Review: Five Ten Freerider Pro Mid Flat Pedal Shoes
The look of Five Ten's Freerider Pro Mid flat pedals shoes is polarizing, to say the least, thanks to the use of three hook and loop straps to adjust the fit. Make all the jokes about geriatric or toddler footwear you want – there's no denying that these are a departure from the typical lace-up, skate-style that's the norm for flat pedal shoes. Personally, I'm not all that bothered by the appearance – I don't really spend any time staring at my feet while I'm riding, and my shoes are usually covered with mud anyways.
Freerider Pro Mid Details
• D30 inner ankle padding
• Stealth S1 sole
• Sizes: 4-15
• Weight: 473 grams (per shoe, size 11)
• MSRP: $180 USD
• www.adidas.com
• D30 inner ankle padding
• Stealth S1 sole
• Sizes: 4-15
• Weight: 473 grams (per shoe, size 11)
• MSRP: $180 USD
• www.adidas.com
With that out of the way, let's dig a little deeper into the details. Along with the aforementioned three-strap system, the Freerider Pro Mids have a mid-top cuff with a loop at the front and back to help make it easier to pull them on. That cuff has a section of D3O padding around the inner ankle that hardens up in the event of an impact, whether that's with a crankarm, frame, or a random trail obstacle.
Traction is provided by Five Ten's Stealth S1 rubber outsole, which is formed into the familiar pattern of raised circles. The sole is sewn on at the toe box (which is reinforced for additional impact protection) in order to help reduce the chance of delamination.
The Freerider Pro Mid shoes are available in men's sizes 4 – 15, and are priced at $180 USD.
A patch of D3O provides extra ankle protection.
It doesn't get much simpler than this.
PERFORMANCE
Five Ten's website says that the Freerider Pro Mid shoes run small, but I found the fit to be nearly identical to that of the standard Freerider Pro shoes. Putting them on does take a few extra seconds due to the ankle cuff – it reminded me a little of putting my foot into a wakeboard binding, but thankfully it doesn't require nearly as much effort.
Out on the trail, the shoes deliver the flypaper-like traction that Five Ten's Stealth rubber is known for. I'm a fan of extra sticky shoes – I'd rather take pins out of a pair of pedals to achieve the level of grip I want versus installing longer, scarier ones to ensure my feet stay in place. The overall height of the shoe's sole and midsole is fairly low, which gives the shoes a very precise, direct feel – they're the opposite of clunky. The protection around the ankle is free of any unwanted bulkiness, which keeps it from rubbing on crank arms.
The taller cuff helps keep mud and debris from getting into the shoes, although that does make them run a bit warmer than the standard Freerider Pro. My rides all took place in cooler temperatures, so the extra warmth wasn't an issue, but these wouldn't be my first pick for a mid-summer ride.
Five Ten's proven Stealth rubber provides plenty of grip.
A reinforced toe box for extra protection.
ISSUES
I did experience some chafing at the front of my ankle that was caused by the fabric cuff bunching up and rubbing on a long ride. The sock-like design of the cuff means there's not really an easy solution to this – you can move the tongue slightly to either side, but the cuff itself is fixed in place. I've found the wraparound style of the cuff on FiveTen's Trailcross Gore-Tex shoes to be less likely to cause this issue.
The only other comfort-related issue I encountered has to do with the Ortholite insole – they don't provide all that much support. Riders with flat feet (my hand is raised), or anyone looking for more arch support will likely want to swap the stock insoles out for something with more shape too it.
DURABILITY
I've had these shoes for the last three months, so it's still a little too early to really comment on long term durability. So far, though, I don't have any major gripes. The soles are still securely attached, and the amount of wear isn't anything out of the ordinary. A couple of threads have started to come undone at the front pull loop on each shoe – I'll see if that gets any worse over the coming months, and update this article if so.
As for the hook-and-loop straps, they're all still working fine. Occasionally the tail ends of the straps lifted up a little when the shoes were absolutely filthy, but after a quick rinse and dry their functionality was restored.
The Freerider Pro Mid and the Trailcross Gore-Tex.
Five Ten Freerider Pro Mid vs Trailcross Gore-Tex
The Freerider Mid Pro shoes aren't waterproof, but they do a decent job of keeping water and mud out on days when it's not actively pouring. However, I managed to get my hands on a pair of the FiveTen's Trailcross Gore-Tex shoes, which are waterproof, and after a few rides with those the Freerider Mids started seeing much less use.
