Sidi has long been a legendary brand when it comes to road bike shoes. Something like 60% of the riders in the 2004 Tour de France wore Sidis, a majority percentage Sidi has owned for well over a decade. You can rest assured that the quality, comfort and fit that make Sidi road shoes so well-loved is equally present in their mountain bike shoes.

Why choose the Dominator 5 instead of their similarly priced road shoe, the Genius 5? The Sidi Dominator 5 is commonly known as a mountain bike-specific shoe. It assumes that you'll use a mountain bike-specific pedal system such as the Shimano M959 or 540 pedals, or the Speedplay Frog. Since the cleats of mountain bike pedals are small, they recess flush with the tread on the bottom of your shoes. With recessed cleats you can walk to your heart's content without having to worry about slipping and sliding on your cleats and making a racket as your plastic cleats click-clack on the ground. If you plan on making walking a significant part of your daily riding habits, a mountain bike shoe is ideal -- even if your only bike is a road bike! Road bikes equipped with mountain bike pedals are a common sight around here!

The Lorica/Mesh construction of the Sidi Dominator 5 offers superb ventilation and durability. Its Competition sole gives you improved traction and superior mud expulsion to make portaging your bike worlds easier. Sidi knows, too, that bunny hops and creek crossings require a snug fit (without cutting off your circulation). The Ultra SL buckle allows you to micro-adjust strap pressure, so the fit of your upper won't be too loose or too tight. The Ultra SL is mated to a Soft Arch Compression Strap to distribute the pressure of the upper of the shoe over a more dispersed area on the top of your foot. New for 2005, too, is the High Security Velcro strap (the Dominator 5 has two of these). The Velcro is reinforced with integrated locking teeth to absolutely, positively resist slippage.

The molded plastic heel cup and padded tongue with fit "relievers" are the final small (but important) details that deliver unparalleled comfort in a mountain bike shoe. Available in Black from sizes 38-52.