Originally Posted by
CliffordK
Hmmm...
Are you wanting to use cleats?
Proou Lombardia Corsa retro cycling shoes
Or without cleats?
Ribó Vintage Cyclist Shoes - Black
The true "vintage" shoes with cleats are a major pain to walk in. But, they are sweet once clipped in.
I do, however, like that ribbed sole design in the Ribó Vintage shoes. Not as secure as the cleats, but they look comfortable, and safe to walk on slick flooring.
I wonder if you had an upper that you liked, if you could find a cobbler that would make a sole that you liked. But you probably wouldn't safe much money.
There is, of course, also the Vittoria shoes that are SPD compatible. Not particularly vintage, but they look nice.
Vittoria Retro 1976 Classic Bike Shoes
I did try SPD shoes with Winwood toeclip adapters, and they weren't particularly successful.
Too thick.
I wish I had know about the Ribo ribbed sole shoes. I just went back to clips and straps after 3 years of Shimano SPD clipless pedals. I like them but found straps and clips fit better with my riding and more importantly muscle memory when it was time for a fast exit.
Sadly the Ribo ribbed sole shoes do not appear to be available in Size 47.
My hunt for clip and strap compatible shoes was difficult but I ended up with Shimano SH-GR5 Flat Pedal Shoes. I will say Shimano shoes are consistantly sized across their product lines, and are friendly for wider feet. These new ones feel as good as my Shimano SPD mountain shoes I was using for my mostly road riding. So comfortable in fact that when I got back from a ride, I would sit down and grab a drink before even removing the shoe. I was going to put the cleat covers back in the soles for toe clip use, but the velcro closure straps hindered entry and release from the toe clip straps.
For the SH-GR5 shoes, I also wanted black (tradition rules
), but the navy blue version was deeply discounted at REI in November (winter sports time). The grippy sole is perfect with my MKS Sylvan Touring Next pedals. I probably should have splurged for the removable Rinko version of the pedals for ease of removal for transport and quick swap back to a SPD-type cleat pedal. I also used MKS deep toe clips so I could also use sneakers or my Merrell hiking shoes for short local or quick rides.
Back when I used the old-school slotted cleats and quill pedals, I has a set of Guerciotti leather shoes with very soft perforated leather. I had a cobbler install flat heel pads mainly to avoid wear on the sole, but also to make it slightly easier to walk. I also used Bata Bikers, but they no longer fit my older, wider foot.