CrimsonEclipse

I use a pair of Sidi shoes for riding, but when I have to climb up wooden stairs on a rainy day (while carrying the bike), I have almost no traction and frankly, it really dangerous.

There is not much real estate on the bottom of the shoes, but is there anything I can add to make my climb a tad less suicidal?

Koyote

Get some MTB shoes and pedals.

Otherwise, remove your shoes to carry the bike upstairs.

urbanknight

OP's pic seems to show MTB shoes, albeit with minimal tread blocks.

If those aren't enough, maybe go for a fuller sole, which tends to be common on touring or commuter shoes, and sometimes lower end MTB shoes. They will be more flexible and heavier though, so if you don't want that go with Koyote's suggestion and remove your shoes for the stair climb.

Koyote

Oh, gosh, you’re right! When the OP complained of slippery-soled cycling shoes, I just assumed that they were road shoes. Did not even look at the photo, I guess.

I agree with your suggestions… there are plenty of great SPD-style shoes with good tread that makes walking pretty easy.

CrimsonEclipse

Right, forgot about the additional problem. These are the only shoes that will fit me.
Wide foot, limited selection, yadda yadda.
So that contact patch is all I have to work with.

Was thinking of some kind of sticky sand paper or rhino liner.

I ordered spikes and might sharpen them a bit but that's a wild assed guess if it'll even work.

So I'm asking what I can do with THESE shoes.

Camilo

Put some strategically placed blobs of Shoe Goo on the treads to increase traction. Maybe rough up the spots you plan to put it on with some coarse-ish sandpaper to increase adherence.

This is the first, and very cheap and easy, thing I'd try. I've done this on other shoes when the soles are or get slippery because of wear, and it's grippy enough to help quite a bit. They probably will wear and fall off, so probably will be a 2 minute "maintenance" item you'll have to do every once in a while, rather than a permanent fix.

urbanknight

Aren't those Sidis? The most notoriously narrow shoe on the market? In my experience, their Megas are still narrower than the regular width Shimano, Lake, or Northwave shoes (all of which also offer a wide version).

ok ok, I wonder if you could dip those tread blocks into Plasti Dip rubber coating. You know, the stuff people coat their tools with to get a better grip or avoid electric shock.
Edit: that shoe goo suggestion might work as well. Bonus for these two options is it shouldn't be too hard to remove it if it doesn't work... I hope.

wolfchild

That's why I use platform pedals and regular shoes. More practical and walking is a non issue.

seypat

Slip on shoe covers?

Trakhak

Buy a roll of anti-slip stair tape.

staehpj1

I was going to say get some Kool Kovers, but those look like MTB shoes that use two bolt recessed cleats like SPD or whatever. So that is a no go. There is a spd cover that might work. It looks like this one might help:
Exustar E-CK2B Cleat Cover, Black
I know nothing about it, but have used Kool Kovers on road cleat and they worked well enough to be helpful. These may be worth a try.

Not sure what sidi model that shoe is, but my sidis aren't that bad to walk in. Maybe just learn to take your time and be real careful on the stairs?

BTW, those who say the Sidi Megas aren't as wide as other brands... That hasn't been my experience. They fit my wide feet better than other brands. I guess they could be factors like shape of the shoe, how high the instep is and so on that could be factors.

freeranger

Not sure what you meant by shoe covers--but a pair of rubber galoshes made to slip over shoes might work. Maybe leave them at the foot of the stairs, if you don't want to carry them along with you.
Amazon.com : galsoshes

seypat

I should have said cleat covers.

https://www.amazon.com/bike-cleat-co...8&node=3403291

Trek730

Put grip strips on your steps.

Iride01 

I got my first pair of Sidi's about 1˝ years ago. They were much narrower tread on the bottom than the Pearl Izumi mountain bike shoes I'd been riding with for a long time. So I too had to re-learn how to walk in them.

I don't have to climb a flight of stairs in them, but perhaps you'll learn again how to walk and climb with confidence in them just as I did.

