Sidi Nix winter boot assessment: Winter miles with Sidi’s lastest winter biking shoe

Sidi launched a model new winter biking shoe named the Nix again in October, changing the model’s long-standing winter boot – the Zero Gore 2 – which had been round in a few guises for fairly a while. 

There are a number of devoted winter biking boots and sneakers available on the market and opinion is usually break up between winter boots and a shoe/overshoe mixture for winter driving and coaching. For me, winter boots provide benefits and are one other good possibility however aren’t a magic bullet for heat, dry, snug toes when the temperature plummets.

The Sidi Nix boots carry a retail value of £299 / $269 / $324.99, so not an affordable possibility. There’s a selection of three colors, a Gore-Tex membrane, glass fibre sole, Sidi dial system with robust Dyneema wire, and a delicate, fleecy inside. I’ll unpack the options in additional depth beneath. 

As effectively as the most effective winter biking sneakers I additionally check the most effective biking overshoes and the  finest winter biking gloves right here at Cyclingnews and by no means draw back from a chilly, moist journey, so I’m well-placed to assessment this new winter providing and enable you determine if these sneakers is likely to be best for you. I acquired my pattern pair in October and have been driving with them just about ever since. 

Design and Aesthetics 

Aesthetics first, it is uncommon in my expertise to see three completely different color choices for a winter shoe; they are typically all black. Fizik broke the established order again in 2022 although with the discharge of the white Arctica GTX Tempo winter boots. 

The Sidi Nix can be found in black, a white model which does not look blinding and has loads of black, and the navy/fluoro yellow that I’m testing. This is the primary blue winter shoe I’ve seen and it has grown on me. The fluoro yellow provides visibility, particularly with the toes rotating while pedalling. If it helps increase my visibility that little bit extra on murky winter days I’m all for it. This colourway is likely to be just a little too ‘work security boot’ for you, however I prefer it and it is good to put on a winter shoe that is not black. Brighter winter sneakers additionally make sense, from a visibility perspective, so maybe this may change into extra widespread within the coming years. 

They have a glass fibre / composite sole, which Sidi has given an in-house stiffness ranking of 9. The stiffness goes to be effective for almost everybody I believe, and the sneakers do not feel missing. There is a tiny little bit of flex to be felt within the sole, and it is not as stiff as a inflexible carbon efficiency shoe, as you would possibly count on. The sole itself takes a three-bolt cleat becoming, so you’ll need an adaptor for a four-bolt system. 

The outers really feel sturdy and hard and Sidi has used a PFAS-free Gore-Tex membrane to spice up winter safety, one thing loads of winter sneakers function. The outer additionally has a collection of small triangular perforations throughout primarily the edges of the shoe. 

Retetion-wise, there’s a single Sidi dial closure which makes use of an excellent sturdy Dyneema wire. I’ve discovered the dial bought just a little bit sticky when undoing the sneakers after a journey and a squirt of penetrating spray helped easy it out once more. At the tall ankle, there’s a wraparound Velcro strap which makes up what Sidi calls the ‘wrapper closure system’. The strap is anchored to the surface heel and wraps by the heel pull loop and throughout the entrance of the ankle from the left. It’s simple to do up shortly and has two reflective bands.

The tongue on the Sidi Nix is mounted, including additional safety, and solely separating from the shoe on the ankle. Inside, every shoe is lined with delicate, fluffy fleece that makes your toes really feel cosy and cosy.

These sneakers use the Sidi Millenium match which is barely longer and roomier within the toe field than the alternate ‘Sidi match’. I believe the as soon as standard, and at instances correct label of Sidi sneakers being slim / arising small is melting away, however be certain that to measure up correctly in case you are excited by a pair of those.

I wore a dimension 44 pair of sneakers, and the match was actually snug, the toebox of the Nix is noticeably rounder and extra open than the previous Zero Gore mannequin and feels much more up-to-date. I discovered the sneakers very snug. I had wiggle room even with heavier biking socks, and there was some motion for my toes which felt effectively suited to low-intensity winter rides which is what I’m primarily reaching for these sneakers for.

Performance 

The Sidi Nix Winter sneakers have carried out effectively for me on a collection of chilly and moist rides and I’ve discovered them to be very snug. However, there are a number of chinks within the armour and the proper winter footwear setup will fluctuate between riders. 

