Are DC Shoes Good For Mountain Biking?

DC shoes are originally designed and ideal for skateboarding, snowboarding, and extreme sports. While they are not wired to function as mountain biking shoes, you can wear them to ride mountain bikes with flat pedals.

DC shoes are known to have nice grip and comfort. But, if you want to take MTB to a serious level, you will need a real MTB shoe over time.

If you are new to mountain biking, it is not a necessity to use real mountain biking shoes, especially for bikes with flat pedals. DC shoes are good alternatives. Most of its designs feature foam padded tongue and collar for added comfort and support which is essentially among the features of a good shoe for mountain biking.

They may not be as grippy as real MTB shoes like Five tens, but they will be good – at least, for a start.

Take note that I lay emphasis on mountain bikes with flat pedals. When it comes to mountain bikes with clipless pedals, you will definitely need mountain biking shoes.

If you are just getting familiar with mountain biking as a hobby or sport, considering the kind of shoe you wear for the activity is very crucial. The shoes you wear for mountain biking will determine your experience in terms of better support, grip, and protection.

When using mountain bikes with flat pedals, using mountain bike shoes is not a necessity. It is in such a case that you can consider wearing DC shoes for a start. Over time, you can now transit to real MTB shoes. Most importantly, you should consider your pedal type first.

In this post, I will be sharing with you more background information on whether you can use DC shoes for mountain Biking, the pros, the cons, and other important recommendations and tips.

But first, are DC shoes even among mountain biking shoes?

But are DC shoes mountain biking shoes?

The short answer is No. DC shoes are not originally built to be mountain biking shoes. They are designed for skateboarding, snowboarding, and extreme sports. However, most of its types are now used for MTB these days which plants the wrong conception that they are MTB shoes.

What makes a real mountain biking shoe? The shoe should have a solid platform that delivers power to the pedals, should be designed with strong construction to keep the feet protected, and most importantly, should have a secure fit that increases comfort for long days on the trail.

Now, DC Shoes is an American company that specializes in footwear for extreme sports, skateboarding, snowboarding. While they offer comfort, protection, and fitness, they are not true MTB shoes.

However, they can be used on MTB bikes that have flat pedals, one of which reason is that some of its designs can provide feedback through the pedals.

In addition to that, there are other reasons that make DC shoes good for mountain biking which we shall look into right away.

What makes DC shoes good for mountain biking?

In most DC shoe designs, there are some features that help bikers for mountain biking, and those are significantly what makes them ideal for mountain biking, especially for newbies in MTB. Let’s look at those features, and what they offer when you wear DC shoes for mountain biking.

Sole stiffness

The quality of outer soles can be of carbon fiber, nylon or rubber; and they vary in terms of performance and application. The rubber soles in DC shoes as flat shoes offer better grip, feedback, and comfort. There are some MTB shoes that are designed with carbon fiber which is a stiff, performance-bent material.

Retention system

Retention systems in MTB shoes are included for a more secure and comfortable fit. They can come in form of laces; Velcro; Techlace (lace and Velcro mix); ratchet and Boa dials. Each of these retention systems has its own benefit. Most DC shoes are designed with laces and sometimes, a combination of two for a more personal fit.

Durability

It is sad that even some manufacturers of MTB shoes don’t have impressive durability records. DC Shoes have a better reputation for building products that last.

If it is to be footwear that you have chosen to wear for mountain biking, then it should not wear down as quickly as running shoes.

Weight

It is always good to wear a shoe that is lightweight but durable for mountain biking. When it comes to weight, you can not go wrong by choosing to wear DC shoes.

They are usually built to be lightweight which reduces the amount of effort required to put the power down.

This also has a way of eliminating tiredness when on long rides.

Foot and Toe Protection

Protection is a non-negotiable factor to consider when choosing a shoe to wear for mountain biking because the sport is a pretty rough one.

As you move quickly over technical trails, you need a shoe that will protect your foot and toe. DC shoes are designed with a toe cap to take the sting out of a rock strike. The only thing is that they may not offer the overall foot protection that a real MTB shoe would.

Breathability

Another reason why DC shoes are good for mountain biking is that their designs emphasize breathability. This is essentially needed If you do a lot of pedaling on your rides or live in a warmer climate.

This is not to say that they outperform real MTB shoes in the aspect of breathability, but the truth is, if you are going to wear any shoes that are not ideally made for MTB, then you won’t go wrong by wearing DC shoes in regards to the breathability.

Wet Weather Protection

You can not talk about having the best mountain biking experience without mentioning wet and muddy trails. Some DC shoes, like DC Men’s Versatile High Water Resistant Shoe, do a decent job at resisting moisture with solid synthetic or leather uppers.

