Ride 18 Trainers

I found these shoes to be a real disappointment. I've loved the Ride 15 and 16 and have put hundreds of miles on them but this iteration is a real step backward as a shoe that you can actually train in. Specifically, there is way too much foam underfoot and it is kind of mushy and dead feeling, like you are losing energy every stride and have no feel for the ground underfoot. The worst problem though is that the foam is too soft on the outside of the heel and will just collapse if you roll your foot side to side. I always run in a low structure / neutral shoe but you still need to be able to feel the plane of the ground relative to your ankle of bad things happen in your stride and injury results. This feels like a walking shoe or something comfortable to stand around in all day but has stepped away from its pedigree as a shoe for serious running.

The shoe is great, but the last iteration and this one suffer the same issue, the sole. The way the crevasse in the bottom is designed it creates a suction cup effect, especially on wet ground, that is not just annoying to hear but causes some slight delay in your stride and ultimately depending on how long you may be running it does add to fatigue because of it, even if it is slight.

Best version of the ride yet.. please no major changes for next style

The Ride is one of my favourite go to shoe from Saucony. It is a true runners' shoe in the sense that it is the total package; cushioning, flexibility, and responsiveness with a touch of inherent stability. The updates of the Ride see it getting lighter, with improved cushioning and fit. I recently did a 50k rail trail race and they held up well; my legs weren't as beat up as they usually are after a long race. It is a great shoe for just about any type of run including hard tempo efforts and Marathon paced efforts. If you didnt want to spend cash on a plated trainer, then this could be a single quiver shoe for the conscientious consumer. My only concern is that the rubber on the outsole is beginning to wear quickly. Although it is likely an aesthetic issue, it is something worth pointing out. Overall, I believe the shoes will last a long time due to the amount of overall cushioning and I will continue to pile up the miles on my new Rides.

I bought the Ride 18 a few weeks ago and have worn them twice for a total of about 3 miles on a treadmill only. I felt like I had been running barefoot on concrete. My feet and legs were aching so bad. I’m not sure if the insoles or cushioning is defective or not, but I expected more from such a reputable company. I am pretty sure I can’t exchange or anything now since they have been worn. Disappointing.

I purchased these shoes, my first Saucony shoes, after decades of running in another brand. What a revelation! I was excited to see just how good these shoes were running on the rural roads where I live, and I was left elated. I call them the sports car of running shoes. The ride is responsive and comfortable, and they weigh like nothing I've ever run in before. I highly recommend these shoes!