# Biking Shoe info



## Mandeville (Oct 18, 2014)

I have found a pair of shoes that will conditionally fit. I say conditionally because I wear orthotics and when I tried the shoes on in the store I had a type of orthotic that wasn't really user friendly to the shoe. I have another significantly different designed orthotic that I will try tomorrow. The shoe certainly fits without an orthotic. (Sidi Genius 5.) A orthotic may not be necessary in a quality stiff bikeing shoes--but I know it would be better with the orthotic if fits without compromising a comfortable proper fit. 

I've ridden my entire bicycle life using cage clips and regular quasi-athletic shoes. Shoes that I can comfortably walk in. 

My issue is admittedly somewhat eccentric. If I break down somewhere other than near a bus stop or a bike store I'm sort of stuck. I've got no one to call. It's seems pretty clear to me that I'm not "walking out of" any situation having only biking shoes at my disposal. 

Toss in the above plus the added LBS retail price of the combined shoe and pedal, ($385), I've got to ask myself especially in light of eccentric problem the issue of, "Really just how much better is the cleated clipped in bike shoe compared to regular shoe securely in in a vinyl or metal clipped cage. (I need to buy them at the LBS because of the fitting issue--plus I might as well have the fitting for the new bike, due any day, done with the shoes and pedals I'm going to ride in.)

Then of course there is the last thing and that is if one doesn't like the shoes and pedals or they just don't work out for whatever reason you can kiss the money spent on them goodbye. 

I live on a fixed social security retirement and VA pension so unless THE Lotto ticket happens to come along I just don't have a lot of disposable income. 

I'm not looking for advice on what to do per se, just seeking feedback as someone that's ignorant to the purist or elitist, (no negativity implied), of the full-fledged serious biking world--of which cleated shoes and pedals is on such example.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

Cycling shoes with cleats enable you to use the full rotation of the crank arms to power your bike. All your effort goes into powering your bike. The effect is significant.

That said, bike shoes with toe clips worked well for decades and decades, and will still work now. Plus, when you break down in the sticks, it'll be easier to walk to the nearest shack owned by a toothless banjo playing S&M freak...so you'll have that going for you.

Really, for you, the best thing might be cycling shoes and toe clips, but the shoes should still have stiff soles...otherwise there's no benefit in having cycling specific shoes.


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

Check if the genius 5 comes in Mega (wide fitting), I know the genius 6 does, that may help a bit on the orthodic fitting...might not of course.

As to walking, if you think it is will be an issue, then instead of going road shoes and pedals, and get mountain bike shoes and pedals, the sidi eagle 6 is the exact same shoe as the upper of the genius 6, only the sole is different (road has venting and road holes, mtb has tread and spd holes), I "assume" the genius 5 is similar in respect to the eagle 5... you can walk in them...it's not great but 1000 times better than road shoes, and you can pick up some cheap spd pedals for not much these days.
People will say that spd's arn't as good for road, and not ever having used road pedals I would guess they are correct, but mtb shoes still arn't bad, and if using decent XC shoes, about a billion times better than clips and straps (well I think anyway, I hated clips and straps SO much).


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

If this is really going to worry you, find a shoe that takes a recessed cleat, as mik_git suggested. They work fine, and you can walk pretty well, and you still get the benefits of a stiffer sole than you have with your sneakers.

But you may also be overstating the problem. You didn't say which pedal you selected, but the fact is it's not totally impossible to walk in cleated shoes, especially with rubber cleat covers (which I would highly recommend).

Being attached to the pedals makes cycling better -- stronger and safer -- but you already know that from using toeclips and straps. A stiff-soled shoe is even better. And clipless pedals are easier to get into and out of. But a recessed-cleat design might be best for you, and you won't be giving up any performance.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

JCavilia said:


> But a recessed-cleat design might be best for you, and you won't be giving up any performance.


Completely agree. Over the years, we've had quite a few road bike riders come into our shop to ask for advice on and then ultimately go for a recessed cleat setup for their road bike riding. None have ever come back to tell us that this was not a good decision. Of course, they could have gone to another shop or to the internet to return to their old ways, but I doubt if any of them did. This is a small town, and we know who wears and rides what..... 

