jsselle

"The new Adistar "Ride", which replaces the Adistar Cushion series of running shoes, is a strong performer for serious runners. It has a very neutral feel, which some have described as "dead" in one popular running magazine review, but I believe that heavier runners with moderate to high arches and only a little pronation will like this shoe. It has some great features, including a very high quality removeable insole. The Adistar Ride is sturdy enough for training, but also light enough for recreational racing.

About me: I'm 6-1 and 185 pounds, so a bigger guy than most runners, so I need good cushioning and a little extra support, without getting into a stiffer, firmer stability / control shoe like the Adistar Sequence or the Asics Gel Kayano. I am a recreational triathlete, and I have a job too, so my cross training and my life keeps my mileage down to about sixty miles per month. I usually run about five miles at a time, with some ten milers thrown in and a few half marathons per year, along with a few Olympic distance triathlons that include a six mile run. I have medium arches... maybe a little high, and pronate (roll inwards) only very slightly... almost a completely neutral gait. The front part of my foot is medium width and the back part of my foot is a little narrow. I prefer a snug fit rather than a loose fit.

About the shoe: The Adistar "Ride" fits like most athletic running shoes i.e. a little small. In men's dress shoes like J&M or HS Trask I wear a size 11, but in these running shoes I wear an 11-1/2. The new "Ride" shoe is built on a new last (foot mold) as compared to my previous favorite shoe, the Supernova Cushion 6. The last is a little wider in the heel and a little narrower in the toe than the old last, but in both cases, the width is more "normal" so I think that anyone with a medium width shoe will like the snug fit. Also, because the Adistar uses an 7mm thick foam insole (instead of normal 6mm in other Adidas shoes like the Supernova and Response), there is a little extra "snugness", so I do not have any sliding inside the shoe, which is good because sliding causes blisters and also makes me crazy. The insole seems very high quality. The shoe features Adidas' "Adiprene" blown cushioning, and a feature called "ForMotion" which separates the heel from the rest of the sole, allowing it to float a little and move around to neutralize the foot strike for several types of runners. You can learn more about "ForMotion" from Adidas, but I think it works well. Another nice feature is the light weight. The Adistar Ride has a mostly mostly mesh upper without a whole lot of graphics or glitzy panels on the shoe, so it is light and cool. Side by side, my size 11-1/2 feels a little lighter than a similar shoe, the Asics Gel Nimbus 10th edition size 11. In terms of support, the Adistar Ride does not offer much other than thick cushioning, a firm heel sidewall, and a plastic support spiderweb plate under the midsole. Even the plastic support under the midsole is quite small.... if you need a stability show, look elsewhere. It does provide enough support for me, and I like the solid yet slightly high and cushioned feel under my arches. Athestically the shoe is handsome; mine are steel grey with red and white trim, like the photo above. The non-marking sole is white on the sides and black, orange, red, and white on the bottom. I have gotten 350 miles of running from previous similar Adidas shoes and most people would be happy still running on them after that ... in other words, the soles are plenty durable.... probably good for 500-600 miles.
"jsselle