since6

I am trying to figure out what kind of shoe to use in toe clips as I plunge back into the water of vintage bikes, two restored and two in the works.

I have worn mountain bike shoes on my SPD pedal bikes because of their generous box toe which is the only way for me. Are there any shoes you would suggest for toe clips that would have a box toe?

Short of finding the above what solutions have worked for you as shoes to ride toe clips in?

Thanks

brianinc-ville

https://www.chromeindustries.com/pro...&cgid=sneakers

They look like Chucks, but they're not the same thing at all -- they're quite stiff.

JohnDThompson 

Look for MTB style toeclips, as these will have a taller toe box than road toeclips, e.g.:



Nashbar MTB Toe Clips - Nashbar

LouB 

Steel Vintage Bikes in Berlin make a good vintage style shoe (SVB Handmade Cycling shoe) with a creped sole that works perfectly. I just got a pair last week and am very happy with them. A bit pricey but very well built. There is also an outfit in England that makes a nice riding shoe (smooth soled) very reasonably. Google Rufflander. They are the Arturo Cycling shoes.
If you are stuck on sneakers, Merril makes 2 cycling sneaker type shoes (one with leather tops) with very stiff soles.
Good luck.
Lou

Slightspeed

I posted a rant recently about the toe clip requirement for Eroica. Even though I used to ride and race with them back in the day, I hate them now. On a rainy muddy 2016 ride I got caught in the full clips with strap and cleated Vittoria 1976 shoes, and fell twice, banging up the same knee. That combination works great on pavement. Sandy muddy trails. not so much. That being said, I have a new solution. I wear euro 47 size and found these Louis Garneau Nickel shoes at Nashbar for $40. Along with Velo Orange half clips, they work pretty well. The VO clips are slightly taller than my MKS full clips and accommodate these shoes pretty well. I have probably 200+ miles on this setup now, and feel confident that they are a good solution for safety, decent performance (can't really pull on upstroke, bummer) and walkabout. The cool thing is that they work very well with normal spd cleats, and you can leave the cleats on with the half clips, since the cleat is recessed. There are probably other combinations, but these work for me. I tried the Vittorias with old school, but plastic cleats and they work pretty well too with the VO clips. I'm just afraid of the plastic cleats filling up with sand and mud should the roads be muddy again. Total cost <$60. Good luck with yours. The shoes come with a set of black laces, too. I did put a couple of washers between pedal front and clip to give a little more length for toe room. The VO clips only come in one size, as far as I know.

fietsbob

you may seek out REW Reynolds in UK , the maker of hand made traditional touring shoes..

ollo_ollo

Carnac Ventoux are perfect for dual use. Out of production, but still some NOS out there. Usually lack the recessed, SPD cleat insert which is also available NOS, but scarce. My old pair sans insert still work fine for toe clips. Found these pics on e-bay Don

rccardr 

Indoor soccer shoes. All I had to do was snip off a few of the little nips with side cutters.

Mine are Skechers but have seen other brands that would also work well. I have wide feet with a tall instep, and they are euro size 47/48, so not easy to find a pair of shoes that will work. Traditional biking shoes are too narrow. And as much as I'm willing to throw good money around, not worth it to buy custom shoes for the two or three times a year I'll wear them.

I put white laces in mine and they look like bike shoes. Also I use platform pedals without cages, have not been able to find a pair of cages that will accept my foot far enough to work properly- again, large, wide and tall.

79pmooney

The best non-cleated walking compatible shoes I have ever ridden with toecips were the Ranger Oxford moccasin style shoes from LL Bean up until the late '80s/early '90s. They then went to lugged soles which I saw as a curse and never bought. If I saw them again, I'd buy several pairs in a flash.

