I’ve owned a couple of pairs of Bikilas for over three years now, so I’m pretty familiar with them. This is Vibram’s (pronounced ‘veebram’) first shoe designed specifically for road running, as opposed to their more all-purpose shoes, such as the KSO.
The Bikila features a 3mm polyurethane insole throughout, plus a 4mm outsole, providing ample protection for anything encountered on the asphalt. I use mine for trail running too, and they are perfectly solid for this as well.
When I first tried them on, I was afraid I’d tear the cloth fabric trying to push my toes fully into the right place. Apparently this is a problem with some older Vibram models, but in my experience the Bikila is definitely a solidly constructed shoe, despite its sleek, slender appearance. If Italian sports cars have a bad reputation for breaking down, it doesn’t apply to these Italian sports shoes.
Feel:
As with all FiveFinger products, sizing is essential, and I’d definitely recommend going to a shop to be sized properly, instead of blindly ordering over the internet and hoping for the best.
The Vibram Bikila was my first (euphoric) step in the barefoot direction. Because of the lack of full sensation with the ground, I didn’t properly adapt my stride and thus ended up with several nagging injuries – plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis – for more than a year, until I switched to full barefoot running. But a workman shouldn’t blame his tools: this is a potential problem with any minimalist shoe, not just the Bikila. Nowadays I use Bikilas in the winter, when there’s too much salt on the road, and in any weather when I’m running over rough terrain.
plusses:
+ comfortable, fits like a glove
+ surprisingly durable, both in terms of its rubber sole and cloth weave
+ good flexibility around the arches
+ machine washable
minuses:
– reduces sensations of the surface beneath, like any shoe
– gets smelly — if not downright stinky — without regular washing,
especially in the summer
– limits natural toe motion to some degree
Joy of Barefoot Running 