter specific WÖLVHAMMERs command $360, and Logan’s well loved 5.10 Tennies come in at $120. I’m not going to tell how you how you should spend your money, or suggest that you need to spend this much on a pair of shoes to go bikepacking. But I will note that it’s not a dissimilar price to what you’d expect to pay for a pair of high end, European-made, leather boots. The use of leather itself won’t appeal to everyone, but it’s a hard wearing material and when looked after, should offer years of use.

So what makes them bike-specific? Although at first glance the Midos look like normal hiking boots, they feature a lower heel area that’s more suited to pedaling and a thin Vibram sole, which offers a reduced profile without any loss of grip – good for precarious hike-a-bikes. As a result, the Midos feel more comfortable to pedal in than standard hiking boots I’ve used in the past. There’s also discreet reflective tabs too and whilst I have yet to confirm the exact weight, they seem lighter than many leather hiking boots too.

In terms of fit, I consider them to feel narrow and snug; I wouldn’t point wide footers in their direction. And I’d likely recommend sizing up, especially if you intend to wear thick socks. I’m generally a 43, with a left foot that’s a touch larger than my right, and found the size 43 that I was sent left little room for my toes to enjoy much of a stretch. So although the Midos definitely gave over time, I’d have sized up if I’d been ordering my own own pair. But if you get it right (there’s a sizing chart on their website) and their shape fits you, I can’t fault them comfort wise. The leather is extremely supple and it was a matter of hours before they felt like boots I’d owned all my life. The long laces offer adjustability along the whole length and if/when they laces wear out, or you just feel like a change, Pedaled include a spare set in a different color.

I wore these boots whilst riding the Trans Alp bikepacking route. Pedaled calls them waterproof and thankfully, given the adverse weather, I’d mostly agree (though the tongues aren’t actually sewn in). Mine took an especially hard beating in the high mountains, where heavy rainfall and multiple stream crossing resulted in sodden footware for several days in a row, only to be dried superficially with the occasional blast of sun (not a good recipe for shoes of any kind). I rode in them, hung out in camp, scrabbled around, and pushed my bike up a gamut of often loose and sharp terrain. To give them their best chance of a long and prosperous life, I treated mine with whatever I could lay my hands on along the way, be it beeswax or bacon fat – like a Brooks saddle, boots like the Midos need regular TLC to ensure they last as long their cost demands. (Side ponder: I’ve found that treating leather boots and saddles, working wax and oils into creases and dry spots, is a very therapeutic process… and a good reminder of the value of looking after gear and making what we own last as long as it can.)

In use, I found the boots grippy enough on the aggressive platform pedals I was running not to worry about slipping, but I wouldn’t consider them to be in the same league as my super tacky 5.10s. Hike with them though, and they’re plenty of purchase, which can’t be said for latter. I did notice that some of the Mido’s grip is lost in very wet conditions, but no more than other hiking boots with lugged soles I’ve tried.

At $305, the big question is: how have they held up? Thanfully again, I can report that the news is good; there are scuffs to the leather but the sole remains completely intact, whilst the heel, which can typically show signs of wear and damage as the boots are slipped on and off when wet, is as good as new. The yellow finish that my test shoes came in has dulled, which is no bad thing… Note that these boots are available in four colors, and I expect that to be the same for all of them. There’s no unexpected damage to report, bar an extremely small amount of rubber peeling from one of the toe bumpers. It hasn’t got any worse over time, but I’ll ‘shoo goo’ it down shortly to be on the safe side. The leather has softened and darkened; be sure to be attentive with removing mud and grime so it didn’t work its way in, as it has on my boots. Being relatively traditional in terms of materials, I expect these boots would be easy for a cobbler to repair or resole, if the situation arose.

But don’t take my word for it. Choosing footware is very much a personal matter, so I asked Joe Cruz, who has been using a set of Midos for the last few years, to comment on their comfort, performance, and longevity. Read his thoughts below and notice too how his pair of Midos also show a much more subdued patina than their original olive green finish, as seen on Pedaled’s website.

• MSRP $305/265 Euros
• Sizes available 39-45
• Colors available 4
• Weight TBC
• Place of Manufacture Italy
• Manufacture’s Details PedalEd

The After