Adidas’ return to cycling is defined by retro football-boot inspired designs and lairy colours. This as-of-yet unreleased colourway is its jazziest yet.
Originally launched in August 2021, the Adidas Gravel Cycling Shoe – memorably unmemorable naming conventions also define the range – is a mid-range gravel shoe, coming in at £160.
The shoes sit alongside the Velosamba, the Parley Road Cycling Shoes and the Indoor Shoes, not to mention the full range of shoes from Five Ten – Adidas’ sister mountain bike shoe brand.
Contrasting coral kicks
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The lace-up Gravel Shoes pair a dazzling coral recycled synthetic upper with a fetching mauve knitted ankle gaiter. Adidas describes the gaiter as an internal sock.
Gaiters are seen commonly on football boots and are now found on a number of gravel cycling shoes, including the recently released Shimano RX8R.
The gaiter should help to keep trail detritus at bay and provide an extra level of weather protection.
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The white outsole is made from an unidentified synthetic material. However, like the brand’s other cycling shoes, we expect it is made of glass-reinforced nylon.
Thermoplastic polyurethane lugs (Adidas calls them walking pods) with a Lego brick-like tread are moulded onto the forefoot and heel of the shoes. A non-reinforced rubber rand in matching coral orange wraps around the toe.
The shoes feel relatively flexible in the highly unscientific bend-it-over-your-knee test, which is a common feature of all Adidas cycling shoes we have tested.
A bikepacking shoe for fashionable gravelistas
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Though it’s unclear if having a stiff shoe actually makes you faster, BikeRadar’s Jack Evans noted the Adidas Parley’s bendy base detracted from an otherwise good shoe.
That said, stiffness is arguably less of a concern on a gravel cycling shoe, where being able to walk comfortably is important.
On that, we think these could be a good choice for bikepacking trips including a spot of cheeky hike-a-bike. Off the bike, the flexibility of the sole will be more comfortable than an immovably rigid sole. The gaiter will also protect your ankles from scuffs.
Our size 45.5 shoes weigh 393g a piece, which is about average for a gravel shoe at this price point.
If the fetching coral finish isn’t to your liking, the shoes are also available in a classy black, Turbo Acid, Cloud White and oh-so-fashionable, gravel-compatible khaki.
The size range is similarly comprehensive, running from UK size 2.5 right through to 14 in half-size increments.