Flat pedal shoes offer flexibility and walkability for mountain bikers or commuters that clipless pedals have a hard time matching. Shimano’s new GF800 is one of their benchmark flat pedal shoes for long descents and technical terrain. The GF8 has a retail price of $200 and uses a single BOA L6 dial for a secure and adjustable fit. Shimano has incorporated what they call Force Control which is a reinforced shank plate to give the shoes a stiffness index of 4. The shoes also have a Torbal 2.0 midsole for improved lateral flexibility. For extra grip on and off road, the shoes also have ULTREAD GF rubber outsole with non-slip textured rubber sole.
The Shimano SH-GF800 are Shimano’s top flat pedal shoes with a reinforced design to provide grip and stiffness for riding and walking.
| Retail Price | $200 |
| Rating | Design: A Closures: A Comfort: A Value: A– |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 816 (EUR 44) |
| Likes | + Reinforced construction provides stiffness on bike + Comfortable to walk and ride with + Adjustable BOA closure system for secure feel |
| Dislikes | – Price matches mid-level clipless shoes – Colors are limited to white or black currently |
| Where to Buy (US) | Shimano |
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Shimano GF800 has a sneaker like appearance with low top and street styling. Compared to the lace-up GF6, the GF8 utilizes a single BOA dial which is the main giveaway that this isn’t a normal shoe. The switch the a BOA dial makes putting the shoes on and off faster and easier and eliminates the risk of laces coming open. Shimano offers the shoes in black and white colors which both have a contrasting tan sole. We have the white version which pairs well with the outsole and gives the shoe a sleek appearance. There is even a women’s specific version which is only available in the black color. Branding on the shoes is limited to an easy to miss Shimano tag and the GF8 debossed on the heel. There is also Torbal branding on the other side of the heel.
What separates this from standard shoes is the additional toe reinforcement and reinforcements in the outsole of the shoe for additional control. While it can’t match the full clipless setup, the stiffness 4 index feels far stiffer than standard shoes and helps maximize performance. The upper material is a synthetic rubber that is claimed to be quick drying and robust to off-road use. The closure system on the GF8 uses a single BOA L6 dial with three rows of cable routing. This setup allows you to do micro-tightening by rotating the dial but not micro-loosening in the opposite direction as you’ll find in higher-end dials. Pulling up on the dial releases all the tension as with other BOA dials. Adjusting the dial pulls the two sides of the shoes in to provide a uniform pressure distribution that is hard to match with normal lace up shoes.
There is a traditional center tongue with perforations and cable guides cut through it. Shimano has also integrated a neoprene like bootie around the cuff and tip of the tongue to help keep dirt out and eliminate pressure points. On the bottom of the shoes you’ll find the Ulttread rubber material that is designed for traction. It’s a six-sided hexahedral pattern that in the center along with ridge cuts on the heel and toe for extra grip while descending or climbing. As a flat pedal setup, there are no mounting spots for cleats and a simple flat design with additional reinforcements inside the shoe to optimize pedaling efficiency. The shoe shape is also ergonomic with the Volume Trail Last that has a wider toe box for comfort and shock absorption with a tighter upper around the ball of the foot for stability.
ON THE ROAD
Out of the box, the EUR 44 shoes felt comfortable with a wide toe box and good arch support with the factory insoles. The sizing felt similar to other Shimano shoes like the road RC3 or S-PHYRE RX910 gravel shoes with no pressure points. Unlike standard clipless shoes which feel stiff and awkward to walk with, the GF8 feels surprisingly nice to walk in with only slightly more stiffness than normal walking shoes. On the bike, the reinforced sole of the shoe pays off with additional padding and stiffness where the shoe contacts the pedals. Although it doesn’t match the performance you get with clipless shoes, the GF8 felt great climbing and even sprinting with. The lack of clips also was great on more technical or steeper climbs where we felt confident we could quickly get off the bike instead of worrying about unclipping.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Shimano GF8 shoes to be comfortable and high performance flat pedal shoes. Shimano has combined a grippy rubber outsole with internal reinforcements to make the GF8 shoes comfortable on and off the bike. We were impressed with the stable and stiff shoes felt on flat pedals compared to clipless shoes setups. The additional flexibility of the flat pedal design gives you confidence to ride faster and harder as you can quickly jump off the bike without worrying about unclipping. It’s an attractive shoe with a low top design that looks good around town as well with the only giveaway being the BOA dial. The only minor negatives of the shoe is the price which is close to clipless shoes and the limited color selection. That said, the Shimano GF8 are high performance flat pedal shoes that work well on and off the bike.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Shimano. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.