Ben

mech986 

I had the exact same problem. I eventually used a modern looking shoe and rode it at Eroica California (I notified them about my big feet and difficulty of finding affordable vintage looking shoes) and since without problems. Shimano has wide versions of most of their shoes with generous toe boxes. Since I've gotten older, I've widened to a EEE width. Although I now wear an 10.5 SAS slip on with lightweight sole and super wide toe box for regular shoes, I had to resort to a 46 wide size in a Shimano R088 road shoe, with stiff fiberglass sole. It's an older version but I was able to find a couple pairs at discounted prices via google searches or on eBay. There's a bit more space in the toe due to the larger size but the width and fit across the ball of my foot was more important to me. Definitely try them on before committing.

I did buy adaptable cleats from Yellow Jersey that fit the SPD mounts but instead left them off and had a local shoe repair shop screw in a tough rubber bar across the mid sole where it would butt up against the pedal's backplate. This was to give me some traction capability for walking and hills, as well as to extend the life of the otherwise smooth sole. I then coupled that with MKS Extra Large toeclips which are also a bit deeper and put the ball of my foot more where I want it over the pedal. I run them with straps snug but not tight and slipping in and out of the toeclips is easy without using cleats. If I want that old locked in feeling, I can simply tighten down the straps.

The only downside to this setup is toe overlap with the front wheel on my relatively short wheelbase 72 Italvega Super Speciale, aggravated by my using 700C x 35 Compass Bon Jon Pass tires which are much taller than usual but well suited for Eroica's roads and gravel. In practice, this is only a problem if trying to balance at stops, so I just unclip instead.

Options I considered were the similar fit wide Shimano MTB shoes that likely would provide more and better walking traction since they have a true walking tread sole. I wasn't quite sure whether they would slip in and out of toeclips as readily even without appropriate cleats. They might be more useful overall though than a true road shoe, but me being an old roadie, I stuck with what I knew and sorta with the Eroica look aside from the more modern Velcro and micro-buckle closures. I'm not sure that would pass muster at the Italian L'Eroica though.

The Golden Boy 

I got some really cool 5-10 shoes (the "Dirtbag" model). I really dig them, but they're at the end of their usefulness because I've worn them so much. However, they don't look like they make them like they used to.

The Chrome shoes that @brianinc-ville posted are pretty slick.

The Golden Boy 

Yeah, I keep wanting to type in "brainiac-ville"

spiker

I ride in Merril's. Wear 13EEEE normally. They're a D and if I wore them as my every day shoe my foot would burst thru in a month or 2. Well into their 5th season. Vibran sole is pretty rigid

3alarmer 

.
...I have used the cheapest Shimano SPD mountain bike shoes with toe clips for many years now.

They work a lot better if you don't install the little center pad thingy, and if you use either a wood rasp or a n angle grinder to take off about 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch off the soles in the front portion from the toe to past where it ends at teh back of the pedal. I usually take off about that much on the heels, too, just to even them out for walking.

They work better with MTB toe clips, as mentioned previously. But they will work with regular road clips too, if you shape the clips to fit the toe box. Here are examples of a few combinations that all work well with MTB shoes (modified).

verktyg 

I wear size 10 1/2 EEEE shoes with a high arch (45 or 46 extra wide). For years I fought the "hot foot" syndrome caused by cycling shoes and pedals that were too narrow.

I have a box of shoes that didn't worked for me that would make Imelda Marco jealous!

Maybe it was the soles and heels or the pointy toes! See first pics below.

I wore through several pairs of Avocet Touring shoes that I got in the late 70's. They were very comfortable for both walking and riding. See last shoe picture.

In 2003 I had a total hip replacement. When I got back on a bike, no more cleats or clip-less for me.

About 2006 I found Specialized Sonoma touring/MTB shoes with 3 Velcro straps and a removable rubber pad covering the SDP mounting area. They've been very comfortable but they're about 3/4" too long so I've had to raise my seat height to compensate.

