Mtn Bike Shoes vs Road Shoes

[jodz1984]

Hi, i have just recently started riding a Road Bike, before this i have always ridden mountain bikes. To save money when i got the road bike i got the bike shop to transfere my mtn bike pedals onto the road bike so i didn't have to buy new shoes at the time. But now that i have got into riding and i am loving it, i am wondering what ppl's opinions about the difference between the types of shoes.

The shoes that i was looking at getting are Sidi Genuis 5.5 Carbon Luxury. I know they are expensive and prob a bit overboard for a first pair of shoes, but in my current shoes after about 40km (25 miles) i get pain on the ball of my right foot. Also the local bike shop owner has been mentioning that i should get into racing next season even from my second ride with the group.

There is probably heaps of threads about this but i couldn't find one that had the info that i would like.

Thanks in advance for your input.

[singletrackmind]

I use my Sidi mtn shoes with my road bike. I can walk in them decently and while they aren't as stiff they fit the bill well enough. I do not, however, race road bikes nor do I care if I don't get every scrap of pedaling power possible.

Road shoes=stiffer, cleat sticks out, harder to walk in, made for speed, you shouldn't be walking much in a road shoe anyway.

Mtn shoes= a little more flexible, recessed cleat, tread, easier to walk in for those times a hike-a-bike is necessary.


As far as the pain goes there are more reasons than just shoes that can cause your problems. That's an area I'm not well versed in, but perhaps a little more info and some of the fine people here can give you some ideas?

[Grog]

You could consider getting stiffer mountain bike shoes, such as the Sidi Dominators (which have a strong following among TE ladies, myself included, I must say). Just as stiff as road shoes, but "walkable" (to some extent) and compatible with your current pedal system.

I did have ball-of-the-foot pain with my "softer" mountain shoes which were in fact touring shoes. The soles were really flexible, good for walking even a fair distance (not miles and miles but still), but very painful to cycle more than an hour in. But not all mountain bike shoes are soft.

Edited to add: As far as shoes are concerned, what you pay is often what you get. I find the top-of-the-line shoes too expensive for what they offer, but in the $150-250 range there are very reasonable options. Cheaper shoes have not worked well for me.

[jodz1984]

Hi, thanx for the input. I have shimano road pedals that i got with my bike when i got it 2nd hand (but only used a few times) so i have the pedals and i wouldn't mind being able to put the pedals back on my mtn bike so i can ride that with my hubby. i get bored when i ride my road bike and riding with him, lol. The road pedals are currently on my mtn bike, but as u can imagine it is difficult to ride with them, i was was deciding if i should just put normal pedals on or spend the money now and get a good pair of road shoes that i won't want to upgrade for ages. i don't do any walking when i am road riding except on weekend when i walk a couple a very short distance to have a social drink with the ppl i ride with.

[singletrackmind]

Grog has a point on the get what you pay for. My cheaper mtn shoes lasted 2 years before they fell completely apart. My Sidis are 11 years old and still going strong after all these years of wet/dry/sun/mud/repeat abuse.

[Biciclista]

you can't compare road shoes to MTB shoes because you can actually walk comfortably (and safely) in MTB shoes. Most of my road bike friends wear MTB shoes,
I love my Sidi dominators.

[SadieKate]

My Sidi Doms are only safer to walk in due to the lugs, but they're not any more comfortable. The sole is just as stiff as my Sidi Genius road bike shoes. Neither are meant for doing a lot of walking. The Doms just give you more grip when walking.

[Biciclista]

that's what makes them more comfortable. I know i'm not going to slip and kill myself. I originally bought myself a pair of road shoes and found a 10 foot walk down my driveway to be perilous.

[SadieKate]

I guess it's more comfortable from a grip standpoint, but walking on a stiff sole for very long is not comfortable and you can get blisters from the heel slipping.

Does anyone sell touring shoes any longer? They were more meant for actual walking.

[Grog]

Does anyone sell touring shoes any longer? They were more meant for actual walking.

Louis Garneau makes some. I have a pair, but I would never use them for touring that involves climbing significant hills and riding long hours. They really make my feet hurt. They are great on flat pedals (without cleats) though.

