While the stiff carbon soled shoes make for excellent power transfer when you're on the bike, they can be pretty restrictive for backwoods adventures that might involve a few sessions of hike-a-bike across rivers and up near-vertical faces. For adventures that call for more versatility, reach for the Pearl Izumi X-ALP Canyon Mountain Bike shoes for Men. These lace-up cycling shoes give you the support you want for long days on the bike, but tread that can handle covering ground on foot and a midsole that cushions your stride for support from dawn to dusk. The X-ALP Canyon shoes feature a bonded synthetic top with ample mesh panels that keep your feet from baking on hot trails. They are low-cut at the ankle to provide a light and fast fit that allows for natural ankle rotation off of the bike. While flex is good for miles on foot, a stiff sole is a must for power transfer on the bike, so Pearl equips the X-ALP Canyon's with a nylon composite shank to maximize power transfer to the pedals, without compromising torsional flex for hiking. Underneath the shank you'll find a lightweight EVA midsole that cushions your steps comfortably, and a beefy carbon-rubber lugged outsole that provides directional traction on foot. The center of the shoe is ready for clipping in with 2-bolt SPD compatibility that sits recessed and out of the way of your lugs, so your cleats don't get hung up on rocks when you're making your way up steep faces.