IN BRIEF
DRIFT, the brand born from the relaunch of DZR Shoes, has released the Minna, its second waterproof SPD-compatible model, spotted on 6 August by Bikerumor. It is a low-top lace-up trainer with a full-grain leather upper and a waterproof lining, whose rubber outsole hides a recessed two-bolt cleat mount — enough to walk without clicking, then clip in without changing shoes. A stiff composite insert takes care of power transfer and the toe is reinforced. It comes in four colours, from M5/W6 to M12/W13, at €166.95 on the brand’s French store — $189 in the United States, according to Bikerumor.
| Price | €166.95 (France) · $189 (United States) |
| Upper | Full-grain leather |
| Weatherproofing | Waterproof lining |
| Outsole | Rubber, recessed cleat mount |
| Compatibility | Two-bolt cleat, SPD type |
| Reinforcements | Stiff composite insert, reinforced toe |
| Closure | Laces with a lace keeper |
| Sizes | Unisex, M5/W6 to M12/W13, whole sizes |
| Colours | Noir Black, Navy, Army and Bone White |
There is one category of shoe that bike commuters have been after for years: the kind that keeps the rain out, clips into clipless pedals and does not have you crossing an open-plan office like a horse on a tiled floor. The Minna, which DRIFT has just put on sale, is aimed at exactly that spot.
The DRIFT Minna, a waterproof cycling shoe that does not look like one
According to Bikerumor, DRIFT is the relaunch of DZR Shoes, a brand founded in 2010. The Minna is its second waterproof SPD-compatible model. Bikerumor describes it as having “a cleaner, lower silhouette, and arguably an even more casual style” than the ARC model that came before it.
The official spec sheet lists a full-grain leather upper paired with a waterproof lining, and presents the shoe as “fully waterproof”. The brand also says it is made in small batches.
A two-bolt cleat, hidden in a rubber outsole
This is where it all happens. The rubber outsole includes a recessed cleat mount with the two-bolt interface — the standard for SPD cleats. The cleat therefore sits back from the walking surface: you walk more or less normally, and the metallic clatter typical of road shoes disappears.
So that comfort does not come at the expense of efficiency, DRIFT slips in a stiff composite insert intended for power transfer, and reinforces the toe of the shoe. Closure is by laces, with the brand’s own lace keeper — a modest detail, but one that any cyclist who has caught a lace in a chainring will appreciate.
€166.95, four colours, whole sizes
The Minna is listed at €166.95 on the brand’s French store, with tax and shipping calculated at checkout. Bikerumor gives a price of $189 for the United States. It comes in four colours — Noir Black, Navy, Army and Bone White — and can be ordered from M5/W6 to M12/W13, in whole sizes only: in-between feet will have to pick a side.
Orders go directly through the brand’s website, whose store serves the French market in euros.
