Clipless Shoes

[krau911]

Again I would like to thank everyone that contributed to my post regarding the Trek Piolts etc. My hsuband is using Look Clipless pedals... do you women have a prefernce brand as it will be my first clipless shoes? Where is the price break for best shoes for the money?

thanks again

great group!!!:)

Sharon

[Tri Girl]

I have Shimano SPD's on my mtn bike and Speedplay on my road bike. I like the SPD's for the mtn bike because they're easy to get in and out of and they are decent with the mud. On the road bike I have Speedplays. I prefer them because they allow a greater deal of "float" in them (I have one bad knee and need that one to have a greater range of motion). They are nearly the same in price, so I guess it's just a matter of preference.
Have fun!! :)

[Eden]

I got Crank Brothers Quattros for my road bikes last year and I love them. They are easy to get in and out of, but are still virtually impossible to accidentally unclip from. They are nice and light and because of the way they work the stack height doesn't vary between my road shoes and mt shoes (the road shoe gets an u shaped piece of plastic that basically recesses the cleat). That means I get to wear my roomier and warmer mt shoes even when riding my road bike in the winter - yeah! I can fit more than one pair of socks on. I have Crank Brothers Candys on my city bike.

[SouthernBelle]

Ae you asking about the pedals or the shoes?

I have a pair of Lakes for winter and a pair of Pearl Izumis otherwise. I have to admit I like the Lakes cause they look like 'real' shoes, and they are soft and warm.

[Aint Doody]

I use SPD mountain shoes/pedals. I just didn't care for the road shoes. Plenty of people use mt. bike shoes on their road bikes. I have Sidis. Yes, they are expensive, but after I got them, I never had numb areas again on my feet. They fit exquisitely.

[LBTC]

Mtb pedals - Candy SL
Road pedals - Quattro

Shoes - Specialized Mtb racing shoe

Love them all! Love being able to use the same shoes on either bike. Love that they are easy to get out of, and the cleats are easy to replace, and the cleats wear out quite quickly which keeps the pedals functioning very well.

On the mtb bike, the Crank Bros. pedals do supe well because they shed the mud so well.

Shoes need to fit you perfectly. Try lots and lots of shoes. You can fit the cleats onto any shoe.

If you're going to use the shoes on both Mtb and Road, if the grips on mtb shoes are too deep there can be difficulties fitting the road pedals without some kind of adapter. But more important than that, and most important of all, they must FIT. Try lots on and good luck!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[TrekJeni]

Road - Speedplay Frogs
MTB - SPD (cause they came with the bike) I'll probably switch to Frogs soon

New road bike will have PINK Speedplay Light Action YUMMY

Jeni

[anakiwa]

I started with Shimano SPD (MTB pedals on my road bike) and Specialized road shoes. I found the pedals were pretty easy to learn on. The shoes caused horrible numbness after pedaling for any significant distance. Eventually I switched to Specialized MTB shoes and bought them a little more roomy- they were much better (and as an added bonus are much easier to walk around in). Then I upgraded to Sidi shoes and Shimano Ultegra pedals (I kept the MTB set-up and still use it on my older touring bike). The Sidi shoes fit really well. I like the ultegra pedals (and the wide platform on the bottom of the shoe makes it a little easier to walk on than most road cleats).

If you're just starting out, SPD (MTB) pedals and MTB shoes may be a good place to start. They're less expensive and offer most of what you get from a clipless pedal. The shoes are also easier to walk around in.

[KayTee]

Road - Speedplay X on Carnac & Northwave road shoes
Mtb - Speedplay Frogs on Northwave mtb shoes

A comment on shoes: I found, too late, that my feet did not fit the tapered-down toebox of the Sidis I first used, even though I bought them slightly large. After several thousand miles in them I ended up several times with bruised nailbeds on my big toes - ow! I switched to Carnac and Northwave (only at clearance sale prices) because the toe area on those brands is more bumped-up and boxy than on the Sidis. So from one who learned the hard way, it's a good idea to take into account any quirks your own feet might have :o

[anakiwa]

One more comment on Sidis- the sizing is way off. I'm typically a 38. My Sidis are 40.5 and fit perfectly.