Keep in mind that unlike road shoes, the range of stiffness is larger with recessed-cleat shoes than it is with so-called road shoes. For example, you can buy so-called Shimano "Click'R" recreational shoes (also pitched to the indoor "spinning" market) which are very flexible and thin-soled. Walking long distances in those is never a problem. But you'll also feel the cleat and retaining mechanism of the pedal (also available as an extremely easy-in/easy-out "Click'R" version) during hard efforts at low cadences, which is probably not what you want.


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## Dave1442397 (May 5, 2011)

I use a pair of Northwave MTB boots for winter riding ($97 on sale a few years ago), and I bought a pair of Shimano MTB pedals for around $25. 

I use them from November to March, and have never had any issue with them. They don't seem to affect my speed at all (although the cold weather does) and it's handy to be able to walk around in them off the bike.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

One more point you may consider: Your worry about what happens if you "break down" may be a little exaggerated. Bicycles rarely have mechanical breakdowns that prevent the ride from continuing (unlike cars, which have a lot more things that can go wrong). Of course, things happen occasionally, but if you pay attention to maintenance, and you have some mechanical skills and carry minimal tools, something that would end the ride is a rare occurrence.

There are two broad categories of exceptions. You could crash and break something. But realistically, most crashes like that aren't going to leave you wanting to take a long walk. And there are flat tires. Those happen. But they can be repaired on the road, and every cyclist who strays more than a few blocks from home should know how to do that and should carry the necessary materials.

So you may be alarming yourself more than necessary. And again, walking is not impossible in cycling shoes, even with bulky cleats.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

Like others have said, get mountain bike shoes/pedals. They have recessed cleats allowing you to walk. 

I don't know what LBS charge for shoes and pedals, but that seems on the high end to me. You can get a pair Shimano XT SPD pedals for $100 anywhere on the web. I recently paid $239 for a pair of Shimano XC90 shoes -- their top of the line model. If you have to go to a LBS to try on shoes, at least buy the pedals on-line and save some money. 

Is it worth "$385"? Next to padded shorts, clipless pedals are the best thing you can do to improve comfort for riding your bike. Stiff soled shoes make a huge difference. Once you get comfortable with the pedals, you'll wonder how you ever rode with toe clips. A good set of shoes and pedals will last years and years. It'll literally be a few cents per ride over the long run.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

FYI, If you have AAA they have a bicycle service and will come pick you up. Walking in road shoes, say, up to 1/2 a miles is totally feasible and walking bare foot isn't that big of a deal unless you're dealing with gravel or snow.

But that aside there's no reason to get road shoes if walking is a priority. And there's nothing wrong with taking an 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' approach to riding with sneakers. If you're fine with them and don't feel held back from riding as aggressive as you'd like nothing wrong with sticking with them.
Most cyclists do benefit, a lot, from shoes that clip on to the pedals but if you feel you're not most cyclists and wouldn't benefit there's no need to force yourself into it.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

Good info re:recessed cleated shoes.

Just to throw an out-of-the-box suggestion into the thread...Chrome makes urban bike messenger cycling sneakers that have reinforced soles that won't bend on the pedals like normal sneakers. They're pretty cool. I bought a pair four years ago and really like them.

You can use orthotics with them.


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## Tschai (Jun 19, 2003)

How far are you riding from your house? Regardless of shoes, if I'm over 5 miles away, I am calling someone. A family member, friend, cab, whatever. Note though that I have only had to call someone once in the last 10 years and that was because I went out unprepared.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

You don't have anyone to call if you have a problem? Then you have a problem, I would work on that first. One is going to have a mech that you just can't fix on the road, it is going to happen eventually. I have tried hitching a ride before, and that works, but it is not expedient.

