Do I need cycling shoes?

[JES2020]

Good luck Patricia - I got mine here:

Cycling shoes | MEC

Shop for bike shoes at MEC. Explore our extensive selection of cycling shoes for road, mountain, bike commuting and bike packing. Find top brands like Castelli, Fizik & Shimano.

www.mec.ca

Funny , I got the identical looking Freeriders for $39, at Target.

 

[Djangodog]

Funny , I got the identical looking Freeriders for $39, at Target.

I thought you wore “tennis shoes”.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I hated the hassle of cleats and walking. since I do so many errands on my bike they were a pain. so I invested in these puppies now no bending feet and I cna wear different shoes for different weather

https://pedalinginnovations.com/

That's why I went the work shoe route... I often make stops and walk when I'm out on my bike.
I'm sure the 5/10 are nice but I saw no need for myself at this time for the extra expense when the Sketches shoes are so comfortable and serve a dual purpose.

 

[Gionnirocket]

No Italian in their right mind wears sandals after the end of August ! September 1, the boots, leather jackets/coats, and scarves come out, temperatures be damned !

I break them on my counterparts constantly for their long list of rules and how they all know to say... Non si fa
Just this week I teased my aunt in Rome as she was complaining about the heatwave there and I said that we're doing well here with air conditioning. I knew she would reply with... no, no, no.. air conditioning will kill you. So then I asked her if hospitals there are air conditioned?
She ended with disgratziato sei

 

[fooferdoggie]

That's why I went the work shoe route... I often make stops and walk when I'm out on my bike.
I'm sure the 5/10 are nice but I saw no need for myself at this time for the extra expense when the Sketches shoes are so comfortable and serve a dual purpose.

I Have found at least with pedals and spikes the stiffer soled shoes don't work as well they tend to slide more.

 

[Mulezen]

I wear the one on the right eight months of the year…yeah sometimes with socks. For us mature guys with big feet they are way more comfortable, and cooler (both ways) than the fan favorite on the left. Great toe protection

 

[Gionnirocket]

I Have found at least with pedals and spikes the stiffer soled shoes don't work as well they tend to slide more.

I found them to have better grip then sneakers and breath better than most other shoes for all day comfort. They do have an anti slip resistant sole.
I forward push hard at times and really don't have any issues.

 

[tomjasz]

When i worked on helitac fire teams i started out with bugdet mountsin boots I destroyed them in s month. I bought custom White Smoke Jumpe boots hand made for $500, now $635. But they were rebuilt 5 times and are still stellar boots. Sometimes its not abou thevprice. Like my a patagonia parka repaired for free hair an lasted 30 years. No tennis shoe would ever meet thev standards. 510 has made incredibly durable shies for decades. It’s not always about price

 

[Djangodog]

I Have found at least with pedals and spikes the stiffer soled shoes don't work as well they tend to slide more.

The sole of the 510 shoe is fairly stiff, but the “outsole” is a very grippy but tough rubber. My experience with them has been very good and you if you shop around, you can get them for as little as $60.00, (that’s what my wife paid for her 510 Primeblue Freeriders, on sale at REI at the time).

 

[rayray]

I Have found at least with pedals and spikes the stiffer soled shoes don't work as well they tend to slide more.

Not necessarily true. Many (all?) MTB shoes are specifically manufactured to grip the spikes. I have a pair of Specialized “2FO DH Flat Mountain Bike Shoes”, which are very stiff, and they don’t slide at all. In fact, I can lift a foot, and the pedal will come with it…..they’re still easy to remove from the pedals when you need to though.

 

[Rexlion]

Try some Sole brand inserts. I wear them all the time now, since I started having pain from a fallen arch about 4 years ago. The inserts have good stiffness in the arch area and they last a long time, too.

 

[PatriciaK]

I do have to say most of those 510s (and other cycling shoes) are pretty ugly . Not going to present much of a Bella Figura in Italia in those babies, but, since I normally wear clunky little old lady walking shoes anyway, they'll just have to deal with it !

