DZR Midnight Bike Shoes Review

by Dan Gladden · Published June 9, 2015 , 6:51 am · Updated November 9, 2024 , 5:25 am

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Riding in the DZR MTB Shoe

I was excited to get my hands on the DZR Midnight bike shoes because I have heard good things about them. My bike shoes in the past have never had a rubber sole nor could they be worn as casual shoes. When I first got them they came in a cool slide out box with an urban vibe.

DZR Midnight Bike Shoes Box

I decided on the Midnight black color simply because it would go with more styles of clothing. I really liked the look of the shoes initially. They looked like a skater shoe almost, but definitely felt stiffer than something you wear all day long. They have a bright white outer trim at the bottom that really make them stand out. Very classic and clean looking shoe. I tried the DZR Midnight Bike Shoes on and they had a true fit to my size with no toe issues or feeling like the shoe was too tight or loose. I am a mountain biker first and foremost, so forgive me if I make mention of that in my review. I do some city cruising and commuting as well, so this lends to the versatility of the shoe. I also tried them out on a road bike with flat pedals and spent some time walking around in them to get a feel for the comfort.

Performance of the DZR Midnight Bike Shoes

These are great shoes! I really liked them a lot. DZR did a great job of designing something that is practical and makes sense. To start, they use a cotton canvas material for the fabric, which they state makes it a truly vegan shoe. I wasn’t sure if this was more for marketing to a certain consumer or if it would make a difference in the shoe. Either way I liked the concept. Another feature that was highly important to me was that it has a full length nylon shank where the toe clips go. This design makes the shoe stiffer when pedaling and reduces the loss of pedal power when cranking down on a hard climb. The other really cool feature was the gum rubber outsole or bottom. This really was noticed when I had to hike on rocks while mountain biking in Colorado. I’ve always hated trying to hike up a stair section or super rocky section carrying a bike and wearing classic bike shoes. The clip slides quite a bit and I would lose my footing often. These DZR Midnight Bike shoes with the rubber sole did the trick. No slipping and it was much easier to keep my footing. A huge plus in my book! Colorado is very rocky in places and hiking is inevitable at some point.

Testing the DZR Midnight Bike Shoes on the Trail

DZR MTB Shoe on the Trail

Along with the gum rubber sole, I wanted to take a minute to talk about the recessed area where the variable full shank lies.

Recessed Shank on DZR Midnight Bike Shoes

Recessed Shank on DZR MTB Shoe

The DZR Midnight Bike shoes come with the rubber insert as seen above in case you want a full rubber bottom while walking or using them for flat pedals. As you can see in the below picture, DZR did a great job of making that shank sit well below the rest of the bottom of the shoe. This becomes important because when mountain biking especially, clipping back in on rocky terrain can be tough and requires doing it quickly so you can continue on. The recess allows this because it catches the clip pedal easily and then locks in nicely and efficiently. One isn’t spending time trying to clip in and losing power along the way.

Recess Shank on DZR MTB Shoe

I would say this is the best feature on the shoes, at least for me it was. The looks are great and they are stiff when they need to be but being able to clip in quickly has made me a much happier rider. DZR did a great job considering this feature and they even added a nice reflector on the back in the shape of a chain link, which is part of their logo! This of course will be beneficial when riding at night!

Open Clip Plate on DZR MTB Shoe

Riding in the DZR MTB Shoe

Final Thoughts on the DZR Midnight Bike Shoes

The shoe is great! It fits true to size and performs even better! Main features on the DZR Midnight Bike Shoes really shine on the trails with the Gum Rubber outsole to keep your feet stuck to the rock you may be hiking, the Variable Flex Shank made from nylon to assist in power transfer when pedaling and a nice flex for walking, and the recessed area where this shank is placed that is designed to help you clip in faster and more efficiently! I love products like this where the designers really think through what a consumer wants and needs. DZR carries many shoes and I am a certain believer in them. I might be getting me another pair soon just for fun and that means I highly recommend these shoes to anyone who likes the versatility of riding the urban jungle, riding some trails, or being able to walk around without looking like a penguin! Check out more of their products at www.dzrshoes.com.