Help me find cycle shoes I can walk in.

Goodleg

Active Member
Region
USA
City
Uniontown, Pennsylvania
I need to find affordable, size 14, cycling shoes that I can walk in. Guess that is a mountain bike shoe??
Having trouble keeping my prosthesis on the pedal so I would like to try clipping in.
 
I need to find affordable, size 14, cycling shoes that I can walk in. Guess that is a mountain bike shoe??
Having trouble keeping my prosthesis on the pedal so I would like to try clipping in.
First, hopefully you have LARGE flat pedals. With those boats of yours you need them. Then, any good walking shoe will work. I DO find that a 'tready' sole is beneficial and settles into the pegs well. By that I mean a shoe with some real topography to the sole, not just a flat smooth sole like a boat shoe. I have also stopped riding on the balls of my feet. I've learned to move my feet an inch or so forward on the pedals.

EDIT: This should convince you that you do not need to clip in.
 
First, hopefully you have LARGE flat pedals. With those boats of yours you need them. Then, any good walking shoe will work. I DO find that a 'tready' sole is beneficial and settles into the pegs well. By that I mean a shoe with some real topography to the sole, not just a flat smooth sole like a boat shoe. I have also stopped riding on the balls of my feet. I've learned to move my feet an inch or so forward on the pedals.
Tried that and failed. With Race Face - Chester pedals. Once my foot comes off I have to stop a put it back. My prosthesis is basically a hinge so no control from thigh down.
 
You need a 2 hole SPD shoe which is primarily considered an MTB shoe but is used by many road riders for the very reason you state, ie walking. Lots of options in shoes and pedals including ones where you clip in on both sides or just one and the other side is a flat pedal.
 
^^^ What @Oberst said. You are looking for something just like this (link), albeit in a Size 14 which this one does not come in.

FYI most good bike shoes use European sizing. A 14 is a "49". 14 1/2 to 15 is a "50".

 
You need a 2 hole SPD shoe which is primarily considered an MTB shoe but is used by many road riders for the very reason you state, ie walking. Lots of options in shoes and pedals including ones where you clip in on both sides or just one and the other side is a flat pedal.
I have the cleat that mounts in the two holes and pedals. The size 14 is tough especially in a walkable shoe.
 
these are very walkable, and available up to size 49 (which is around 14, iirc)


i didn't love the laces and velcro but tried them on and they were comfy. not sure if the cleat attachment is recessed quite enough to walk on very hard ground.

are you able to twist very hard on your prosthetic side? it takes a surprising amount of force to unclip...
 
My experience is there's really nothing to match Adidas FiveTen Freerider Pro shoes. These are the most respected MTB shoes for platform pedals. Regarding their capability for walking: You can absolutely walk in them, although a little bit "stiffer". The 510s are not affordable though.

On the other hand, good platform pedals such as Race Face Chester or CrankBrothers Stamp 1 can do with regular trainers. Although I'm typically riding 510s with Stamp 1 or 7 pedals, it happens to me to ride in regular Adidas or Skechers trainers with no issues. And of course walking in trainers is perfect.
 
My experience is there's really nothing to match Adidas FiveTen Freerider Pro shoes. These are the most respected MTB shoes for platform pedals. Regarding their capability for walking: You can absolutely walk in them, although a little bit "stiffer". The 510s are not affordable though.

On the other hand, good platform pedals such as Race Face Chester or CrankBrothers Stamp 1 can do with regular trainers. Although I'm typically riding 510s with Stamp 1 or 7 pedals, it happens to me to ride in regular Adidas or Skechers trainers with no issues. And of course walking in trainers is perfect.
i believe OP is looking for shoes to clip in?
 
i believe OP is looking for shoes to clip in?
Why should he, especially with a prosthesis? Platform pedals with good MTB shoes hold feet on pedals as good as the clipless. The benefit is you can change your feet position on pedals, and it is very hard to fall with the bike (that might happen with clipped shoes). The OP seems to be unaware what platform pedals and MTB shoes can do for him.
 
Having trouble keeping my prosthesis on the pedal so I would like to try clipping in.
Why should he, especially with a prosthesis? Platform pedals with good MTB shoes hold feet on pedals as good as the clipless. The benefit is you can change your feet position on pedals, and it is very hard to fall with the bike (that might happen with clipped shoes). The OP seems to be unaware what platform pedals and MTB shoes can do for him.
i believe he stated why! but i have no first hand experience with a prosthetic, assuming he knows more than i.
 
Just for sake of discussion, we were chatting about magnetic pedals a while ago, and I still would like to try some. Maybe would be a possible solution for you as well?

 
Something cheap to try.
Get a pair of shoes you already have, but are willing to modify.
Using whatever tools you need, cut a depression into the sole of the shoe, and epoxy some good magnets into the shoe in the area it would sit on the pedal.
Find a metal plate like this cut to the appropriate size and attach it (screw?) to your existing pedal.

You will likely have to experiment with the number of magnets, but it's substantially cheaper than the magnetic pedals I've seen.
We did this for my wife (she has MS) as her foot always wanted to slip off and she was terrified of clip-ins (but not as terrified as I was of her using clip-ins).

For testing purposes we used a slip on shoe over-boot until we had it right, and then redid it on an old pair of hiking boots.
It worked like a charm!
 
I need to find affordable, size 14, cycling shoes that I can walk in. Guess that is a mountain bike shoe??
Having trouble keeping my prosthesis on the pedal so I would like to try clipping in.
Size 14 Walmart moccasins, $10, good traction, comfy. I wear 13s to ride, 14s the rest of the time
 
I use MTB shoes with eggbeater pedals. Because they're 4 sided I find they're much easier to clip into than SPD which are 2 sided. But they are a really small pedal which might not work for you. There are large flat pedals with the eggbeater cleat, but then they're only 2 sided.
 
I’d do whatever I could to use a regular shoe and AVOID clipping in, given you are using a prosthetic. I use a variety of shoes, depending on the weather. The magnet idea sounds interesting. Best of luck!
 
What about toe clips? There are versions with and without straps.


Clipless (SPD, the type of pedal that uses shoes with cleats) require twisting your foot and ankle to release your foot from the pedal at a stop. There's also a serious learning curve with SPD. With toe clips one can use their favorite walking shoe to ride.

Even experienced riders fall with clipless (SPD) pedals. Fairly easy to get hung up and locked in at the worst time.

 
If you go clipless and can use them, Keen makes a good walkable sandle type shoe called the Arroyo.
 
My experience is there's really nothing to match Adidas FiveTen Freerider Pro shoes. These are the most respected MTB shoes for platform pedals. Regarding their capability for walking: You can absolutely walk in them, although a little bit "stiffer". The 510s are not affordable though.

On the other hand, good platform pedals such as Race Face Chester or CrankBrothers Stamp 1 can do with regular trainers. Although I'm typically riding 510s with Stamp 1 or 7 pedals, it happens to me to ride in regular Adidas or Skechers trainers with no issues. And of course walking in trainers is perfect.
Stefan check post #3. I have that now. Cannot seem to resist pulling up on the pedal like i do on my trike. If my foot lifts I am done and need to reset.
 
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