Overview
The Freerider has been a staple in Five Ten’s lineup for years and a popular choice for many flat pedal enthusiasts. As you would expect with any Five Ten shoe, it comes with the brand’s famous Stealth S1 rubber and dotty tread.
The Freerider features a more casual look than most of the brand’s other mountain bike shoes, thankfully this does not come at the expense of their performance on the pedals. They still offer unrivalled grip, and the more casual-styled upper provides a very comfortable fit. Designed to be at ease on and off the bike, the Freerider shoes are ideal for trail laps in the morning and then hitting the local social spot in the afternoon for some refreshments.
Key Features
The Freerider shoes feature a moulded cup sole, while the suede upper has seamless overlays and a minimum of 50% recycled content. The use of recycled materials is part of Five Ten’s commitment to reduce the company’s environmental impact.
The soft sole and lightweight upper give riders a very direct feel on the bike. It is easy to know where your feet are on the pedals and what the bike is doing underneath you on the trail.
Five Ten Freerider First Impressions
Every time I use other shoes with flat pedals and come back to Five Tens, I’m continually surprised by the bucketloads of grip the Stealth rubber has on tap. Even on the rocky descents around home, I have felt sure-footed and confident, which has been a welcome change as often I jump back and forth between clips and flats, usually preferring the former on the chunky tracks around the Gold Coast.
The shoes come in at a respectable 850g for our US size 9.5 test pair. Despite not being super lightweight, the shoes feel lighter than the numbers that light up on the scale.
The toe box is generous in width, which suits my wide feet, and I often struggle with the narrow profile of many other brands. The only downside so far is that the lightweight suede upper has no added protection for your toes. Depending on the trails you ride, a reinforced toe box can be a welcome addition on rocky and more technical tracks to stave off those sneaky rocks that jump out and kick your toes.
If that sounds like you, make sure you check our review of the Freerider’s big brother, the Freerider Pro. These shoes offer similar features, with the addition of a reinforced toe box.
It’s been a little while since we’ve had Five Ten shoes in for test, and we’ve heard plenty of reports that the durability isn’t what it used to be. These shoes are only just past their break-in period and we’ll report back as time goes on.
Who are these for?
The Freerider shoes are an ideal choice for those frequenting their local dirt jumps and pump tracks or if their local trails are on the more mellow side of things. The offer loads of grip and all day comfort, the only downside is the soft suede upper doesn’t offer much in the way of protection. So, more gravity-focused riders would be better off looking at the Freerider Pro version.
