Prairie Dog
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- Red Deer
What shoes do you ride with?
- Thread starter Dallant
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FlatSix911
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- Silicon Valley
Nice setup for on and off-road.
Prairie Dog
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- Red Deer
Thanks. I've ridden with this combo for over three years now and find them to be a great compromise between hardcore road and MTB shoes. The flats on the pedals sport shallow pegs which offer decent grip during quick starts and clipping in afterwards for me is simple and quick particularly if I already have one shoe clipped in at stops. I've stuck with the single release cleats though.
Mehwish
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I wear FiveTen Freeriders, and I love them (so do most of my friends). They have no better grip (on any with a smooth, large base for that matter) than some converse shoes, but they are much harder to wear. When you run flat pedals, they're certainly worth the money and I have crazy quantities of grip with my DMR Vaults without the need to be clipped in.
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Asher
Well-Known Member
I bought a pair of Fiveten Freerider Pro a year ago and finally wore them after doing a ride with someone who had them. The first ride felt weird because they're so grippy you can't swivel your feet, and I felt like I couldn't find the right position. By the next ride, it felt much more natural, and riding was a revelation.
The big upsides: you can really hammer the pedaling without having to think about keeping your foot on the pedals, because it's so grippy. It's especially noticeable when youre standing while pedaling. And making it easier to stand means you take some of your body weight off the saddle, so less vibration from the road up your spine, plus the shoe seems to absorb some of the bumps too. With the right socks, the shoe fits nice and snug. It seems like most of the weight, what little there is, is in the sole, so the shoes feel light on your feet.
I hate clipless shoes admittedly, but especially with these, riding clipless just seems so silly when Fivetens are about as good with way more versatility and safety.
It's kind of ironic, because road bikers are all "I need multiple positions to keep my hands comfortable on long rides... But I also lock my feet into the same exact position that I spin in for hours."
The big upsides: you can really hammer the pedaling without having to think about keeping your foot on the pedals, because it's so grippy. It's especially noticeable when youre standing while pedaling. And making it easier to stand means you take some of your body weight off the saddle, so less vibration from the road up your spine, plus the shoe seems to absorb some of the bumps too. With the right socks, the shoe fits nice and snug. It seems like most of the weight, what little there is, is in the sole, so the shoes feel light on your feet.
I hate clipless shoes admittedly, but especially with these, riding clipless just seems so silly when Fivetens are about as good with way more versatility and safety.
It's kind of ironic, because road bikers are all "I need multiple positions to keep my hands comfortable on long rides... But I also lock my feet into the same exact position that I spin in for hours."
I'm going to strongly disagree that any platform pedal is "about as good" as clipless. It is no coincidence that ALL the fastest riders in the world ride clipless. Many pro teams refuse to accept shoe sponsors so that their riders are free to use their personal preference in cycling shoes.
The average rider does not NEED clipless pedals/shoes, but can easily benefit from them. I rode them for years on my road bike and then got away from cycling., When I got my ebike and started riding again, I used platform pedals and sneakers like most here do. They work fine and are safe, but I found that my feet always tended to move forward on the pedal.
I've been struggling to increase my average speed for some time. I decided to try my old road bike shoes and pedals a few weeks ago. I was shocked to see that my average speed instantly increased by 1.5 - 2.0 mph by changing nothing but shoes & pedals. I've now had 5 rides, all 20-25 miles, in my clipless and this average speed increase remains consistent. I now just feet more comfortable that my feet are always properly positioned on the pedals.
But I'm all about comfort these days and it is very awkward and somewhat dangerous to walk with slick carbon soles and road bike cleats on your shoes. It is also nice to use platform pedals on occasion when you just want to go for a leisurely ride around the park or neighborhood. So I've ordered a pair of my favorite cycling shoes in MTB version (Lake Cycling MX-241) and will soon try the dual sided pedals that are platform on one side and SPD clipless on the other side (Shimano EH500 SPD). This setup gives me the options for both efficiency and comfort and I love having options!
And yes I have fallen 2 times due to being unable to unclip fast enough. Once was years ago when I was first learning to use clipless pedals. The second was last week when I was "relearning" to use them after quite a few years off the bike. Fortunately our bodies have a natural instinct to protect itself and there are some things that most people only do once in life. Forgetting to unclip your shoes when preparing for a stop is one of those things for me. The only reason I fell last week is that I had to make a panic stop and my reflexes just were not quick enough to think about stopping and unclipping at the same time. I actually forgot I was riding clipless in the moment and it was kind of good that I got that fall out of the way. It was a very good reminder and I don't think I'll be repeating that mistake anytime soon!
