Sidi let us try their 2012 Dragon 3 shoe at their press camp in Monterey and sent us home with it. The shoe has been so good that I’ve done every ride with them including my road rides! As a user of seven year old Dragons and a couple Dominators, I was able to appreciate the familiar Sidi quality and the innovations that have gone into their latest iteration.
First, it retails for $449 and comes in either blue/white or black. For me, black is the hands down winner. It is a gloss black but it seems to be the right blend of shiny, graphics and texture. It seems to all flow together but a closer look reveals grey, gold stripes that complement the buckles, straps and textures that are functional as well.
The front of the shoe now sports a rubber armor to protect the shoe and the foot from impacts with rocks or other trail obstacles. The rear of the shoe sports what looks like a rear spoiler on a ferrari but it is actually a heel retention device. It is functional and innovative and it is designed to look good as well.
The sole of the shoe is beautiful carbon fiber so it’s unfortunate that its pointed at the ground. The replaceable SRS sole is red and it feels softer than my old Dragon and definitely softer than any of the Sidi Dominator soles I’ve used before. The logic here is they’re able to go with softer materials since the sole can be replaced a couple of times now to match the longevity of the upper shoe.
You say, “In the grand scheme of things, these are not cheap.”. I disagree. It is especially in the grand scheme of things that these become cheap. Most shoes last about 3 years. If the average shoe purchase is $150 dollars and lasts for that 3 years you’re paying $50 a year. One pair of Dragons at $450 over that 10 years is $45 a year. It’s an even better deal if you buy a Spider or Dominator as they’ll last that long, too and are cheaper.
I’ve used Dom 5″s for 3 years and Spiders for 3 also. I got a pair of Dragon 2 but didn’t like the fit, as much as the Spiders or Dom 5. Sidi’s feel better great but pick the right model for you. The SRS is not cheap but gives better grip than the Dom 5