Last year I bought a pair of size 45 Shimano CLICK'R CT41 shoes. They're very wide in the toe box area plus fit my high arches -very comfortable with lots of toe room.

https://www.rei.com/product/878971/s...ike-shoes-mens

I'd been riding the Specialized Sonomas for about 10 years and got really used to the Velcro straps so it took some time to get used to lace-ups again. They have an elastic loop to tuck the ends of the laces under that works well. There's removable plastic plates covering the SPD mounts too.

Toe Clips:

Specialized made extra long flat ended MTB plastic toe clips back in the 90's. Avenir made similar plastic clips too. I still have them on a few bikes. Both had wide, high, square ends good for wide toe box shoes.

You can still find these NOS online as well as similar clips.

One problem with plastic toe clips is they break a lot easier than steel ones. I had several break half way through rides and it was annoying.

MKS started making chrome plated steel toe clips with high square ends. They're called MKS Deep Toe Clips and come in M, L and XL sizes. They're great. I used to bend standard toe clips to this shape.

I like MKS gray nylon toes traps too.

Chas.

Prowler 

Just what the Doctor ordered. Mine are Kelme Star 360 indoor soccer shoes. I ordered mine a half size larger than needed then made ABS plastic inserts for them to add stiffness. The are comfortable all day shoes for me. The soles are pretty smooth so the are in n out of the pedals easily but the soles, designed for hard turns on gym floors, grip the pedals well too. I have my straps set so I can pick up the pedals easily and they hold my feet to the pedals well enough that I can use the full crank revolution. And they're very comfortable off the bike too.

BTW, unlike most sneakers, running shoes, etc - the soles of indoor soccer shoes do not flare outward beyond the footbed. They are the same size as the foot so they fit classic quill pedals nicely, do not hang up on the straps nor rub the crank arms. One challenge is to find all black or subtle colors. Many indoor soccer shoes look like Mardi Gras wear.

jimmuller 

I also though they are a bit heavy. I prefer a lace-up shoe, have always wondered whether lateral Velcro straps would catch on the toe clip.

Then I found the 5-10 Freerider. A "real" shoe with good sole, suitable for general wear, well-made. Been wearing them ever since.

rccardr 

Interesting. I recently purchased a lightly used pair of these in my size, and they should arrive today. Am hoping they will fit well and give me an alternative.

rumrunn6

Lake Cycling 2015 Men's MX100 Mountain Bike Shoes






I have long toes & some issues with wide foot knuckles



was using HiTec hiking shoes (which actually have a roomier toe box great for winter socks & hand warmers stuffed in there)



but the Lake's have a proper rigid footbed. I normally wear size 13 shoes & found the Lake's fit great in size 48 Euro are perfect. warning, they are not winter shoes. I can fit 1 pair of socks & toe warmers but not 2 pair of socks & hand warmers

The Golden Boy 

By the way, I should also note that King Cage and MKS make stainless "wire" toe clips- with the MKS version being about half the price of the King. Bruce Gordon also has some nice half clips in that style as well.

I have the King on one bike and the MKS on a few others.

IMO, the King Cage are a touch more classy. But I don't know about for double the price...



Not my pic^

cdmurphy

Unfortunately, shoes, like saddles are highly personal. There are some general guidelines -- some brands tend to be narrower, or lower volume, while others are the opposite. I'm very much like Chas., at least footwise. 10-10 1/2, with very high arches and a wide mid and forefoot. Feet like ours are apparently either rare, or "uncool" for shoe designers. I'll fit fine in most 44 shoes length wise, but usually need 45 or 46 just to get enough width or arch volume. Leaves me with 1/2" - 3/4" between my toes and the tip of the shoe, but no numbness or hotspots anymore.

What I've found from trial and error, a lot of internet searching, and some luck: For road shoes, I've got a pair of Lake CX300 in the 44.5 size. They're quite wide compared to most brands, with good foot volume. They even offer wide versions, but not any at the bargain closeout prices I try to pay for shoes. They're great for clipless road use, but the plethora of velcro buckles make them a non-starter for use with toe clips and straps.

