The Shimano RX6 is designed for gravel riding and is yet another cracking SPD-soled shoe from the Japanese component giant. Stiff enough for most non-racing riding, sufficiently comfortable for all-day-long rides and the BOA dial makes it a cinch to get on, take off and adjust. The price is pretty reasonable too.
Shimano first released the RX6, or the SH-RX600 to give it its full name, back in 2023. It's designed for SPD pedals and gravel, but the shoes work fine on a road bike too.
Also available at Amazon.com from $192.44
I gave up on three-bolt Look-type pedals years ago. For the kind of riding I do, summer road, rough lanes in winter, gravel, mountain bike and bmx racing, SPD pedals work just fine. I just don't see the point in having a different set of shoes depending on what type of bike I'm on. Being able to walk normally at the coffee stop is nice too.
The RX6 is exactly the kind of cycling shoe I look for – light, not too off-road-looking, a stiff enough sole to feel like your effort goes into forward motion, and no discomfort anywhere.
In Shimano's line-up, they sit below the racier RX8, which has a stiffer full-carbon sole and a price a penny under £230.
You might also consider the Shimano XC7 shoes, which I reviewed a couple of years ago, for road riding. In terms of sole stiffness and their £189.99 price, they sit between the RX6 and RX8.
Closure
The RX6 uses the same wrap-around upper system as the RX8 and XC7. This makes for a super-comfortable glove-like fit, without any of the pressure points you can sometimes get with a traditional centre-opening-with-tongue design.
Shimano uses a synthetic leather for the RX6, similar to that used for the RX8 and XC7. It's easy to clean with a damp cloth, and I found that walking through damp grass also worked remarkably well when it came to cleaning them!
They're secured by a Velcro front strap and a BOA L6 dial with a nylon fastening wire looping through the middle and top straps. The BOA allows for micro-adjustment when you're tightening it, but untightening it is an all-or-nothing affair. Not a big deal, and not something I find myself in need of mid-ride very often.
The Velcro front strap rarely needs touching, as undoing the BOA dial releases plenty of space for foot removal and entry.
The heel cup is well designed and just the right shape for comfort and heel retention. I had no issues with heel lift whatsoever.
Sole
Of the three Shimano models I've been talking about, the RX6 has the least stiff sole – and the lowest price.
Shimano gives the sole a stiffness rating of eight on its own 12-point scale. It's made from carbon-reinforced nylon, similar to the XC7's sole, while the the RX8 is full carbon.
The outer sole of the RX6 has big TPU lugs. Their shape is not quite as aggressive as those on the XC7, which makes sense given the intended use, and the RX6 does not have the option of screw-in studs either. If you're intending to ride or race in the slop, winter cyclocross for example, the XC7 would be a better bet.
One other crucial difference with the XC7 is that I couldn't feel the cleat bolts through the inner sole, which was something that disappointed me with the XC7.
Ventilation
The RX6 is well ventilated, with plenty of holes in its synthetic leather upper.s They are well drained, too, with holes in the sole in front of the cleats and under the heel. If it's likely you're going to get your feet wet, you might as well design the shoes to get rid of that water, so the thinking goes.
Sizing
Shimano shoes traditionally come up a bit small. I normally take a UK 8/EUR 43 but with Shimano I usually find the size 9/EUR 44 fits me perfectly, and this proved the case here.
They are available in standard width from 38-50 and 38-48 in a wide fitting.
Value
Though £159.99 is not cheap for a pair of cycling shoes, it fits my expectation for shoes that work as well as these.
That said, you don't have to spend that much. The Rockrider Mountain Bike/Gravel Shoes Race 900 cost just £80 but Pat still liked them a lot.
By contrast, the Quoc Gran Tourer XC shoes cost £240 and Cafe du Cycliste's Outlands are dearer still at £295.
Shimano's £189.99 XC7 might be worth investing in if walking and running grip in muddy conditions and slightly finer adjustability of the two BOA dials is important to you. The RX8 is much more expensive at £229.99, and is the one to go for if sole stiffness is crucial for you.
Our favourite gravel shoes are rounded up in our best gravel shoes buyer's guide, with the best road cycling shoes buyer's guide covering our top tarmac-orientated footwear.
Conclusion
The RX6 is a cracking cycling shoe. It's stiff enough for non-racing riding, comfortable enough for all-day riding and there's enough compliance to avoid discomfort when you're walking.
I think it's a great contender if you're after a one-shoe-to-do-it-all. The RX6 is light and doesn't look out of place whether you're riding road, gravel or even on BMX tracks.
And while Shimano has other contenders in this category, the RX6 is the cheapest of the three, and I don't think you'd need to spend more unless you need more grip in the mud or a stiffer sole.
Also available at Amazon.com from $192.44
Verdict
Comfortable and stiff-enough gravel SPD shoe that works equally well on the road too
Make and model: Shimano RX6 Shoes
Tell us what the product is for
Shimano says:
GRAVEL SHOES WITH OPTIMALLY BALANCED STIFFNESS AND WALKABILITY.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Shimano says:
Carbon-reinforced sole provides race-level rigidity for enduring pedaling performance on day-long rides.
Wide outsole pattern with TPU lugs for optimal on- and off-the-bike comfort and performance.
Lightweight gravel-race-inspired outsole.
Surround wrapping upper pattern balances holding power and comfort.
BOA® Fit System featuring Dial L6K allows quick and precise micro-adjustment.
System engineered with SPD pedals for maximum pedaling efficiency and stability.
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
9/10
Rate the product for fit:
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
6/10
As with other Shimano cycling shoes I've worn, I needed to go up a size larger than I'd usually wear.
Rate the product for weight:
9/10
At 621 grams, these are lighter than other gravel shoes we've reviewed recently.
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
Rate the product for value:
8/10
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
The uppers are easy to clean with a damp cloth – or just by walking through wet grass.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Stiff enough for non-racing riding, comfortable for any-length ride. Exactly what I want from a shoe.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The fit, comfort, and the easy adjustability of the BOA dial.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
You can get cheaper shoes, like the Rockriders we reviewed recently, but you can also spend a lot more for the same functionality. See the review for details.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
Shimano set out to create 'Gravel shoes with optimally balanced stiffness and walkability' – and the RX6s do offer exactly that. They are comfortable, a reasonable weight for the price and they deliver excellent day-long comfort. Unless you're racing, or need to walk or run through mud, they do everything you might want from an SPD shoe.
Age: 44 Height: 1.78m Weight: 77kg
I usually ride: All of them! My best bike is: Ribble Endurance SL disc
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, mtb, Zwift
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