crank_addict

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Steel Vintage Bikes - Online Shop for Vintage Cycling Shoes

Kilroy1988 

Isn't Steel Vintage one of the most respectably retailers for quality V&C cycling equipment? Not sure there's anything surprising about the fact that they have lots of cool stuff available on their site! However, it might be better to go to the source concerning the shoes, seeing as most of what they offer is from HNB.

HNB still makes fine vintage-style cycling shoes:

Real Vintage Cycling Shoes - Workshop HNBShoe

bulldog1935

Excellent. I'll add my Mamnick Hibell shoes to this thread - bought a pair for my birthday this month and really like them - perfect touring shoes for toe clips and straps.

The Hibell Shoe ? Mamnick

crank_addict

In addition to the HNB, they also have a changing inventory of other makes vintage NOS shoes.

Kicking myself for giving away a small lot of shoes some decade ago. I like this stuff again.

rootboy 

Anyone who is looking, and wears a size 41 or 42, send me a PM.
I have a small collection of Detto Pietro, in various models.

Salamandrine 

Thanks for the PSA. I need to get some new shoes for my toe clip bikes eventually.

It's kind of interesting that none of these neo vintage cycling shoes have provisions for a cleat - except Vittoria. I don't remember anyone bothering to get cycling shoes and then ride them with no cleats back when Dettos et al were the norm. Perhaps in the UK it was more normal for a club cyclist.

rhm

Anyone who is looking, and wears a size 44, send me a PM.
I have a pair of Detto Pietro that I don't expect I'll ever wear again.

Edit: Woah! Three replies already.

steelbikeguy

that's a neat source for vintage bits!

The shoes with the SPD bolt pattern might be the best option for mounting slotted cleats, as there are a variety of models made (or were made, and are still in storage).
HNB Shoe Classic Leather Bicycle Shoes - for LOOK and SPD-SL

I can't help but wonder if they are using steel shanks in the soles on the HNB models. Anyone know?
Back in the old days, I had some leather Lambertini shoes that didn't hold up well after getting wet due to the lack (apparently) of a shank in the sole. These were shoes fitted with the long T.A. Anquetil nail-on cleats.

The yellow HNB shoes are pretty wild!
HNB Shoe ClassicCalf Leather Bicycle Shoes
I've got an Olmo that is red with yellow trim.... they might be perfect for it!


Steve in Peoria
(but I've already got plenty of vintage shoes..)

Salamandrine 

The long TA cleats are still pretty easy to find on ebay for some reason. They can be used to convert any leather soled shoe. I'd go that route except both the Masi and the PX have aluminum cage pedals, and metal cleats are a no go. Nail on plastic are tough to find. Leather is a possibility.

yellow jersey has cleats that fit a 3 bolt shoe, FWIW. I don't have 3 bolt shoes.

bulldog1935

I'd still rather have my 1978 Avocet touring shoes, but no one makes anything like those these days. I put them on and took them off 3 years later when they were worn out.

Bikerider007

Prices don't seem exhorbant either. Good to know they get shoes too.

Vintage_Cyclist

The new Shimano RT4 touring shoe has a retro look. Designed for SPD cleats. Not sure how well the soles would play cleat-less with toe clips.

Kilroy1988 

The RT4s look nice, but I would be concerned about the annoying noise the SPD cleat plates would make without cleats attached. I just got a new pair of Bontragers to use with KEO cleats and plan to take little pieces of wood to jam the gaps for the SPD plates, as they are very loose in the bottom of the shoe and click and clack incessantly when I handle them.

Since we're on the topic of alternative retro choices...

Here's a cool post from Perth Vintage Cycles outlining some of the details about a few choices for retro cycling shoes:

Perth Vintage Cycles: Vintage cycling shoes

It looks like HASUS has some retro shoes and particular the VTG01 "Vintage Classic" model meant to be toe clip friendly... My dilemma is not being able to find a single website that sells HASUS cycling shoes!

HASUS CYCLING SHOES Toe Clip cycling shoes> VTG01 Vintage Classic

The Vittoria 1976 Classic is advertised as being pavement-friendly, so I suspect it might go well with vintage pedal setups...

