The Sidi Nix winter shoes are comfortable and snug. Sidi's latest winter shoe has produced a more up-to-date shoe in terms of fit than the outgoing Zero Gore boot. The boots are warm and hardy, but you may still end up with wet and cold feet, especially in the rain without mudguard protection.
Pros
+
Snug and comfortable inside
+
The malleable boot collar is soft and doesn’t rub
+
Durable and tough
+
Easier to pull on than shoes and overshoes
+
Three colour options
Cons
-
The ankle opening is something of an Achilles heel
-
Expensive
-
Some riders may want or need another retention dial
-
Dial release can get a bit sticky
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Sidi Nix winter cycling shoe
Price: £299 / $269 / $ 324.99
Weight: 403g - Size 44
Sizes: 40 - 48
Colours: Navy-Fluo / Black / White-Black
Sidi launched a brand new winter cycling shoe named the Nix back in October, replacing the brand's long-standing winter boot - the Zero Gore 2 - which had been around in a couple of guises for quite some time.
There are several dedicated winter cycling boots and shoes on the market and opinion is generally split between winter boots and a shoe/overshoe combination for winter riding and training. For me, winter boots offer advantages and are another good option but aren't a magic bullet for warm, dry, comfortable feet when the temperature plummets.
The Sidi Nix boots carry a retail price of £299 / $269 / $324.99, so not an inexpensive option. There's a choice of three colours, a Gore-Tex membrane, glass fibre sole, Sidi dial system with tough Dyneema wire, and a soft, fleecy inside. I will unpack the features in more depth below.
As well as the best winter cycling shoes I also test the best cycling overshoes and the best winter cycling gloves here at Cyclingnews and never shy away from a cold, wet ride, so I'm well-placed to review this new winter offering and help you decide if these shoes might be right for you. I received my sample pair in October and have been riding with them pretty much ever since.
Design and Aesthetics
The Sidi Nix shoes feature a single Sidi closure dial and velcro wraparound strap (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Aesthetics first, it's rare in my experience to see three different colour options for a winter shoe; they tend to be all black. Fizik broke the status quo back in 2022 though with the release of the white Arctica GTX Tempo winter boots.
The Sidi Nix are available in black, a white version which doesn't look blinding and has plenty of black, and the navy/fluoro yellow that I'm testing. This is the first blue winter shoe I've seen and it has grown on me. The fluoro yellow adds visibility, especially with the feet rotating whilst pedalling. If it helps boost my visibility that little bit more on murky winter days I'm all for it. This colourway might be a little too 'work safety boot' for you, but I like it and it's nice to wear a winter shoe that isn't black. Brighter winter shoes also make sense, from a visibility perspective, so perhaps this will become more common in the coming years.
They have a glass fibre / composite sole, which Sidi has given an in-house stiffness rating of 9. The stiffness is going to be fine for nearly everyone I think, and the shoes don't feel lacking. There is a tiny bit of flex to be felt in the sole, and it isn't as stiff as a rigid carbon performance shoe, as you might expect. The sole itself takes a three-bolt cleat fitting, so you will need an adaptor for a four-bolt system.
The outers feel durable and tough and Sidi has used a PFAS-free Gore-Tex membrane to boost winter protection, something a lot of winter shoes feature. The outer also has a series of small triangular perforations across mainly the sides of the shoe.
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Here's a comparison shot between the old Zero Gore 2 and the Sidi Nix (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
The Nix seems to have a straighter, wider last. It certainly feels wider and more comfortable generally on foot. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
Retention-wise, there is a single Sidi dial closure which uses a super strong Dyneema wire. I've found the dial got a little bit sticky when undoing the shoes after a ride and a squirt of penetrating spray helped smooth it out again. At the tall ankle, there is a wraparound Velcro strap which makes up what Sidi calls the 'wrapper closure system'. The strap is anchored to the outside heel and wraps through the heel pull loop and across the front of the ankle from the left. It's easy to do up quickly and has two reflective bands.
The tongue on the Sidi Nix is fixed, adding extra protection, and only separating from the shoe at the ankle. Inside, each shoe is lined with soft, fluffy fleece that makes your feet feel snug and cosy.
These shoes use the Sidi Millenium fit which is slightly longer and roomier in the toe box than the alternate 'Sidi fit'. I think the once popular, and at times accurate label of Sidi shoes being narrow / coming up small is melting away, but make sure to measure up properly if you are interested in a pair of these.
I wore a size 44 pair of shoes, and the fit was really comfortable, the toebox of the Nix is noticeably rounder and more open than the old Zero Gore model and feels a lot more up-to-date. I found the shoes very comfortable. I had wiggle room even with heavier cycling socks, and there was some movement for my feet which felt well suited to low-intensity winter rides which is what I'm primarily reaching for these shoes for.
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The soft fleece inside is very comfortable, as is the boots collar, it isn't stiff or rigid (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
However, as your foot and ankle move, there's room for water and spray to enter the boot which happened to me on wet rides (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski )
Performance
The Sidi Nix Winter shoes have performed well for me on a series of cold and wet rides and I've found them to be very comfortable. However, there are a few chinks in the armour and the right winter footwear setup will vary between riders.
Firstly, I rate the fit and comfort, the shoes are soft and the fleece lining makes your feet feel snug and protected. The soft ankle collar is also good and caused me zero irritation. The shoes are hardy and will take some abuse, I've stomped across frozen ground, through ice and flooded roads and have even clambered over a large fallen tree blocking the road. Despite all this there's not a mark on the shoes and the uppers clean up nicely.