 

[Gionnirocket]

I do have to say most of those 510s (and other cycling shoes) are pretty ugly . Not going to present much of a Bella Figura in Italia in those babies, but, since I normally wear clunky little old lady walking shoes anyway, they'll just have to deal with it !

Vergogna!
That's my initial impression as well.... that and they don't look that well ventilated.
Though that shouldn't be a problem in October.
And personally I need a Wide and don't see that option available.

 

[m@Robertson]

I hated the hassle of cleats and walking. since I do so many errands on my bike they were a pain. so I invested in these puppies now no bending feet and I cna wear different shoes for different weather

https://pedalinginnovations.com/

I have these pedals on all but one of my bikes. The miracle they perform is to let you support your foot's arch on the front and rear side, which makes for a huge drop in foot pain on aging arches. The interesting thing about them is they promote an entirely different kind of pedal stroke - a sort of stomping motion that transmits much more power to the pedals. I know you are going to be riding on a rental but you can attach a replacement set of pedals easily and they will easily fit in your suitcase on the flight over.

Going hand in hand with these pedals is a decent set of flat-pedal cycling shoes. The Catalyst pedals will work decently with soft-soled shoes, but to really stick to the pedals without tearing into the shoe sole I found that Five Ten Freeriders not only stuck easily to the pedal, they stuck so well you can actually pull up just a bit before they disengage, so your pedal stroke can include some forward pressure across say 1 o'clock to 3:00 or so at the top. But the bigger benefit is the stiffened soles that make for better power transmission without flexing the sole of your foot. You'll feel better after long hours in the saddle pedaling. I recently packed them on a vacation so I could do a lot of walking as well as bike riding and they are by far the best shoe I have ever found to do that in across a lifetime of daily cycling.

My other bike that doesn't use these pedals uses Funn Ripper pedals with raised/spring loaded cleats for ridiculously easy entry/exit, coupled to Giro Rumble shoes. I picked the shoes specifically so I could comfortably walk around in them without the shoes or my feet getting torn up. they are perfect for extended walking despite the fact they have cleats recessed in the sole. Even with the benefits that go with the Catalyst pedals, a lifetime of cleating in gives me perfect foot position every time with firm soles that keep my footsoles from hurting. That perfect foot position is something you are trying to replicate with flat pedals but I never quite get there given the off/on of city riding.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Not necessarily true. Many (all?) MTB shoes are specifically manufactured to grip the spikes. I have a pair of Specialized “2FO DH Flat Mountain Bike Shoes”, which are very stiff, and they don’t slide at all. In fact, I can lift a foot, and the pedal will come with it…..they’re still easy to remove from the pedals when you need to though.

I only tested like shimano sandals and my wife got these but the sole is too hard and slides off the pins.

 

[JES2020]

It’s not always about price

No it's not always about price, Paying more doesn't mean it's better.

But it is ALWAYS about good judgement.

I have had my $39 target specials for over 10 years and guess what...they are still super comfortable and look great.
Just because someone charges 4 times what someone else offers, doesn't mean it a better product.

 

[DiggyGun]

These are mine and Mrs DGs Five Ten MTB shoes.

They are very good. They grip well on flat pedals with studs (mine) or with grip tape (Mrs DG). They are comfortable to walk in and look smart when not cycling). We wear ours all day with absolutely no issues.

Mine. (Size 13.5)

Mrs DG. (Size 4.0)

At the end of day they just look like any other training shoe / sneaker. But work very well for what they are designed for.

 

[rayray]

If you happen to have plantar fasciitis, I’d recommend buying the stiffest shoe you can find. My experience says if you can walk in them as though they’re tennis shoes, they’re not stiff enough to prevent pain.

I can walk okay in my MTB shoes, but I wouldn’t choose to do so for longer than necessary, as they feel clumsy. I love them on the bike though!

 

[Rexlion]

I don't think I understand why people push with the balls of the feet. For as long as I can remember, I've placed my arches over the pedals.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Are those lace elastic or what is?

ya I use them a lot no tying. but these shoes slip off the peddles to much for my wife.