I even had to learn how to clip in again as my feet missed the pedals the first few rides with them.

seypat

Something like this. Leave on the stairs.

https://www.amazon.com/Cleatskins-Bi...eation&sr=1-19

rumrunn6

is this a seasonal problem or year 'round?
do you own or rent? meaning can you make changes to the steps?
I see lots of products that can be added to the steps

https://slipdoctors.com/collections/...SABEgLebvD_BwE

https://www.amazon.com/Ottomanson-Ru...88426828&psc=1


https://traxiontreads.com/slippery-e...eal-with-them/

https://www.hardwarestore.com/633157...SABEgK1sfD_BwE


https://www.amazon.com/MBIGM-Non-Sli...088014561&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/outdoor-grip-...ape+for+stairs

https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/stair-treads-outdoor


https://www.wayfair.com/Fleur-De-Lis...CABEgKpo_D_BwE

or change the shoes

good luck!

staehpj1

I have a couple pairs of Sidi mtb shoes, Dominators and a cheaper model. I have owned other sidi mtb models before that (they seem to keep changing the name of the lower end models). I never had much trouble walking in any of them other than it took a good bit of care on slippery rocks. Any "civilized".places like floors, sidewalks, or stairs they were all a complete non issue other than the cleats tearing up the floors a bit. I did extended tours with them as my only shoes and did some fairly long day hikes.

I did buy trail runners mid tour on one multi week tour when I knew I would be spending a week day hiking in the Yosemite Valley. The of the trails were slippery rock (I'd probably have had a rough time on the Mist Trail in my Sidis) and a week of hiking in them would be a bit much. An alternate solution would have been to take the cleats off for the week of hiking.

seypat

Regarding wide shoes, Lakes are the brand to try.

terrymorse 

If those were my shoes, I'd grind down those ludicrous plastic lugs and glue on some rubber sheet that actually has some traction.

I've done that with my road shoes (heel and toe), and it works great.

I use 75 durometer SBA sheet from Grainger (same stuff shoe heels are made of).

The best glue to bond this type of rubber to a plastic shoe bottom is 3M Scotch-Weld Pr40.

The bottom of a shoe is a tough environment, and it needs a tough and durable fix.

The Plasti Dip coating doesn't adhere very well, and it's much too soft to be durable.

I have also tried the Shoe Goo method, which has a decent toughness. It worked for a while but came off fairly quickly.

The only long-lasting solution has been the rubber sheet, attached with 3M glue.

Koyote

This isn't about you.

pdlamb

The best results I've gotten with Shoe Goo comes after I make sure the sole surface is clean and dry, and then make sure I let it set the full 48 hours before wearing the shoes. Anything less and the Shoe Goo comes off within a couple weeks.

I'll have to try the rubber sheet.

CrimsonEclipse

Thank you Terry. I'll likely try that if the glued sand paper (or slip stop) doesn't work.
I've seen some rubber soles that I could probably modify to use without blocking the pedals then glue like you suggested.

I sincerely appreciate a direct answer.

(not for terry):

"I ride a Big Wheel with clown shoes, then install an escalator with a rocket engine!!"

JFC people, try to focus!

Be like Terry

terrymorse 

A phrase I mutter under my breath, several times per day.

79pmooney

Yes, Shoo Goo or much better and much more expensive: 3M 5200. The 5200 will outlast the shoes at everything but wear. (It will wear like a good shoe sole, maybe faster than the near plastic of a cycling shoe sole but applied properly, it will not peel off or break. Weather, water, abuse, age - doesn't matter. (It is the glue used on sailboats to stick the deck to the hull. Yes, lots of bolts are also used and considered essential but their primary purpose is to squeeze the glue uniform. Once dry, you can pick up that sailboat by the deck with no screws in there at all. Don't! The fiberglass might well de-laminate.)

Its about $25 for a grease gun tube. The tube's contents start setting up when you break the seal so you have maybe three days before tossing. So line up all your shoes and other projects. You have plenty of working time and it takes nearly as long for your job to set up as what you did not use. I've used it to glue shoe sole material to my cycling shoes and added 5200 tread where needed. Its just part of the shoe when you finish. Comes in bright white or black. West Marine carried it for years and I am sure still does.