For vintage riding with toe clips and straps, and theoretically MTB use, I have a pair of Giro Rumble VR in size 46. They're SPD style shoes, but have a reasonably smooth bottom, and no crazy lugs sticking out the edges to catch the toe straps. A size 45 almost fit, but were noticeably lower volume in the forefoot. The 46s are great, with only maybe 3/8" of wasted space at the front, and plenty of room for Specialized BG footbeds and a couple of forefoot varus wedges for my right foot. They're classically styled, with real laces. They're wider, and taller than most vintage footware, so I find I need to use the MKS Deep toeclips, and some pedals may not be wide enough either. Oh, I also ditched the included orange laces, and used a black sharpie to black out the orange accent stripe on the heel. Now they look reasonably vintage -- at least they pass the 10' test.

non-fixie 

I've always trained my feet to wear the snazzy Italian shoes I like. Grateful for that since I re-discovered cycling.

since6

Thanks to you all.

This has been a very helpful post response as I now have a wealth of options to explore. As some have guessed I am training to ride my first California Eroica having restored a Nishiki Cresta Grand Touring bike. Now having re-learned bar end shifters I am now learning toe clips.

My first lesson is that I will run them ultra loose. As one poster has noted I don't want to hang up in the toe clip and fall, and don't want to have to replace a hip or knee.

Some of the suggestions for wire or MTB half clips look like the way to go. I have a Park half toe clip but it just isn't deep enough and I get foot fatigue, so I will definitely look into these new options in toe clips which look like they will be deeper and put the meat of the foot in the same place as my SPD pedals.

As to shoes, beyond having room for my toes with a box end it is trying to get a sole with enough grip so that I don't slide around on the pedal, yet not have too many things sticking out of the sole to again risk hanging up. But again great post as now I have several options to review and research.

Finally I do like buckles and velcro as it is pretty easy to adjust as feet swell during a ride to avoid foot pain. Something I must deal with any ride over an hour.

I will be working on this a lot in the coming week as there are hard training miles ahead and I want to get this right to avoid injury due to bad fit.

So thanks to all for so many great ideas and leads I'll let you know what I end up with.

since6

P1060661.JPG

Follow up from your advice. I got these in the mail and have yet to find time to get them on my pedals and try them with the bike on the trainer.

These are the Velo Orange (V/O) half clips and as you see in the picture they offer a bit more depth for the shoe over my current plastic half clips. This may be significant due to the fact that I am always pushing the toe of my bike shoe forward in the current half clips as I just don't feel the ball of the foot/SPD cleat section of my current shoes are over the meat of the pedal. If the extra depth allows me to achieve this it will be a very good thing. The V/O half clip lip is also both more open and not as long as my current plastic half clips. I hope there will be length enough to hold the toe in under the new shorter half clip.

I may not be able to ride these until Friday as tomorrow is a full day and just getting them mounted may be all the time I have, but once mounted I will put in a couple hours on the trainer Friday. So I should have answers then.

John E

I have used toeclips and straps for 49 years and have no plans to change. I set the straps just barely loose enough to allow me to pull either foot out for a stop or in an emergency, and the only time I went down while still clipped in was when I snapped a first-generation Sugino Mighty Compe crank across the pedal eye on an out-of-saddle climb.

I do miss the old Avocet Touring I and II shoes, which were the best-ever walkable-yet-stiff cycling shoes I have ever owned.

I just bought a pair of Giro Rumble VR, size 43. They work brilliantly with the size large steel toeclips I recently bought on eBay and installed on the Peugeot and the Modell Campagnolo, but I would need to drop down a size or two to fit the medium aluminum Campag. toeclips on my Bianchi. For it, I normally use my pointier-toed Diadora mountain bike shoes, in size 42. (I have the big black plastic clips, which work with just about any shoe, on the mountain bike, but I hate the look of them on a road bike.) I also have some flat rubber soled Lake BMX (I think) shoes, also size 43, which do fit a medium toeclip, so so much for shoe sizing from brand to brand (as we all know from hard experience).