I found the Trailcross shoes to run a little big – some riders may need to size down, or plan on wearing thicker socks. They're also a little taller underfoot than the Freerider Mids, although that didn't bother me at all while riding, and if anything adds additional stiffness to the sole. They're also a touch heavier, at 527 grams vs. the 473 grams, and cost $20 more.
I prefer the lace-up design of the Trailcross shoes, and the way that the adjustable neoprene cuff wraps around the ankle. I also got along better with the fit – the Trailcross has more room in the forefoot, and was more comfortable on longer rides.
Pros
+ Stealth rubber is still the gold standard for grip
+ Three strap system is about as simple as it gets
+ Cuff helps keep dirt and other debris out
Cons
- Insole doesn't provide much support
- Noticeably warmer than low-top version
Pinkbike's Take
 | The Freerider Mid Pros are a good shoe, it's just that Five Ten simultaneously released what I'd consider to be a great flat pedal shoe in the form of the Trailcross Gore-Tex. I prefer laces over hook-and-loop straps, and if I'm going to wear a mid-top shoe I'd rather have it be waterproof, considering how many of my rides take place in the pouring rain. However, for some riders the Freerider Mid Pro may be the ticket – they're grippy and precise, with ankle protection that's effective and unobtrusive. |
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Came off the previous Gen hellcat pros, which had some issues with the sole staying laminated after several months of riding. Something that wasn't a major issue, but quite frustrating. When the new Hellcat Pros dropped, I jumped on a pair, as I love the low profile look and slightly softer feel, but boy was I dissipointed.
The sole came delaminated after a few rides. This also happened to several other pairs from other riders I know.
I reacged out to the supplier, and they no longer support with warranty. I then reached out to Adidas Canada, and they required me to ship them back on my dime, and they would issue me a credit once they received them and their warranty team asses them. They could not give me a timeliness or a guarantee if they would warranty them even with photos and proof of purchase.
Good job offering after sales support and warranty service on a failed product, as well as keeping riders riding on your brand let alone riding at all.
I am currently awaiting Crankbrothers Mallet shoes.
Obviously if the shoes get thrown in a landfill after 6 months, the “green” glue is not having the intended effect…
seems about right for the lifespan of Adidas five-tens.
Paired with an orange vest these look perfect for geriatric Maine duck hunters.
The Sam Hills I bought were even used and after prob 8 months of solid use still have hardly any sign of wear. They’re def tougher and more robust ,seemed just as tacky too if not more but almost seems they’d have to be made of diff rubber or something. make a couple loops w/yer lace near the bottom eyelets u can put a strip of velcro in for loose lace ends and they’re the shizz I’m sold on em prob get another pair b4 they do change
The Minnaars/OG Hellcats, same shoe different colors, get my vote as the best shoe 5.10 ever built. Clipping in and out of a pair of Mallets with traction pins screwed out to the max is one of the hardest thing on a shoe that you can do in my opinion. 3-5 years, 100-200 days a year, I never wore out a pair to the point I couldn't use them anymore, usually would just retire them because I had new pairs waiting. The new Hellcats look like a shoe built to fail, I would never buy a pair. I'm lucky and still have boxes of old 5.10s both climbing and MTB, worth their weight in gold to me now.
FYI same durability conversation is happening in the climbing side of 5.10 shoes. I think the best scenario would be for 5.10 to fail as an adidas product and them to sale the rights to use the stealth rubber to some outside companies.
I had velcro straps on Specialized shoes in the 90s, the velcro collected a lot of debris (thistles!) and delaminated at the bend after a year or so. Those were clipless though, where one wants a tighter fit.
Those are dead ugly anyway. Love my gr701.
And now finally they release an version with some ankle protection again!
Price was quite steep but if it's as good as my other 5 tens I will get these!
Maybe the ”designers” at Adidas should do something similar before they make it into production…
That being said, thank you for comparing how it’s fared compared to other shoes.
I like my Trailcross a lot, they'd be better w/ boa laces IMO
I have a pair of the Pearl Izumi mid shoe with BOA lacing but a 5.10 sole would be the cat's teats
Also scott volt boa, are the best shoe to ever adorn my feets.