MTB Shoes with Deep Cleat Pocket
 

Hey folks,
I'm one of those tandem captains, like many of you, that uses MTB type shoes. I like to have good secure foot placement when placing a foot down at stops. I have been using Fi'zi;k Terra X5 shoes for the last few years and it's time to replace. They are pretty good - good fit for me, didn't look too out of place around my roadie buddies on their singles and were reasonably priced. They had a few problems which I'd like to avoid with my next pair: The 'cleat pocket' (a term I have just learned) is not very deep. This allows the cleat to come into contact with the asphalt first. Just this last Sunday I put my foot down on a white line and the cleat slipped on the smooth paint - until the lugs started to make contact. Additionally, the portion of the sole between the front lugs and the heel is smooth hard plastic, no grip at all really. Putting that portion of your foot down on say a rail or a smooth curb while just walking around off the bike is a real problem.

Have any of you found a pair of MTB (cross country gravel?) shoes that have a decently deep cleat pocket (or conversely, tall lugs), have something 'rubbery' between the front lugs and the heel (or more lugs) and don't look too dorky? A stiff shoe is fine. I'm not too concerned about 'walkability' except when I walk I don't want the cleat to scratch the ground (or sometimes floors!). I know fit is personal but I'll mention that I have a narrow foot, if that helps with the suggestions. I wear the Terra X5's in size 44.5

Thanks for any suggestions.

https://www.rei.com/product/141417/s...17890005612673

I’m a big fan of these Shimano shoes, comfortable to walk in and it seems like I rarely feel the cleat touch the ground.

+1 and they offer a very wide toe box available if needed.

Thanks for the suggestion. We have an REI locally and it sounds like it would be worth while checking them out.
JR
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Another possibility that opens up many more shoe options - have a cobbler glue on additional sole. Or buy sole material and glue in on with 3M 5200. I've done both. A cobbler has turned two road shoes with 3-bolt LOOK style cleats and smooth soles into very walkable shoes where the cleats both last far longer and do not scar good floors.

More recently I learned one leg is a half inch shorter and I've started using 1/4" shims. So I glued 1/4" sole to that MTB shoe with the 5200. (It cures to a consistency like sole rubber and is very both strong and durable. Does not shrink and can fill large voids. Gluing sole material directly over the MTB lugged pattern worked just fine and has been walked on every Saturday morning 's farmers market for years. (I used to use 5200 to glue decks of fiberglass sailboats to the hulls. Secured with bolts every 6-8 inches but you can remove the bolts and pick those boats up by the deck, If there is failure, it will be the fiberglass, not the 5200.) The stuff is expensive, gives you hours of working time, takes several days to cure, powerful solvents to clean up and the tube will cure in days once opened so nothing about it is a small deal, but that repair is permanent,

And to make shoes less slippery - low tech and cheap - Shoe Goo.

I’ve ridden with Sidi MTB shoes on the tandems for several decades. They’re not cheap, but periodically you can find the model you want on-line deeply discounted. They are stable for walking, durable, many different models & widths. I always use SPD multi-release cleats. The styles change very slowly, so you can find replacement parts pretty easily. And, when you’ve worn them out, you can replace them with a very similar model. Examples here -

https://www.amazon.com/Sidi-Dominato...-46&th=1&psc=1

these SIDI shoes fit the bill and go on sale sometimes. they are the best. Wish they made them in women's sizes too.

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/s...ling-shoe-mens

SD 15 cycling shoe - not sure if the link was correct

Hey, you folks are great. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll look around for Sidis, and the cobbler idea is brilliant!

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/ri...=268774-172838

I have these. Really lightweight and comfortable.