[Miranda]

My vote is get the best fitting, stiffest road specific shoe you can find. For the road (+widest most supportive road pedal). Put your mtb pedals back on that bike--use those shoes w/it. And the new road shoes w/the road bike.

I have some major foot issues and part of is attributed to too much ill pressure on the ball of my foot. I started just like you. Mtb shoes (all I had at the time) and my road bike w/mtb pedals. There is a campus pedal (one side mtb spd, and one side platform) on my mtb now. On actual mtb trails--it sux to no end. I want to be clipped in, but have to look down to see if I'm on the correct side. On tight switch backs etc., there is no time for that as you know (eyes ahead on the trail at all times to avoid crashing).

For road riding--you are not on and off like the mtb. Which I'm a weenie--so I'm pushin my bike sometimes and need to be able to walk/have grip on trails I can't clear all the obstacles.

If you are in a situation for road you will be walking, you can do a couple things. Look and SpeedPlay both make rubber covers for their cleats. If it's just a short in and out somewhere, you can pop em on out of a jersey pocket. Look came out with "new grip cleats". Which is suppose to help the walking safety thing. But, I don't really like it cuz I think the dumb rubber thingy makes it stick when clipping in and out--read: makes it harder.

Also, if you could find a way, a very compact light pair of flip flops would work for a longer stop. I saw on one bike website some type of folding shoe for this very reason (ad showed them sliding into a jersey pocket). Seems like I went to a salon once and they had some weird flip flips that did this after a pedicure to let the polish dry better vs putting back on a solid shoe over the toes. I saw a tourer guy whip out his flip flops out of the saddle bag and change to enter the shop. #1--he could walk fine then, #2 the shop was happy because the cleats were not tearing up their hard wood floors.

Shoe brands... Sidi's are great shoes if they fit you right. A nice stiff carbon sole, and a buckle system is good. Long story short, unfortunately my Sidi's contributed to my foot problem. My foot is shaped like a scuba diver's fin. Very square toe box area. Sidi's are more curved or pointy in the toes. This squishing of my toes is what contributed to my Morton's neuroma tumor (can be source of foot numbness). I have ordered/tried on many brands of shoes. The ones I *think* are going to be the winner for me are Mavics. I need the super narrow heel cup (which mens shoes w/typically wider toe room do not have, aka wider all over, including heel)--so ladies shoes fit good in that respect. The Mavics are more rectangular in the toe box--but narrow heel & overall lower volume foot (not too much vertical height to bump ankle bone). I have not rode in them yet (thus have holded off posting for full report), but I own the ladies Mavic Xena road shoe. Very light nice stiff carbon sole... nice secure buckle system... breathable roomy mesh for toe box area. Here is a link...
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/product-apparel/2009-mavic-xena-women%27s-shoes-5604.2233.0.html

:)Good Luck!

EDIT: Here is a link that shows a couple styles of road cleat covers I mentioned. I have read some people complain they can fall off. But, they are pretty cheap--so maybe worth a try. FWIW. http://search.performancebike.com/search?p=Q&ts=custom&w=cleat+covers

p.s. RE: the search function... it indeed can be overwhelming on here with a ton of helpful info... but I believe there is a way to do an "advanced" search... you could try my user name, *plus* your topic related to your pedal/shoe/foot pain issues and find all my epic blabbing about it. That might help narrow things down some for you. Plus, look at where the "key word" is listed on the forum... gear, health related, etc... that helps you narrow down which thread to pick first for viewing.

[cylegoddess]

I started out with mtn bike shoes with mtb cleats for my road bike.It was easier to learn to clip in and out. I now have stiffer road bike shoes, with Mtb cleats and working on getting Rb cleats. The shop guy( who is trusty) told me that it is harder to clip in and out of RB cleats.
So if you have problems( like chronic fatigue) or are not too strong, stick to MB cleats until your better.
I am still having issues on bad days so I find that the MB cleats work fine, but I am not riding further than 35 km at a time.

