Keen bike sandals or shoes, yah or nay?

[cobalt]

I still have toe clips on my bike but I am thinking of getting "real" road petals. I know that I won't like any shoe that is super stiff and I have wide feet. Not super wide though.

The Keen looks kind of like my Crocs, I am addicted to Crocs.

Does anyone have the Keen bike sandals or shoes and could you wear them in a mini-tri? I am doing a mini-tri that has a 3 mile run and I was wondering if I'd have to change shoes. I doubt I'll ever do another tri, I have arthritis in my left ankle so the running part gives me trouble.

Thank you!

[Tri Girl]

I LOVE the Keen cycling sandals for biking. I do tris, and would never consider running in them even for the shortest distance. They are quite heavy, and do not have much give in them at all- and as such would make a terrible shoe to run in. Plus, you can't run in them because of the cleats (even tho the cleats are recessed and are OK to walk in, you sure wouldn't want to run in them). If you want a great sandal for cycling in the summer months, go with the Keens. They are super comfy and great for summer riding.

[Blueberry]

I'd try the men's if you feet are *at all* wide. I have wide toes, and had to return the women's. I'll probably try the men's this year from REI with by 20% coupon. The women's are quite a bit narrower in the toe than regular keens, and much more so than crocs. And I agree - I don't think I'd want to run in them...

[cobalt]

Thanks for the help! I appreciate it. :)

[sundial]

I don't know if Keen has improved the foot bed but I had a pair of sandals that was unusually stinky. When I called the company they said they had several complaints about the smelly situation. I used to soak the foot bed in Nature's Miracle to get the smell out. I swore to never buy another pair of Keens.

I'm hoping Merrell will come out with a commuter sandal. :cool:

[uforgot]

I vote yah. My favorite summer cycling shoes.

[Cataboo]

I don't know if Keen has improved the foot bed but I had a pair of sandals that was unusually stinky. When I called the company they said they had several complaints about the smelly situation. I used to soak the foot bed in Nature's Miracle to get the smell out. I swore to never buy another pair of Keens.

I'm hoping Merrell will come out with a commuter sandal. :cool:

Not bike sandals, but my keen zerraports get kinda smelly if I wear 'em every day for a week or two. My other keen sandals don't. Then I just pop them into the washing machine and they're fine afterwards.

[GLC1968]

I'd try the men's if you feet are *at all* wide. I have wide toes, and had to return the women's. I'll probably try the men's this year from REI with by 20% coupon. The women's are quite a bit narrower in the toe than regular keens, and much more so than crocs. And I agree - I don't think I'd want to run in them...

I SOOO want to do this, but they don't make the men's sandal in a size small enough for my wide feet. :mad: Actually, they didn't in 2008...I haven't checked 2009 yet. Oooh, fingers crossed!

[Blueberry]

I SOOO want to do this, but they don't make the men's sandal in a size small enough for my wide feet. :mad: Actually, they didn't in 2008...I haven't checked 2009 yet. Oooh, fingers crossed!

My feet have apparently grown 1/2 size (I discovered with black toes last summer). So...the 7 men's should work for me. I haven't checked either - but I wish you luck:)

[AnnieBikes]

Love 'em, love 'em...the Keen's, that is! They don't smell. I wear them year round on the bike (wear wool socks in winter). They are definitely narrow in the toes. They are stiff enough and a little bit heavy and I could never run in them! The cleats are recessed but not 100%. Good luck finding the right size. You will not regret this purchase. I also bought mine last year at this time with the 20% coupon. :) They have a pretty blue color this year for women... they would look really nice with my new touring bike, a Specialized Tri-cross! Nope...I am not buying them! :(

[GLC1968]

Nope - smallest they make is a men's 7. :mad:

If they would make them in the youth sizing, that would probably work for me. I'd need a 5. In fact, I'm thinking of trying out a few of the youth versions of my favorite shoes since they are significantly cheaper! :D

[Bike Chick]

I love mine for riding in the summer but wouldn't recommend them if you do a lot of climbing. They are great for touring, commuting and light riding. I rode them through most of Ragbrai last year but found that the sole gives a little if I am sprinting or standing in a climb. I also have the regular sandals and shoes in addition to my bike sandals and love all three.

[Miranda]

I own the gray Keen commuter sandle w/spd multi-release cleats and I love them. However, I would not expect them to perform under any type of hard riding/training conditions. I have some weird shape foot fit issues, but my Keens are fine. The toes have breathing moving room in the sandles, vs some of my regular road/mtb shoes that are obviously a solid material.

[TsPoet]

I love mine for tours, while you can't run in them, you can walk in them.
I also love mine in the winter! They are perfect for layering any # of socks and waterproof covers. I find them, combined with a sock liner, a wool sock, and sometimes a neoprene water-resistant sock, to be the warmest winter alternative.

