jade408

I got some new shoes a few weeks ago. The latest in hipster minimalist sneakers: Allbirds. One of my bike-riding colleagues has the same shoes, but I didn't know until after I ordered. I asked him what he thought.

His review was they are ok for non-strenuous exercise, as they don't have a ton of support, but they are his absolute favorite bike shoes. And they are his fave shoes because they are really comfy.

Well I got my shoes, and took them for a few test walks. At first blush I was uncertain, they were a bit too sneaker-y for my day to day outfits. But I ended up standing up for most of the day, on day one and found them comfy all day. Amazing because I have not been handling long periods of standing well this year.

Today the weather cleared up enough for me to take them on a bike ride. They were great on my flat pedals! Just enough stiffness.

So what makes them Riv approved, I am sure you are wondering. Well they are made of merino wool. Billed as minimal runners ala Nike Free, but more sustainable. No socks needed. And all the usual wool benefits. The insoles are wool and replaceable too. Also you can throw em in the wash. And my feet felt warm but not too warm when wearing, even in the chilly weather recently.

Check them out! In men's and women's sizes.

Hiro11

The Riv guys advocate Crocs or Tevas and pegged pedals:
https://www.rivbike.com/pages/the-shoes-ruse

I've tried both and heartily agree with their recommendation. Sure we're talking fashion apocalypse here, but what do I care. I wouldn't try it on a fast group ride but for all day at 15 mph, Tevas or Crocs can be awesome.

Onyxaxe

Have either one of you tried Native shoes?. I'm wondering if those soles are as slick as they look.

kevrider

looks like a good option for touring.

GP

They definitely look comfy. If I needed shoes today I'd look into them.

I mostly agree with the Riv guys on this. I've ridden in Tevas and Crocs and got to my destination. If I'm going to ride in non-cycling shoes though I usually go with flip-flops, New Balance running shoes or Top-Siders simply because those are the shoes I normally wear.

canklecat

I like wool but it's a constant hassle worrying about critters that snack on our lovely wool. I've replaced almost all my old cycling garb and general outdoor wear with synthetics that perform just as well. The only wool clothing I've kept is my old Navy pea coat, which hasn't been gnawed on yet.

Several years ago I discovered a new-to-me snacker on natural fibers: carpet beetle larvae. Apparently our then-new apartment was infested with 'em. I noticed the carcasses of tiny beetles, not larger than a pinhead, in the window casing on the outside. Didn't think much of it. But apparently they got inside and the larvae ate zillions of tiny holes in the wool and linen fabrics we had stored in the closet. The plastic dust covers didn't help since they weren't sealed.

Eradicating the carpet beetle larvae was easy -- they aren't resistant to ordinary pesticides, and regular vacuuming takes care of the rest. But I got sealed plastic covers for the few un-nibbled natural wools, linens, etc. In an apartment complex it's impossible to keep out all critters.