It is hard walking though,,in RB shoes even with MB cleats. I get plenty of stares and they seem super slippery if I go to the shops.

[madscot13]

I have a pair of Sidi Dom's I got for real cheap. They are actually a men's size 38.5. wo a touch bit wider than women's sizes. The shoes fit me quite well but I've never owned any other pairs. I don't like walking in them a lot because sometimes my ankle rolls and it's not my ankle that hurts but it is pinching on the sides of the top part of my foot. And besides as much fun as it is to wear a nice pair of Italian shoes, they give me a weird gait.

[Aint Doody]

Today 4 of us were riding together. One of the ladies had her tire to blow totally. It had a gaping rip in it. The other 3 of us hopped on bikes to get to a convenience store about 3/4 mile away. She started walking. She has MB Sidis. Amazingly the man in our group fashioned a boot out of a piece of a Coke can and some strong tape! A dollar wouldn't have worked. She said a couple of times she was soooo glad not to have on road shoes. The boot held long enough for us to get back to her car--6 miles.

[Grog]

Today 4 of us were riding together. One of the ladies had her tire to blow totally. It had a gaping rip in it. The other 3 of us hopped on bikes to get to a convenience store about 3/4 mile away. She started walking. She has MB Sidis. Amazingly the man in our group fashioned a boot out of a piece of a Coke can and some strong tape! A dollar wouldn't have worked. She said a couple of times she was soooo glad not to have on road shoes. The boot held long enough for us to get back to her car--6 miles.

A friend of mine had a similar thing happen to her. She was on a really nice, fast bike-only road that no cars can get to. She had to walk over 2 miles in her socks. I think I found road shoes to be too limiting for me, and making me more vulnerable.

[Bluetree]

You're getting differing opinions here, but before you buy, you should take stock as to what kind of person you are.

If you truly want to race, you will want to get the stiffest and highest quality road shoe you can afford. The female racers I know have a greater sense of fearlessness than non-racing women, and are willing to put performance over practicality. Are you that type of person? Do you see yourself becoming that way?

If you are a more cautious type, and see cycling as more of a way to get from place-to-place (and see yourself walking around in stores) then maybe your needs are different. Are you the type that is very concerned about everything that can possibly go wrong in a ride? If so, perhaps MTB shoes are for you.

[Grog]

+1 what Bluetree said. Very wise.

[MM_QFC!]

you can't compare road shoes to MTB shoes because you can actually walk comfortably (and safely) in MTB shoes. Most of my road bike friends wear MTB shoes,
I love my Sidi dominators.

+1 - yep,I love my Sidi dominators too...as I like to be able to comfortably walk....into the bakeries and bars along the way! :D

[supercutie]

I have been riding for a decade or so now...on and off. I have a Road bike and a Mountain bike, I have road shoes/pedals and SPD's. After riding my second El Tour de Tucson, which includes a couple of wash/ "river" crossings (I say "river" because they are rarely running so it's a hike through 4-6" of sand) I decided to put SPD peddles on my Road bike. I've never gone back. I have the Sidi Dominators, my only complaint; they're black and in the Tucson summers black is not a shade of choice.
I too had problems with pain in the balls of my feet. It all comes down to how much pressure you apply to the ball of your foot while riding. I have learned to ride as lightly as possible. This means using the connection of the shoe to the peddle to my advantage. When you pull up and scrape back for peddle strokes, you do no need to apply much pressure with your foot. In fact, the only time you need to apply the full pressure of your foot is out of the saddle, you have no choice.
I also make sure my foot has some wiggle room. I wear a size 6 street shoe, which translates to a 38 cm. I wear a 39 cm in Sidis. This way I came accomidate expansion of my foot during long rides and summer heat; not to mention thicker socks in the winter.
Hopefully by now, you have already been taught this by a good coach. I am fortunate enough to be married to a world class bicycle mechanic and coach.
Supercutie

[jodz1984]

Hi, i got some shimano road shoes, and pedals, and they are awesome, i have changed my pedaling style, so i hardly push on the pedals and don't have the same problem anymore, but i find there is no comparison with the being able to be out of the saddle going up a steep hill with the amount i can pull up on the pedals without thinking my feet are about to slip out. the only time i put much pressure downwards of the pedels is when i am sprinting or out of the saddle riding up a hill. so i probably wouldn't have the same problem with the old pedals and shoes now, but i do prefere the road shoes and pedals.