Firstly, I charge the match and luxury, the sneakers are delicate and the fleece lining makes your toes really feel cosy and guarded. The delicate ankle collar can also be good and induced me zero irritation. The sneakers are hardy and can take some abuse, I’ve stomped throughout frozen floor, by ice and flooded roads and have even clambered over a big fallen tree blocking the highway. Despite all this there’s not a mark on the sneakers and the uppers clear up properly. 

Sizing might dictate this to an extent however I think some riders may need a further dial closure to realize a snugger match. The bulkier nature of the sneakers and tongue means the one dial has loads of work to do. The velcro strap could be pulled pretty tightly but it surely does not actually cinch down massively.

‘Yes, however are they heat and are they waterproof?’ I hear you cry. Well sure, they’re fairly heat however no they don’t seem to be resistant to water. 

First off, thermal effectivity. The Sidi Nix does an excellent job at retaining your toes heat, and I’ve worn them on loads of rides in freezing temperatures or simply above they usually have accomplished effectively. I’ve nonetheless bought chilly toes once in a while, however total it has been successful and the roomier match aids this. If you actually battle with chilly toes, they most likely will not treatment issues and go away you wanting, however driving at a low depth round freezing, they’ve saved me snug. Pretty good total. 

Next up, waterproofing. As I discussed in my Madison DTE waterproof glove assessment, our winter climate is sort of all the time moist and chilly, the 2 go hand in hand right here in Britain. Water and spray are the important thing weaknesses right here. I eliminated the entrance full-length mudguard from my trusty Dolan winter bike to essentially check the sneakers’ water resistance and had fairly moist toes inside an hour on a moist day when latest snowfall was thawing out. 

There are some gaps across the shoe’s ankle space that are a simple goal for spray and water to penetrate the sneakers. Front-wheel spray covers your decrease legs and ankles and makes its means into the sneakers over time. I used to be driving solo however this may be elevated if you happen to sat on somebody’s wheel within the rain or when driving moist roads. I’m additionally not fully satisfied there wasn’t some water ingress from the underside of the tongue space. 

As talked about, I had fairly moist toes inside 60 minutes and not using a good entrance mudguard. With a mudguard, safety goes to be quite a bit higher, nonetheless, on this occasion, my toes would have been dryer with a set of tall overshoes just like the Spatz Fasta. However, the bulkier nature of a winter boot means not many overshoes will match over it, some will however it could not look very tidy. Here lies the rub with overshoes and winter boots. One possibility to assist issues can be neoprene or waterproof socks like these in my colleague Will’s information to the most effective winter biking socks. This setup ought to maintain your toes extra snug however the water would nonetheless be within the sneakers. 

Finally, I’ve additionally come to worth the power to simply pull the sneakers on, do them up and set out. It saves time over a shoe and overshoe setup and the heel pull tab works rather well. This has been helpful on lunchtime spins and can be a plus level for commuting too. 

Value 

The Sidi Nix winter sneakers are a reasonably costly proposition and I’m unsure they provide implausible worth. 

They do not maintain your toes dry in moist climate, and you’d do effectively to make use of them with a entrance mudguard within the moist. For the cash, I think riders will ask, ‘Well what is the level then?’ Some cheaper overshoes and your normal highway sneakers would prevent some money and maintain your toes extra snug within the moist.  

However, I perceive completely different areas can have completely different climates and for dry, chilly situations the sneakers could also be a extremely first rate, hardy winter possibility if you’d like the cosy feeling a boot presents and to maintain your bling white highway sneakers wanting that means. 

Verdict 

The Sidi Nix winter sneakers have confirmed to be very snug, sturdy and heat on some freezing rides. I additionally like the broader vary of color choices Sidi has made out there for this shoe. Spinning alongside in them on chilly, frosty rides was nice sufficient and I felt protected and cushty in them. 

However, I’ve ended up with moist toes shortly when sporting the sneakers in moist situations. They have not saved my toes dry, limiting their vary of usable situations and lessening the shoe’s worth. For a moist journey, I’d attain for normal highway sneakers and a few high quality overshoes I believe.

The sneakers have loads of plus factors however as I discussed early on, aren’t a silver bullet for a full winter of winter driving and situations.