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Stefan Mikes
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- Mazovia, Poland
Competing roadies do not ride e-bikes. Any single Watt matters to them.
Competing MTBers more than often go for platform pedals.
Competing MTBers more than often go for platform pedals.
Dallant
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- USA
I have no need to increase my average speed and (at my age) have a major aversion to falling! I bought some FiveTens less than a year ago along with better pedals and it’s the go-to combo for my warm weather riding. I have three different pairs of shoes I use depending on where I’m riding and if it’s wet conditions. All are quite secure and give me the option to move my feet around to find the most comfortable position.
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Asher
Well-Known Member
I would agree that that speed difference is substantial and can justify clipless. But it's not fair to make a comparison between a highly customized clipless setup and whatever flat shoes one has lying around, which is often the comparison made, not sure if you were. The popular youtube channel GCN did exactly that, it was a farce. A comparison to a high quality spiky flat pedal and say, Fiveten Freeriders is more apt, plus at least a couple weeks of acclimation (vs the years spent on clipless).
I had used the hybrid clipless aka campus pedal, and found them annoying because you had to flip the pedal over often. That said, I was riding in traffic so I had to clip and unclip frequently.
Scientific studies don't find any improved efficiency from going clipless though they haven't been conducted on climbs where clipless fare best. I also haven't heard many people claim that advantage of going significantly faster as you have.
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I used the old leather & steel clips back in the 80s when I road raced & then the first generation of clipless pedals, Look ones I think and a strange early Adidas clipless shoe/pedal combo where, like with traditional metal and leather strapped clips you had to reach down and pull a little red lever to unclip your feet! But actually those Adidas were amazingly comfortable. Nowdays on my bikes I always use platforms, and over the years on road, mountain biking and commuting. These days I'm not racing anyone and on my e bike I use an old pair of walking shoes - kind of a robust goretex trainer with cheap VP 536 platform pedals - rode all winter and really comfy combo. I've never had an issue with my feet flying off from platforms or the platforms being uncomfortable or just feeling slow. But as I say I'm not racing anymore. Except maybe dogs : )
rajron
Well-Known Member
Some funky feet here, wide toes and very high arcs so shoes are always a challenge often having to get at least a half size too large to fit comfortably.
I use mnt. bike shoes Carnac’s fit me well but they are so stiff it is hard to walk in but I found these Giro clipless lace ups work great for all around, pretty stiff but easy to walk in. For me it is impossible to spin without locking in but I keep them loose on the latch for easy in and out. Got these new pedals with two sided latches which seem to be okay, still trying them out to see if they last.
Browneye
Well-Known Member
I would fall on my face with clipless on the eMTB. 'Nuff said.
The flat shoes are interesting, as are all of the mtb shoes. But why are plain-jane tennies over a hundred bucks?
When it's cold or wet my RedWing work boots work great. [shrug]
Good pedals are key as well - something with studs on them, like Stamps. Really like the composite ones - have them on both mountain bikes. They don't clang when you strike, and they're cheap.
The flat shoes are interesting, as are all of the mtb shoes. But why are plain-jane tennies over a hundred bucks?
When it's cold or wet my RedWing work boots work great. [shrug]
Good pedals are key as well - something with studs on them, like Stamps. Really like the composite ones - have them on both mountain bikes. They don't clang when you strike, and they're cheap.
lloose
Member
Commuting - My regular work shoes. We are a work casual place so I don't have to worry about scuffing up nice shoes.
Mountain biking - I ride flat pedals and just wear athletic shoes. I should wear mnt bike shoes but I haven't had a problem yet.
Road biking - I like Giro and clipless. I've been pretty loyal to Giro since the early 00s' and pretty much use them shoes and helmets.
Mountain biking - I ride flat pedals and just wear athletic shoes. I should wear mnt bike shoes but I haven't had a problem yet.
Road biking - I like Giro and clipless. I've been pretty loyal to Giro since the early 00s' and pretty much use them shoes and helmets.
ElevenAD
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- Ringoes New Jersey
usually steel Toe Sketchers, Vans once in a while just because i love the way they look but i prefer steel toe shoes as they once saved me from loosing 5 of my toes when a huge door was dropped on my foot,i have pretty much worn some type steel toe ever since ,you know biking can be dangerous for the little piggies!
Asher
Well-Known Member
The Body Mechanic: Stop pulling up on your pedals
Get back to basics to improve pedalling efficiency
www.bikeradar.com
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Dave Rocks
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- MISSISSAUGA
Steel Toe Work Boots or Hiking Boots.
Stefan Mikes
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- Mazovia, Poland
In the wintertime, I suppose?
Stefan Mikes
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- Mazovia, Poland
Vietnam.