I have got a coach since making this tread and have improved a lot of aspects of my riding since then. still a long long long way to go though. i have just started racing on the track (went up a grade after only 1 week and still won races) then next road season i'll be racing that. i beat a lot of the guys i ride with which doesn't impress them at all.

Thank you for the reply, and good luck with your cycling

[ChillyWilly]

I'm doing my research and reading everything I can about which way to go when I buy my first clipless setup. From this forum, I am beginning to see that mtb clipless might be the best way to begin. Easy in and out for my Fear of Falling problem, and a better way to go when the need to walk arises.

With that in mind, I'd love to hear your thoughts on which brand to buy. Shimano gets alot of coverage, as does Crank Brothers. I've heard Shimano quality far outreaches Crank Brothers, but Crank Brothers eggbeaters (are they mtb style?) gets the nod on easy to use?

I'm so overwhelmed with everything my little brain is trying to absorb on my journey into road biking.

I'm off for another bike fit Monday (second fitting on a new bike just purchased last week. Severe hand pain while riding and hard to brake!!) so I thought that since I"m paying for a fit, and fittings are all about getting the clips right, I should go in there ready to do just that, go clipless. And with your help, I'll arrive knowing just what shoe and clipless system I want to be fitted too.

Thanks All

[jodz1984]

i ended up with shimano spd road shoes and pedal's, i use them on 3 bikes and love them, i don't notice much difference with clipping and unclipping between my mountain bike pedals and these road pedals. i even use them on my mountain bike because i started training on my mountain bike on the road for more toughness and i was getting sore knee's with the other ones. so i use them on my road bike, track bike and mountain bike. walking i don't find a problem in them just have to walk a bit weird but never felt like i was going to slip or anything like that.

i think i am extremely lucky with the bike shop i go to, coz i ride with them they fit me on the bike for free and keep adjusting whatever needs adjusting, which at the moment is constantly since i am pregnant and with the changing body there was even parts he changed for me and lent me the parts while i'm pregnant, like head stems on the road bike and mountain bike as well as a different saddle for the road bike too.

[zoom-zoom]

You could consider getting stiffer mountain bike shoes, such as the Sidi Dominators (which have a strong following among TE ladies, myself included, I must say). Just as stiff as road shoes, but "walkable" (to some extent) and compatible with your current pedal system.

I LOVE mine. I have no plans to ever do mtn biking, but I am considering cyclocross next year (still healing a bad sprained ankle from June, so no off-pavement exploits for me on bike or on foot for a long while). These shoes will be perfect for that and I am perfectly happy with them on the bike, too. I like my Shimano 2-bolt SPDs. I can clip in an out faster than many people on bikes with "road" pedals (I tease my hubby, since I am a noob, but frequently am up and pedaling while he is still trying to get re-clipped from a stop with his Look pedals).

Where are you having foot pain, precisely? I was having some peroneal tendon-area pain (outside of the foot, opposite my arch) that I solved by wedging my cleats (thicker side of the wedge on the medial side). I actually found cleats with a built-in wedge that work perfectly.

ETA: I just now realize that this is an ancient thread...carry on. :)

[Dog]

I've only ridden with MTB shoes (including teaching Spin classes). I've looked at RB shoes, but haven't seen the need to change. I've done several century and century plus rides and never experienced problems. Also used them for a 4-day fully loaded tour and didn't have a problem. Sometimes ignorance is bliss :)

[jodz1984]

hi guys, thanks for the info, i decided on road shoes, and i found a huge difference with them especially that i started racing track too, i wouldn't have been able to do that as good in mountain bike shoes i don't think. i am about to purchase my 2nd pair of road shoes, but because of the ones i have been ruined but because with the amount of riding i want an upgrade. i am about to buy some specialized s works carbon road shoes, can't wait.