Mountain Biking Shoes: Teva Links Mid Reviewed

Teva are well known for their robust trekking sandals. I have had the same pair of Teva Hurricane’s since 2002, and despite wearing them every summer and on plenty of holidays, they are still in good condition.

But this post is not about sandals: Teva make a full range of footwear, including this recently launched pair designed for mountain biking.

So, let’s see just how they match up when on the bike and in the rough.

First impressions

My first thought when taking them out of their box was they look too nice to take mountain biking, as even in the UK summer the XC trails I ride get pretty muddy. As such, in the past I have always worn old trainers that I don’t mind ruining, so taking brand new £90 trainers out to get muddy didn’t feel quite right.

The Links Mid are very comfy, with good support and padding while remaining lightweight. In particular, the insole is lovely; it is soft but grips your foot very well. At first I found riding in mid-height trainers a little strange, however my preference was not to use the top eyelets for the laces. This meant I got the support and protection without the slight foot claustrophobia lacing to the top caused.

The Links Mid comes with PedalLINK outer sole. This was pioneered on the original Links trainers and designed with the shape of pedals in mind. This means you get far greater grip of the pedal than normal trainers provide and they should be harder wearing.

Having come from a recent stint trying SPD clip-in pedals I was pleased at the grip provided; knowing you can trust your foot to stick when you push hard is of utmost importance.

All about protection

The Links Mid also comes with a range of protective features. One problem I have had with normal trainers is catching my foot between the pedal and logs, trees, rocks etc…. Of course the Links Mid does not stop you doing this but the protection around and across the toes means you escape with minimal injury.

Being of mid height they also protect your ankle from clashes with the pedal, having strong plastic protection and padding in this area. There is also additional plastic armour roughly where your big toe joins your foot to help avoid injury if you clash with the crank.

The protection is not just armour, the Teva Links Mid also have a heel stabiliser, the goal of which is to help you keep your foot centred and give you more control. I found that when I came off my bike it added great support for my ankle. Likewise the shockpad helped to absorb some of the impact.

Rising Damp?

With the fantastic British weather, keeping your foot dry is always a problem – but one the Links Mid dealt with well. If I submerged my foot I expected water would seep through, but when going through puddles, wet grass and lots of mud my feet stayed dry.

When off the bike the Spider365 rubber sole meant the grip was very good in dry conditions. Most of my testing was done in the wet and mud, and other than on exceptionally steep sections, the Links coped very well, although don’t expect them to grip as well as a good pair of hiking boots.

Love at first ride…

Overall the Teva Links Mid Shoe look good, are lightweight and very comfy. Being designed with mountain biking in mind means you get far better stability and pedal grip then normal trainers and the extra protection they provide gives you peace of mind – meaning you can ride a little harder….

In conclusion I love them and wish I had invested in specialist mountain biking trainers sooner.