Today I’m joined by Shimano product manager Jessie Gascon and one of their elite test team, Adam Craig. We sat down to find out more about what goes into producing a flat pedal shoe for the gravity market. We chat about how the way we ride modern bikes impacts what we need from a shoe. Hear about the design of the rubber compound and the sole itself and what they felt was key to a great shoe. Adam takes us behind the scene of Shimano's prototyping and testing process to find out what really happens before the shoes are ready to go on sale. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Jessie and Adam.

You can check out the shoes over at mtb.shimano.com.

Supporting Partners

Shimano

Shimano have recently launched their new gravity focussed flat pedal shoe, the GR9. It features their brand new gravity-optimised Ultread sole that combines the rubber compound and the sole design to create the perfect balance of grip and durability. I’ve been using the shoe for the past few weeks, so I can’t really comment on durability yet although there is no evidence of any damage from the pedal pins after the first few rides. What I can comment on is the grip. For me, they’ve got the balance right, I feel totally connected to the bike and I’m not worried about my foot slipping on the pedals, but I don’t feel so locked in that I can’t make minor adjustments to my foot position on the pedal.

The new GR9 is available now from your local Shimano dealer and you can check it out at mtb.shimano.com.

WeAreOne Composites

I've been using WeAreOne wheels for nearly 4 years now and I'm a massive fan. I'm currently running a Faction 29er up front and a Union 27.5 in the rear and I love them. I feel like they strike a lovely balance of being precise but not so stiff that they punish you for being a millimetre offline. The quality and finish of the product is also second to none.

As a downtime listener you can get 15% off all rim-only products from WeAreOne during the month of March. All you need to do is to use the code ‘wearerims2022’ at the checkout over on weareonecomposites.com.

Podcast Stuff

Downtime EP

Downtime EP issue 1 is now available at downtimepodcast.com/ep. EP takes inspiration from the guests and topics of the podcast, expands on them, and takes them into a stunning print-only format. EP is the perfect companion for some quiet time away from the distractions of modern life. Beautiful to have and hold, and a timeless piece of mountain bike history.

Just head over to downtimepodcast.com/ep and you’ll be able to save yourself £5 off of the cover price with an annual subscription for just £20 plus postage.

Merch

If you want to support the podcast, and represent, then my webstore is the place to head. All products are 100% organic, shipped without plastics, and made with a supply chain that's using renewable energy. So check it out now over at downtimepodcast.com/shop.

Follow Us

Give us a follow on Instagram @downtimepodcast or Facebook @downtimepodcast to keep up to date and chat in the comments.

For everything video, including riding videos, bike checks and more, subscribe over at youtube.com/downtimemountainbikepodcast.

Are you enjoying the podcast? If so, then don’t forget to subscribe. It’s free and means you’ll get every episode delivered to your device as soon as it’s available. You'll find all the links you need at downtimepodcast.com/subscribe. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google and most of the podcast apps out there. While you're there, why not join our newsletter to get our Weekend Warm-Up email every Friday, full of interesting bike-related stuff, competitions, product recommendations and more.

Our back catalogue of amazing episodes is available at downtimepodcast.com/episodes

Photo - Shimano