Shoes

[velo729]

Very new to cycling this year (mid-life), I have mountain pedals on my yet to be used road bike; looking for mountain bike shoes I am tall (5'11") slim with narrow feet (US 9.5-10.5). Any ideas on a reasonably priced shoe with a good fit?

Already have a hybrid (whic I love) and only road it 2 months before the snow flew. My road bike was recently purchased, currently on a trainer, and I am apprehensive about this road thing (i.e., clipped in, skinny tire, falling, etc). Any vote of confidence would be appreciated as I have 4 months to psych up my courage?

[Owlie]

If/when I get around to switching to clipless, the biggest selling point for SPDs for me are these:
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodKE_5264.html
I have the street shoe version and wore them to ride until it got cold. Other than that, no idea.

[sarahspins]

My only advice on shoes is to go try some different ones on, and don't get too attached to the idea that you have to buy women's shoes - try everything you can that's compatible with your cleats

Then, you have time in the trainer to get used to clipping in/out, so I really wouldn't worry about it much. I went clipless several months ago and I've had one close call (in grass) but no actual falls... I figure if/when I do fall it's going to come long after I've really gotten used to riding clipless, because right now I still think about unclipping before stopping.

[chicagogal]

Very new to cycling this year (mid-life), I have mountain pedals on my yet to be used road bike; looking for mountain bike shoes I am tall (5'11") slim with narrow feet (US 9.5-10.5). Any ideas on a reasonably priced shoe with a good fit?

Already have a hybrid (whic I love) and only road it 2 months before the snow flew. My road bike was recently purchased, currently on a trainer, and I am apprehensive about this road thing (i.e., clipped in, skinny tire, falling, etc). Any vote of confidence would be appreciated as I have 4 months to psych up my courage?

First of all, there is no reason to be apprehensive about riding the road bike. You will absolutely LOVE it. The skinny high pressure tires only make you go faster - just be a little careful of potholes and stuff on the road, as they are designed to work best on smooth surfaces!

In terms of shoes, why did you decide to go with mountain pedals (SPD?) on the road bike? Not that it really matters, those pedals are fine. I have KEO pedals on my road bike, and have road shoes (performance brand). On my hybird (tricked out with cross tires), I have SPDs, and I wear mountain shoes (pearl izumi brand) as this bike is set up for riding off-road.

You don't need mountain shoes per se to use your mountain pedals. You can usually put spd cleats in road shoes, so your options are pretty limitless in terms of what shoes to by. Just find some that are comfy. Also, having a lot of ability to adjust midride is important, as feet can swell on long rides or if it is very warm out.

[rubywagon]

I have Shimano multi-purpose pedals on my roadie and Shimano mountain pedals on my mtb.

I have a pair of Shimano SPD cleats on my Specialized Taho mountain shoes:

http://bicyclewarehouse.com/product/...te=google_base

http://www.ubcbike.com/store/product...ACK-GREY-BLUE/

I love this setup. The shoes are comfortable, fairly narrow, and decently priced. I love that I can wear the shoes while riding both of my bikes.

[velo729]

Thanks for your replies and great advice.

Tried on a number of shoes, and scored a pair of Sidi bullets at 50% off at local bike store's Boxing Week sale today. Wahoo!!

Thanks also for words of encouragement/advice re: road bike fears -all very helpful.

Love this forum

velo729