I always have rode with MBike shoes & SPD, so I can walk around. Wouldn't want to go hiking in them, but if I had to walk 5 miles, I could.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

I have both - shimano road shoes w Look that are impossible to walk in, and some Northwave casual MTB shoes with SPD that I could walk a long ways in. The MTB shoes are fine for MTB and gravel biker. But the road shoes so much more efficient for actually pedalling. I could probably fit the SOLE inserts, but not my orthotics. And I do not need the orthotics for cycling anyways.

And I did have a breakdown that left me stranded once - 2 weeks ago, in fact, LOL. der hanger snapped. No walking, it's what cell phone is for.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

BCSaltchucker said:


> I have both - shimano road shoes w Look that are impossible to walk in, and some Northwave casual MTB shoes with SPD that I could walk a long ways in. The MTB shoes are fine for MTB and gravel biker. But the road shoes so much more efficient for actually pedalling. I could probably fit the SOLE inserts, but not my orthotics. And I do not need the orthotics for cycling anyways.
> 
> And I did have a breakdown that left me stranded once - 2 weeks ago, in fact, LOL. der hanger snapped. No walking, it's what cell phone is for.


Things do happen. And I'd call someone in that situation, most likely. But if there was no one available, even that catastrophic situation could be addressed in a way that would get me home. With a basic mini-tool and a chain tool, you could remove the derailleur, shorten the chain, and turn the bike into a single-speed temporarily. If you were in a hillly place the ride might be tough, but you could get home.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

yes, but don't carry a chain tool usually. I do have a very nice but heavy $40 crank bros multi-tool I would carry it if I was doing this 200km loop here - which is 40km away from anyone in total wilderness at one point. When the hanger broke, I was 5km from home, could have walked but wife was ready to pick me up anyways.


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## Mandeville (Oct 18, 2014)

Purchased a pair of Sidi Dominator shoes and Shimano pedals two sided clip in type. The orthotics I mentioned were a perfect fit and compliment to the function of the shoe.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Mandeville said:


> Purchased a pair of Sidi Dominator shoes and Shimano pedals two sided clip in type. The orthotics I mentioned were a perfect fit and compliment to the function of the shoe.


excellent choice. Enjoy.


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

Great choice... now whatever you do, don't just instal it all and go for a ride..that'll end in disaster.
back off the tension with the allenkey/bolt, then lean up against a wall, learn how to clip in and out, it doesn't feel natural at all to start with, but spen a good amount of time doing that...clip in, clip out over and over. Then go ride on some grass somewhere...so it soft if you fall.


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## crit_boy (Aug 6, 2013)

There is a problem with walking back and road rides - my normal ride takes me about 15 miles as the crow flies from my house (or more from the car when I ride the MUT). I am not going to walk 15+ miles in any shoe. 

Stick some cash or a pre-paid credit card with your bike tools. Then if you are stranded, you can call a cab. 

I have only called for rescue three times - in 20+ years. 1) dislocated shoulder from crash in a race; 2) After an a-hole intentionally (passenger's middle finger out the window) ran me into a ditch with the 25 foot power boat towed behind his truck; 3) broken freehub body on my mtb - I could have walked home after that one, but the wife happened to be nearby in her car.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

In some 20 years of serious riding, most of which I have been riding 500-650 hours a year, I've been stuck so bad with a mechanical problem that I needed a ride home just once, when I got bad chainsuck which jammed the chain between the frame and crank.
I probably could have gotten a ride home from strangers somehow.

I carry the usual tube/patches/pump/tool. My tool's got a chain tool on it but I have not needed it for myself. It's come in handy for other people on group rides however. Same with the spare KMC master link.

Besides practicing clipping in and out, you also need to make sure that your cleats position your feet in the right place on the pedals. When I am setting up new shoes and not copying the position from existing shoes, I carry an allen key of the right size so I can stop and reposition the cleats. It's important to get the cleats in the right position for your particular physiology. Otherwise you can have knee problems.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

Mandeville said:


> Purchased a pair of Sidi Dominator shoes and Shimano pedals two sided clip in type. The orthotics I mentioned were a perfect fit and compliment to the function of the shoe.


I echo the others. Excellent choice of brand and model. Sidi shoes are phenomenal, and will last many, many years.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Awesome! 

So when's the new ride going to be ready?


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