Sizing may dictate this to an extent but I suspect some riders may also want an additional dial closure to achieve a snugger fit. The bulkier nature of the shoes and tongue means the single dial has a lot of work to do. The velcro strap can be pulled fairly tightly but it doesn't really cinch down massively.
'Yes, but are they warm and are they waterproof?' I hear you cry. Well yes, they are pretty warm but no they are not immune to water.
First off, thermal efficiency. The Sidi Nix does a good job at keeping your feet warm, and I've worn them on plenty of rides in freezing temperatures or just above and they have done well. I've still got cold toes on occasion, but overall it has been a success and the roomier fit aids this. If you really struggle with cold feet, they probably won't cure things and leave you wanting, but riding at a low intensity around freezing, they have kept me comfortable. Pretty good overall.
Next up, waterproofing. As I mentioned in my Madison DTE waterproof glove review, our winter weather is nearly always wet and cold, the two go hand in hand here in Britain. Water and spray are the key weaknesses here. I removed the front full-length mudguard from my trusty Dolan winter bike to really test the shoes' water resistance and had pretty wet feet within an hour on a wet day when recent snowfall was thawing out.
There are some gaps around the shoe's ankle area which are an easy target for spray and water to penetrate the shoes. Front-wheel spray covers your lower legs and ankles and makes its way into the shoes over time. I was riding solo but this would be increased if you sat on someone's wheel in the rain or when riding wet roads. I'm also not completely convinced there wasn't some water ingress from the bottom of the tongue area.
As mentioned, I had pretty wet feet within 60 minutes without a good front mudguard. With a mudguard, protection is going to be a lot better, however, in this instance, my feet would have been dryer with a set of tall overshoes like the Spatz Fasta. However, the bulkier nature of a winter boot means not many overshoes will fit over it, some will but it may not look very tidy. Here lies the rub with overshoes and winter boots. One option to aid things would be neoprene or waterproof socks like those in my colleague Will's guide to the best winter cycling socks. This setup should keep your feet more comfortable but the water would still be in the shoes.
Finally, I have also come to value the ability to just pull the shoes on, do them up and set out. It saves time over a shoe and overshoe setup and the heel pull tab works really well. This has been useful on lunchtime spins and would be a plus point for commuting too.
I always try to test winter kit properly - This was on a recent three hour ride with plenty of icy lanes to navigate (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Value
The Sidi Nix winter shoes are a fairly expensive proposition and I'm not sure they offer fantastic value.
They don't keep your feet dry in wet weather, and you would do well to use them with a front mudguard in the wet. For the money, I suspect riders will ask, 'Well what's the point then?' Some cheaper overshoes and your standard road shoes would save you some cash and keep your feet more comfortable in the wet.
However, I understand different regions will have different climates and for dry, cold conditions the shoes may be a really decent, hardy winter option if you want the snug feeling a boot offers and to keep your bling white road shoes looking that way.
I did this in minutes with a kitchen wet wipe - The shoes clean up easily and are tough and hard wearing. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Verdict
The Sidi Nix winter shoes have proven to be very comfortable, durable and warm on some freezing rides. I also like the wider range of colour options Sidi has made available for this shoe. Spinning along in them on cold, frosty rides was pleasant enough and I felt protected and snug in them.
However, I have ended up with wet feet quickly when wearing the shoes in wet conditions. They haven't kept my feet dry, limiting their range of usable conditions and lessening the shoe's value. For a wet ride, I would reach for regular road shoes and some quality overshoes I think.
The shoes have plenty of plus points but as I mentioned early on, aren't a silver bullet for a full winter of winter riding and conditions.
Sidi uses a Gore-Tex membrane to try and keep the water out. (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Design and aesthetics
An aesthetically pleasing design, with a Gore-Tex membrane and three colour options. A warm shoe but not waterproof
7/10
Comfort
Very comfortable and snug inside, nice roomy fit helps this
9/10
Warmth
Quite good overall, kept my feet pretty warm in close to freezing conditions
8/10
Waterproofness
The shoes will let in water, mainly at the ankle, wet feet within an hour on a wet day
6/10
Value
These are expensive shoes, and the lack of total waterproofness lessens the value
Tom joined the Cyclingnews team in late 2022 as a tech writer. Despite having a degree in English Literature he has spent his entire working life in the cycling industry in one form or another. He has over 10 years of experience as a qualified mechanic, with the last five years before joining Cyclingnews being spent running an independent workshop. This means he is just as happy tinkering away in the garage as he is out on the road bike, and he isn’t afraid to pull a bike apart or get hands-on with it when testing to really see what it’s made of.
He has ridden and raced bikes from an early age up to a national level on the road and track, and has ridden and competed in most disciplines. He has a keen eye for pro-team tech and enjoys spotting new or interesting components in the wild. During his time at Cyclingnews, Tom has already interviewed some of the sport's biggest names including Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Alberto Contador. He's also covered various launches from brands such as Pinarello, Ridley, Specialized and more, tackled the Roubaix Challenge sportive aboard his own rim-brake Cannondale SuperSix Evo, tested over 20 aero helmets in the wind tunnel, and has created helpful in-depth buying advice relating to countless categories from torque wrenches to winter clothing.
