Test Adidas Velosamba – My favorite SPD cleat cycling sneakers!
Adidas Velosamba. Here's a sneaker model I found after a lot of research. I wanted to find cycling shoes with cleats (for automatic pedals) that would be comfortable enough for me to walk in, but that would also look like urban sneakers rather than cycling shoes... I've been using these shoes for several years. Here's my opinion and my full test!
Test video summary
My summary
I liked
- SPD wedge sneakers with an urban look
- Convenient for bikepacking and velotafing
- Perfect for alternating cycling and sightseeing
- Highly resistant
I liked it less
- A little time to adapt to the shoe’s rigidity
- Foot heats up a little
How can Adidas VĂ©losamba shoes be used?
The VĂ©losamba are perfectly suited to velotaf use (which is certainly their preferred use), but that’s not their only use in my opinion: they’ve become my favorite shoes for bike trips!
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When I first started bikepacking, I didn’t think about having automatic pedals: they didn’t seem particularly useful or practical, as it’s generally difficult to walk in wedge shoes and I like to walk a lot during my breaks to visit the places I visit. I had, however, switched to auto pedals on my road bike, but hadn’t considered doing so on my travel bike.
I started thinking about it when I realized that I tended to have a bad position of one foot on a pedal, which led to knee pain. Automatic pedals help solve the problem, because the foot is locked in the right position (it can move a little, but much less). No more pain! So I decided to equip my Gravel with mixed pedals: one “classic” flat side and the other automatic, so as to still have the freedom to choose according to circumstances.
Of course, I didn’t want to have to change shoes at every stop… That’s when I looked for and discovered VĂ©losamba shoes, which allow me to feel comfortable both on the bike and on foot , because you can hardly feel the wedges under your shoes… and they’re very comfortable to wear. stylish! đŸ˜‰
Features
- Full-grain leather OR textile uppers
- Lace-up closure.
- In the midsole: composite nylon/fiberglass plate OR biosourced plate
- Textile lining.
- Synthetic outsole compatible with two-screw wedges.
- Colors: a wide range of colors available!
- Price: €140
Samba on a bike!
The Velosamba is an adaptation of the famous Adidas Samba model, a soccer shoe launched in 1949 that has gone far beyond the soccer pitch to become iconic. With 35 million units sold, it’s the second best-selling sneaker in the world!
Adidas decided to adapt this model to make a cycling shoe that is both suitable for cycling and urban use, so you don’t have to choose between looks and technical features. That’s right, when you do a lot of cycling, you might want to combine the two!
Our full Adidas Velosamba test
Two versions of the same model
Velosamba comes in two different versions , with different stems and plates:
- On the “classic” version, the upper is made of leather and the midsole features a nylon and fibreglass composite plate.
- On the “Made with nature” version, the upper is made of textile comprising at least 70% renewable materials and the midsole features a biosourced plate.
For my part, I have the leather version but my husband has the textile version. I have the impression that the textile version is a little softer, but otherwise my comments are the same for both.
Design
On discovering my Velo samba out of the box, the first impression is simple: wow, these are really beautiful and stylish! Urban sneaker look, great leather quality, they don’t really look like cycling shoes… Just what I wanted!
The look of the shoe is retro and very Samba-like (low leather upper, rubber sole and lace-up fastening), with a few details specifically designed for cyclists. The leather upper is thick and coated to be waterproof, and the three stripes on the upper and the patch on the heel are reflective to be visible at night. An elastic band secures the laces .
These shoes are suitable for both men and women.
Size
First feeling when I put the shoes on… They fit quite small. I’m a size 39/40 (usually 39 for dress shoes, 40 for running/rando shoes) and the 39 1/3 was too small. I exchanged them for the 40, which fits me well. When in doubt, go for the next size up in my opinion.
Which cleats and pedals go with Velosamba?
If you’d like to get equipped and don’t yet have pedals or cleats, here’s what you’ll need:
- shoes
- shoe wedges
- compatible pedals
Here are the links to the gear I use. I’ve opted for Shimano and mixed pedals, but you can also opt for other brands as long as everything is compatible! Shimano’s SPD system (not SPD-SL) is ideal for VĂ©losamba bikes.
- Shimano SPD cleats (cleats only, compatible pedals required)
- Shimano mixed pedals (supplied with shims, no need to buy extra)
A sole adapted to cycling
The real differentiator of the VĂ©losamba is, of course, its cycling-specific sole: the midsole features a reinforced plate to support the foot and enable efficient pedaling.
The outsole features a slot for inserting two-screw cleats(Shimano SPD cleats) compatible with SPD pedals (MTB-type or mixed pedals, not to be confused with SPD-SL which are for road bikes and will not be suitable for VĂ©losamba).
VĂ©losamba on the bike
On the bike, I appreciate having wedge shoes and find them efficient and comfortable. The foot is well supported, and the rigidity of the sole means you don’t lose energy, but rather let it flow into your pedaling. It’s very pleasant, even when you’re not looking for performance!
My only drawback is that the foot heats up rather quickly, no doubt due to the thickness of the leather, but I have to say that I chose them in black, which may not have been ideal.
As for waterproofing, there’s nothing to say about the leather, which is indeed waterproof, but you’ll still get your feet soaked if you catch a shower, as water will run off your ankle and seep inside… Remember to wear overshoes if you want to avoid this, but this advice applies to all shoes!
VĂ©losamba on foot
The first impression is rather strange: the soles are very stiff due to the plate (which is normal for cycling shoes, as this is how you gain pedaling efficiency) and the leather is quite thick. At first, I had trouble walking properly in them, as they didn’t feel quite natural.
On the other hand, I was immediately pleasantly surprised by the wedges: you don’t feel them when you walk (except on cobbled surfaces), and that’s a real pleasure… I felt them much more with my mountain bike shoes, for example!
On foot, I have to say I had a little time to adapt: it took me a few hours of walking to really feel comfortable in them. The leather had to soften gradually, but now I can really wear them all day long and do some good sightseeing in them.
Now, I really don’t ask myself the question and keep them on at all times during the day. I’ve visited quite a few cities, museums, taken short nature walks (not big hikes of course, but a few kilometers with no problem)… I think it’s fair to say that I’m really making the most of them đŸ˜‰
As a result, I’d just tend to advise you to take a few short walks in them at first, without tightening the laces too much, just to soften the leather upper and then feel more comfortable so you can wear them all the time!
Durability
I’ve had my shoes for several years now and they really haven’t moved, except for a few scratches on the leather. I don’t wear them on a daily basis, but I do wear them a lot of days a year because of my many bicycle trips for my website Carnet d’escapades. The leather upper and sole are really solid, a quality pair of shoes! The same goes for my husband, who has the vegan leather version.
Conclusion
After several years of testing, I can tell you that I’m really satisfied with my Velosamba shoes, which I always take with me on my cycling trips. Given their condition, I know they’ll be with me for many years to come, so it was a good investment. I can’t recommend them enough!
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