[indysteel]

I have Keo Sprint pedals on my road bike. Slight learning curve with the pedals, but they're pretty easy to use once you get used to clipless. I like the larger "platform" of the Keos and the grey cleats have enough float for me (Keo red cleats have more; Keo black cleats have none).

I have Sidi Zeta Mesh road shoes. They're a well-made shoe, but as another poster mentioned, they have a relatively narrow toe box. Sometimes my right toes feel a little "twisted" because of it. Also, I agree that their sizing runs a bit small.

[Brandi]

Candy's on my mtb and my shoes which are wonderful are specialized!

[Offthegrid]

I have had problems with plantar fasciitis, so for this reason I use Look pedals on my road bike because they should help keep my feet more stable. I think they are easy to get in and out of.

I also am learning the hard way that bike shoes are way narrower than regular shoes. I'm going to have to replace my expensive bike shoes because they're just too small.

[KayTee]

I forgot to mention that another reason to upsize since bike shoes tend to be snug is to accommodate heavier socks in winter. I wear Woolie-Boolies with adhesive chemical toe heaters in winter and find that a lot of room in the toebox helps for those, too. If my toes are crammed tightly, my circulation isn't as good and my feet get cold quicker. Also the chem toe-heaters need some oxygen to work. In summer w/thin socks my toes appreciate the extra wiggle-room and ventilation.

I believe the recommended Euro size (per LBS and Colorado Cyclist's chart) for my size 6 1/2-7 feet was 37.5-38. Although I wear 39 now in Carnac and NW, my Sidis were 40 and, as noted previously, still too tight and wrong shape for my feet.

[anakiwa]

I may be wrong on this- I have a vague memory of being told (when I bought the Sidis) that the 1/2 size only makes it wider, not longer.

Kaytee- it sounds like you've given up on Sidis, but if you ever try them again, try on the 40.5

[LBTC]

Yes, toe wiggle room was very important to me when I tried on a million shoes in the store. The trouble I had was finding a wide enough toe with a tight enough heal box. I am really happy with the Specialized shoes!

Good luck!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[KayTee]

Thanks, but with a pair and a spare of road shoes plus a pair of lugged mtb shoes now, I hope I'm fixed for a few years hence! My DH wears only Sidis and loves them. He's afraid my bike shoe collecting is getting as bad as my street shoe addiction, ha!

[spokewench]

I've ridden in Sidis all my cycling life almost. I love my Mountain bike shoes. Loved my road shoes. A couple of years ago I was sponsored and got a rip roaring deal on Specialized road shoe. It is okay and I still wear it cause I'm frugal, but it is not as stiff, nice and as well fitting as my old sidis.

I have a fairly slim foot, long toes and a very slim heel so maybe that is the type of foot Sidis fit?

My husband has the narrow version of a Sidi and he really likes those.

[crazybikinchic]

speed play pedals and specialized shoes. I love the double sided entry.

[aicabsolut]

I have Keo Sprint pedals on my road bike. Slight learning curve with the pedals, but they're pretty easy to use once you get used to clipless. I like the larger "platform" of the Keos and the grey cleats have enough float for me (Keo red cleats have more; Keo black cleats have none).

I have Sidi Zeta Mesh road shoes. They're a well-made shoe, but as another poster mentioned, they have a relatively narrow toe box. Sometimes my right toes feel a little "twisted" because of it. Also, I agree that their sizing runs a bit small.

I have Keo Sprints. I use the red cleats though. I agree with the 'learning curve' :o but I really like them. Only downside is that with road shoes those cleats are slippery when you stop at a red light!

I have had a couple pairs of Specialized road shoes (one cheap pair for spinning and a nice mid-price carbon pair for the road bike), and they're great. I've got narrow ankles, and these fit the best in the heel. Especially the carbon shoes which have a neoprene sockliner. The women's shoes get a little narrow in the toebox. The men's shoes aren't too big, but roomy enough for orthotics if that's an issue for you. (that's what I use for spinning).

I really like the different arch support inserts you can get for Specialized shoes too.

[tygab]

I have specialized road shoes (inexpensive ones) with SPDs, as that's what the bike came with and it was my first clipless adventure. This combination is working just fine for me right now. If I were to change, it'd probably be to speedplays. That's what my husband has and he really likes them, but he's used clipless for a long time.