Apart from that DC shoes, most of its designs, have taller ankle height or extended cuff for extra protection.

My Two favorite DC shoes that are good for mountain biking

Not all DC shoes are safe and ideal for mountain biking. Some are really worse. So it is important I clearly state that here so you do not think all DC shoes will do well for your MTB sport.

There are just few DC shoes that I have seen that does a really good job for mountain biking, not only because they are designed with all the essential features you will need in any footwear for MTB, but also because we have had people use them for mountain biking and came back with positive feedback.

First is this DC Men’s Versatile High Water Resistant Shoe is one rare DC shoe design that boasts high water resistance and long-lasting durability. And really, these two features are going a long way in your mountain biking adventure, especially as a beginner.

The outer body of the shoe is designed with water-resistant leather and mesh upper plus comfy faux fur lining. It features an abrasion-resistant sticky rubber sole that delivers traction. What I really like is the fur inside. They are awesome!

The second one is this  DC Men’s Stag Shoe: This shoe is ready to let you know that DC shoes have gone beyond offering comfort for skateboarding sports. It is designed with a rubber sole material, a lace-Up closure style retention system, and known for its breathability.

It is ideal for Mountain biking as it delivers uncompromising comfort, durability, and eye-catching fashion.

How important is it to buy a mountain Biking shoe?

Like I mentioned earlier, if you are just getting familiar with mountain biking as a hobby or sport, considering the kind of shoe you wear for the activity is very crucial.

Whether you use DC shoes or any other kind of shoe for your flat pedal mountain bike, you will soon realize the need to get a real MTB shoe.

Although, the DC shoes I shared with you will work well for Mountain biking, but nothing beats the experience of using a true mountain biking shoe.

Here are the important reasons why you need to buy a mountain biking shoe, both as a beginner or professional.

As a newbie/beginner

Protection

Mountain biking is a rough sport, and even when you think your mere tennis or running shoes are light and comfortable, they do not offer much when it comes to protection for mountain biking.

You need a true MTB shoe that will not leave your feet very exposed during mountain biking. To professional mountain bikers, anything apart from MTB shoes is considered flimsy and cheap.

As a beginner, your feet can get smashed into a rock. Ideal MTB shoes offer protection for both the toe box and ankle.

Support

Mountain biking shoes may look like regular sneakers or skate shoes like DC shoes and converse, but the key difference that you will eventually find out about real MTB shoes is what sets them apart.

Unlike other shoes, MTB shoes are stiff, in other words, they lower stress on the foot by not requiring it to do all of the work.

They are designed to have incredible foot support that ordinary flat shoes will not give you.

Enhanced grip

DC shoes are known for having good grip and comfort. But, they are not as good as real MTB shoes for mountain biking because the latter has enhanced grip.

You lose more energy as your foot slips around the pedal, when you wear mountain biking shoes, you enjoy the best possible grip on your pedals. And obviously, this is something you will not get with regular flat shoes.

Regular flat shoes are not designed with the same tread patterns as mountain biking shoes.

As a professional

Enhanced power transfer

As a professional mountain biker, you don’t need to work harder than necessary. With the right mountain biking shoes and not ordinary shoes, you get a better power transfer in this sense that as you push hard on the pedals, Mountain biking shoes leverage their stiffness to prevent loss of power.

This is unlike other kinds of shoes that create a loss in power transfer. Again, if you are using mountain bikes with clipless pedals, using mountain bike shoes will boost your power since you will be able to push and pull the pedals.

Longevity

The way you purchase your footwear for mountain biking as a professional may actually save you money in the long run.

Instead of spending money to buy running shoes for MTB, which will eventually get old and creased with all the dirt, dust, and wear and tear from the pedals, why not invest in real mountain bike-specific shoes that have been built to withstand the dirt, dust, and wear and tear from the pedals.

This will bring about not only longevity but also savings to the money you put in for MTB shoes.

Conclusion

The shoe you wear for mountain biking is a very huge consideration you should not joke with. If you are a beginner, and you ride with flat pedals, it is not bad to use shoes like DC shoes for a start. In fact, most DC shoe designs are built with enough comfort, grip, and protection.

In this sense, I will resolve to the simple truth that it is not necessary to purchase biking-specific shoes for casual riding with flat bike pedals.

However, if you are starting out with a pair of DC shoes, cross trainers, or running footwear, have it at the back of your mind that as you progress, you will begin to realize the benefit and need to use a real mountain biking shoe.

When it comes to better power transfer, foot protection (especially in rocky terrain), and grip, No other shoe does it better than mountain bike-specific shoes.