[ASammy1]

BF and I have the Newport H2 regular sandals and LOVE THEM! We took them to Hawaii in January and pretty much lived in them.

[emily_in_nc]

I had been coveting these since my cycling buddy bought some last summer, but I just couldn't justify the $115 price tag. Fortunately, with a combination of my REI dividend and the 20% off coupon, I got them for just $48 including tax!

I haven't tried them yet other than for size. I have a narrow foot (between B and AA in women's street shoes, and they are perfect in width and true to size for me.

I can't wait to wear these for errand runs with DH on my Bike Friday this spring/summer and on my mtb for casual dirt road/trail rides after work with my buddy with matching sandals!

I only wish they came in black since that would be best with bike shorts. I got the gray since I thought they'd look better with black bike shorts and two Terry skorts I have with some gray in them (I like these for rides to the farmer's market) than the new blue color.

Can't wait to wear them! :D

[redrhodie]

I'm seriously considering selling mine. I really wanted to love them, but they're just too different from my regular cycling shoes. I just don't feel like myself in them (even though I have lots of Keen street shoes).

[Cataboo]

what size feet do you have? ;)

[redrhodie]

8.5

I wore them half a dozen times, at most. I even tried them on the trainer once. I think they're just not right for my riding style.

[greycoral]

I love mine, both for cycling and regular. In fact, I have gone through three pairs of road shoes trying to find something that fits me as well as the Keens, with no luck. I'm just waiting for warmer weather so I can get out on the bike again in my sandals.

[Brandi]

I have the reg sandals and they are my favorite shoes ever! Just got a new pair in black. I also have red! I do everything inthem. And they are very easy to wear socks with. They mold to your feet after a while. My hubby has two pairs as well.

[LadyinWhite]

I switched to Look pedals from spd on my road bike and my beach cruiser doesn't really need "riding" shoes so my brand new Keens are available if anyone is interested - ladies sz 9, worn maybe a half dozen times last season. Gray color. Message me if you'd like them. Theresa

[Cataboo]

I finally found a pair on keens. I normally wear size 6.5, but can also wear a wide size 6. Typically with keens I ca wear either.

The keen commuters I ended up buying were the size 6 (they didn't have 6.5, and 7's are too big and it was a good enough price that I was willing to risk i)... and they fit fine. They're a bit narrower than my normal keens, but not so narrow that I can't wear the size 6 or that they're uncomfortable.

[jesvetmed]

I've definitely jogged and hiked in my Keen H20 sandals. Excellent for this type of stuff. I'd never jog in bike sandles or shoes of any kind, though. I have to admit, I have a Keen problem -- when I see them, I must have them. I have fat feet, and they are excellent for me. I wear them at work and there is SO much support in them! (much more than you'll ever get with Crocs). And they seem to last forever.

[emily_in_nc]

I have to admit, I have a Keen problem -- when I see them, I must have them. I have fat feet, and they are excellent for me.

Just a heads' up for anyone reading this thread who might be considering Keen Commuter bike sandals, though it's been mentioned before, the Commuter sandals are a bit narrower than typical Keens. I have an "A" width foot (just try finding shoes in that size -- impossible), and the Keen Commuter sandals fit me perfectly. Even sockless! "Regular" Keens I've tried on before have been too wide.

[uforgot]

Just a heads' up for anyone reading this thread who might be considering Keen Commuter bike sandals, though it's been mentioned before, the Commuter sandals are a bit narrower than typical Keens. I have an "A" width foot (just try finding shoes in that size -- impossible), and the Keen Commuter sandals fit me perfectly. Even sockless! "Regular" Keens I've tried on before have been too wide.

Yup. What she said. I have wide feet and had to get the men's. The women's ones were really narrow on me.

[veghead]

Do you guys think these are appropriate for road biking or are they more for mountain biking? I love my regular keens so these sound pretty wonderful to me for summer riding.

Sorry if this is a stupid question. I'm new at this!

[Cataboo]

It depends on what type of pedals you use. If you use road pedals, you can't use these shoes.

I use speedplay frogs on all my bikes (road or mountain), and will use the keens for both.

[GLC1968]

I have to admit, I have a Keen problem -- when I see them, I must have them. I have fat feet, and they are excellent for me. I wear them at work and there is SO much support in them! (much more than you'll ever get with Crocs). And they seem to last forever.

Big ditto to this. In fact, I just bought another pair of Keens this weekend - in the kids size!

I hate, hate, hate that the cycling sandal is too narrow for me. :mad:

[sgtiger]

I use the combinations of Keens with Frogs, and I love it. I did have to carve a bit off the bottom to fit the cleat in. Any other spd type cleat should be fine too.

Personally, I don't like to wear them for rides over 40 miles, especially if they're going to be hilly miles. They are a bit more flexible compared to road shoes. However, many other TE'ers like them just fine for longer distances.