Competitively priced with usable grip and excellent airflow, Scott’s MTB Shr-alp Lace flat pedal shoe is ideal for those who love hike-a-bike jaunts or simply have wider feet. However, while good, its on-bike performance doesn’t quite stack up to others on the market.
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Scott MTB Shr-alp Lace - Technical details
The MTB Shr-alp Lace shoe is one that’s designed for use with flat pedals and, as such, it employs Scott’s Sticki Rubber outsole. It then combines that rubber with a synthetic polyurethane upper with 3D air mesh panels.
As the base level Shr-alp offering, it comes with a simple lace-up retention system with a handy lace strap to keep those bunny ears in check. The shoe uses Scott’s ergologic fit foot zoning tech to pre-shape the insole and comes with a ‘performance fit’, offering what Scott says is a regular volume and neutral fit.
In terms of tech, it’s a simple shoe but it comes in sizes ranging from 6.5 up to 12.5 in UK sizes.
Scott MTB Shr-alp Lace - Performance
The Shr-alp Lace is proof that simplicity is key as its performance is certainly nothing to sniff at. The shoe’s plethora of perforations encourages a good level of airflow, keeping things nice and cool when the temperatures rise.
Considering that the shoe comes with almost as many holes as a cheese grater, it protects against wet weather rather well. Granted, it won’t like stream crossings or smashing through deeper puddles but it’s taken wet trails well within its stride and kept my feet perfectly dry.
The performance fit works really well. I wear a 9.5, or EU44, shoe and the Shr-alp lace offer a roomy feel that’ll be ideal for those with wider toes. As someone who doesn’t have particularly wide toes, the extra space is appreciated when moving around on the bike.
However, the shoe’s comfort doesn’t quite match that of its competitors as the stiff sole and insole don’t offer much damping. This doesn’t hinder performance when walking and it’s actually rather good because of the aggressive tread pattern - there’s plenty of grip when off of the bike.
But on the bike, the Shr-alp’s grip gets interesting. Because the tread is so aggressive and widely spaced, the shoe relies more on mechanical traction rather than pins sinking into a chemically grippy chunk of rubber. In practice, this results in a looser feel as the tread can sit on top of a pedal’s body without the pins digging too deep into the sole. This allows for a bit of movement between the tread’s knobs. Though, this can be appreciated if you’re one who doesn’t like a locked-in feel.
The on-pedal grip, however, isn’t at all bad though as I’ve been able to ride fairly confidently on most occasions and it’s a big improvement over the previous Scott MTB AR shoe. It can just move on the pedal a little and when unweighting the bike, things can get treacherous.
Scott MTB Shr-alp Lace - Verdict
Good flat pedal shoes under £100 are few and far between but the Leatt DBX 2.0 Flat Pedal shoe is a firm favourite at £80. It comes with a similar number of features but isn’t as breathable. Though it fends off wet weather much more effectively and provides a much more solid grip on the pedal. However, it lacks efficiency and its off-bike grip isn’t as good.
Another option is Five Ten’s Freerider shoe. It comes packed with eco credentials and gets that awesome stealth outsole but is let down by its dated design. That one will set you back £90.
If you’re partial to a hike-a-bike day or looking for a shoe that offers good grip and breathable construction, the Scott Shr-alp Lace does a great job for the money. However, it’s not quite as comfortable and grippy on the bike as cheaper alternatives.