Product Review: Five Ten Freerider Pro Vs. Ride Concepts Tallac MTB Shoes
- kelly jorgensen
- Apr 25
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 25
Putting the Five Ten Freerider Pro In The Ring With The Ride Concepts Tallac Flat Pedal MTB Shoes To See Who Comes Out On Top.
Over the past year I have been riding the Five Ten Sleuths and before that I was on a pair of Five Ten Freeriders and some Five Ten Freerider Contacts prior to that pair of shoes. My sleuths were getting pretty close to done and I ended up sacrificing them to screwing about 15 studs into the bottom of them for a review of the 9point8 INVRS pedals. In deciding what shoes to replace my Sleuths with I couldn't make up my mind between the Fox owned Ride Concepts Tallac or the Five Ten Freerider Pros. I have always liked all of my Five Tens and have had good luck with durability and have loved the ride feel and grip. My Sleuths were a bit too soft however and lacked the foot protection that my other Five Tens offered. I was also curious how the Ride Concepts shoes performed but have been hesitant to pul the trigger. So I ended up with both.
Fit
I wear a size 12 in most shoes except for my Hoka running shoes which are 13's and I got both of these in a 12. Fit is nearly perfect, maybe a bit on the snug side which is better than erring on the side of being too big. The toe box is roomy enough but I do feel the slightest bit of pressure against the outside of my little toe. The exterior of the Ride Concepts is noticeably bigger. They are almost a half inch longer and wider.
Grip
Both of these shoes offer exceptional grip. Honestly it has been hard to pick a winner in the sticky category. Rubber from both of these brands is truly pretty sticky icky, but the Five Ten rubber does move a bit less on the pedals. Off the bike the Tallac shoes deliver more traction thanks to the tread pattern you can see in the toe and heel. So if you are doing some hike a bike sections once in a while, the Ride Concepts are going to be your best bet.
Stiffness And Protection
In my search for a new flat pedal MTB shoe I wanted more protection and something with a stiffer more supportive sole than my Sleuths. On longer rides, especially on long sustained downhill sections my feet would get fatigued and sore with the Sleuths. They also didn't protect from surprise rock attacks or smashing into the side of a log very good. Both the Freerider Pro and the Tallac have done a great job keeping my feet from getting smashed to bits and both have a stiff enough sole while still delivering great pedal feel and being able to conform to the shape of my pedals. The Tallac I would say does have the stiffer sole of the two however and my feet get a bit less tired on longer rides in the Tallac.
Longevity/Durability
It's too soon to say but both shoes show no signs of premature wear and tear, but I will return and report as I get more miles in on both shoes. What I would love to see is if the Ride Concepts soles last longer than the Five Tens. That is the only downside of the Five Ten rubber. After a year my shoes are in great condition but the sole is absolutely done.
The Good And The Bad
Five Ten Freerider Pro
The Freeriders have been really good and I like the way they feel while riding. The slimmer exterior doesn't rub on my cranks or seem to get caught up on anything. Grip is the stickiness Five Ten shoes are known for and they offer great fit and protection. The soles are stiff enough to transfer pedal power down effectively and keep your feet from getting tired on long rides. One plus on the Freerider Pro is going to be price. Retail cost is $160 but as a "member" $120 on adidas site. Also, it seems that Five Ten shoes go on sale a lot more often than Ride Concepts. I have not found a whole lot of things I don't like yet about the Five Tens.
Ride Concepts Tallac
I would say the Ride Concepts Tallac do everything just as well as the Five Tens. They barely come in behind in the grip category but I think they are a bit stiffer and offer more traction while off the bike. The Tallac are a bit more expensive by $10 but you can find deals on the 24' model right now but you have to search for it on their website.
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