CLASSIC | Vittoria - Italians do it better

The Bontrager Classique can get pricey but is a rather pretty shoe, and can come with a smooth and solid carbon sole:

Bontrager Classique Road Shoe | Trek Bikes

For a budget very retro look that isn't specifically meant for cycling but probably not a terrible alternative, Asics make retro Onitsuka Tiger sneakers based on original designs from the '60s and '70s. They are really running shoes but seem like they might work with classic pedals... In fact I may give these a go sometime to see what kind of comfort they afford for cycling. considering I've used Vans in the past for many miles without discomfort, this may be a realistic choice:

Onitsuka Tiger by Asics Mexico 66® Black/White - Zappos.com Free Shipping BOTH Ways

Salamandrine 

Looks a lot like the Giro Republic, and I'd expect it to work with SPD only, not clips & straps.

Not enough holes, at least for me. Shoes need ventilation for the climate in California. Vittoria 76 look much better in that regard, but apparently the soles are pretty flexy.

I wonder if this new RT4 is to be the replacement for the RT82. Those look better to me, AFA SPD touring shoes.

John E

Those are the Best Ever. I wore out a few pairs of Avocet Touring I and Touring II shoes and wish someone would clone them for today's market.

Kilroy1988 

I just pulled up a thread from 2011 where you were lamenting the loss of your Avocet Touring shoes as well! Another user happened to mention that they use Onitsuka Tiger sneakers for their C&V riding, so that's an experienced vote in favor of my hunch posted earlier... I may definitely have to get a pair!

crank_addict

I had those original Avocets back when. It was the right blend for touring. Grey nylon uppers, suede structure breathed well enough and quickly dried after many miles of wet riding. Simply couldn't tour in a leather racing shoe so the Avocet smartly had that thin stiff rubber sole with mild ribbing molded in cleat.

Been many years but think I finally tossed them after the rubber sole started to disintegrate and split.

non-fixie 

There are at least two versions of the 76. One has a hard sole. I have a pair of those, and, well, they're hard. I've ridden them without cleats in toe clips, and they're quite slippery on the pedals. You'll either need to add cleats or a thin soft rubber stick-on sole to make it work well, IMO.

qcpmsame 

Thanks for the link, filing it away for future use. I went with the Giro Republics since Nashbar had them 50% off plus another code, a month ago. I removed the front pieces for SPD cleats' deck height, and will be smoothing out those locations with a Dremel, those make things too large for toe clips to fit properly. So far, even with the stock sole configuration, they were comfortable using pedals and toe clips/straps. The tabs for the pieces I removed tend to get stuck in a quill pedal.

Bill

bulldog1935

a few more to throw up, which I don't think have been listed yet

The Serbian entry on ebay, which they quit just under my size, but these have a big fan club on CR

A very affordable Brit entry, Rufflander Arturo, injected sole (no vents)


Most people's benchmark touring shoe is the Quoc Pham fixed.


I just prefer the style and especially the large vents on my Mamnicks. Happy birthday to me...
Also to add, the Mamnicks are lighter in weight than my Chrome sneakers.

Kactus

Could you post a photo of the bottoms with your modifications?

qcpmsame 

I will try and post a pic when I get the work completed, no problems.

Bill

Kactus

From looking at photos, it looks like they just screw on. So there's more to them that that?

qcpmsame 

Nope, its just two screws, hex key heads, and the lugs come off. I want to smooth off the ribs that are to keep the lugs in place, and the surrounding flashing shaped like the lugs. This should allow the soles to slide in and out of the toe clips easily. I remember a thread here a few weeks back about applying a rubber sole to an old pair if SPD shoes, they had to smooth out part of their soles. I don't anticipate having to need to go so far as the new rubber soles, as the Republics walk around well with just the heel lug in place.

I'll try and get pics when I smooth the ribs and flashing off, hopefully this weekend. They aren't hard to ride with now, just a fine tuning to suit my CDO (keeping it alphabetical, ya know)

Bill

bulldog1935

another pair to add to this thread
HNB Shoe ClassicCalf Leather Bicycle Shoes