Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Commuting
Reload this Page >

Replacement for Keen Austin?

Notices
Commuting Bicycle commuting is easier than you think, before you know it, you'll be hooked. Learn the tips, hints, equipment, safety requirements for safely riding your bike to work.

Replacement for Keen Austin?

Old 02-21-16, 09:55 PM
  #1  
badgnome
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AUSTINtx
Posts: 62
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Replacement for Keen Austin?

I've had these 4 years and they are starting to wear out. I looked online recently and discovered they were discontinued and replaced in Keen's lineup with a sandal SPD (don't want that). I have looked at Chrome, DZR, Quoc Pham, etc. but haven't found a worthwhile replacement. I wanted durability along with something I could wear to the office. Not looking for something with an edge or trying make a statement, but rather shoe that would blend in. Any suggestions?

Backup plan is to do with stiff non-SPD shoe.
badgnome is offline  
Old 02-21-16, 10:40 PM
  #2  
aggiegrads
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Sherwood, OR
Posts: 1,279
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 336 Post(s)
Liked 309 Times in 180 Posts
For all-day office wear, I don't think that I would find any cycling specific shoe that is suitable. Either it is stiff enough for riding, or flexible enough for walking. Too much of a compromise for me.

Are you looking for something to wear all day, or just for a few minutes at the start and end of the day to wear "through" the office? If the latter, I would also give Dromarti a look. I don't have a pair, but I know a couple of people who do, and they say that they are extremely durable, and polish up pretty well. The can make a pass through the office without being noticed.
aggiegrads is offline  
Old 02-21-16, 11:00 PM
  #3  
badgnome
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AUSTINtx
Posts: 62
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
I bike commute every day and will take trips to happy hour, lunch, outside meetings, grocery store, etc. during the day or on the way home from work.

The Keen Austin was a do everything shoe that thankfully did not look like MTB shoes, so maybe I am asking a lot.

Did see the Giro Rumble VR that looks promising
badgnome is offline  
Likes For badgnome:
Old 02-22-16, 06:49 AM
  #4  
AusTexMurf
Senior Member
 
AusTexMurf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: South Austin, Texas
Posts: 919

Bikes: 2010 Origin8 CX700, 2003 Cannondale Backroads Cross Country, 1997 Trek mtn steel frame converted commuter/tourer, 1983 Univega Sportour, 2010 Surly LHT, Others...

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 48 Post(s)
Liked 15 Times in 12 Posts
Keen Austin Cycling shoes have been discontinued. I love mine for winter riding here in Texas and when I need to wear and blend in while in cycling shoes. I found my 2nd pair online when I found out they were being discontinued at REI. I keep them treated with Obenauf's Leather Paste, a beeswax product, to protect the leather.
And no, I haven't seen an equivalent shoe out there.
Keep us posted if you find an acceptable alternative.
AusTexMurf is offline  
Old 02-22-16, 12:22 PM
  #5  
fietsbob
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,354 Times in 861 Posts
Old Guy, I still Like Birkenstocks.
fietsbob is offline  
Old 02-23-16, 01:00 AM
  #6  
RubeRad
Keepin it Wheel
 
RubeRad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: San Diego
Posts: 10,238

Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Krampus

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Liked 3,400 Times in 2,511 Posts
have you tried looking everywhere online to see if anybody still has stock you can buy? Like if you are size 8 Nordstrom Rack has one pair left, etc.

The most comfortable shoes I have ever owned are a pair of Keen Jaspers that I got from Salvation Army for $3.50. They were pretty well used, after a few months I had to shoegoo some parts of the sole, but they are so soft! Unfortunately all the new Jaspers have garish color accents, mine are nice and all blue-grey. I wouldn't recommend them for biking though, unless new ones have significantly stiffer soles. Mine are like moccasins.
RubeRad is offline  
Old 02-23-16, 08:51 AM
  #7  
aggiegrads
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Sherwood, OR
Posts: 1,279
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 336 Post(s)
Liked 309 Times in 180 Posts
Originally Posted by RubeRad
have you tried looking everywhere online to see if anybody still has stock you can buy? Like if you are size 8 Nordstrom Rack has one pair left, etc.

The most comfortable shoes I have ever owned are a pair of Keen Jaspers that I got from Salvation Army for $3.50. They were pretty well used, after a few months I had to shoegoo some parts of the sole, but they are so soft! Unfortunately all the new Jaspers have garish color accents, mine are nice and all blue-grey. I wouldn't recommend them for biking though, unless new ones have significantly stiffer soles. Mine are like moccasins.
Keen made a bike-specific version. That was discontinued a year or two before the "regular" Austin, and were impossible to find two years ago - the last time I looked.

Keen Austin Pedal Bike Shoes - Men's - REI.com
aggiegrads is offline  
Old 03-22-16, 10:17 PM
  #8  
badgnome
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AUSTINtx
Posts: 62
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Okay just bought my Keen Austin replacements and will try them this week. Here are the $80 Giro Rumbles with their predecessors:

Attached Images
badgnome is offline  
Old 03-23-16, 08:33 AM
  #9  
RubeRad
Keepin it Wheel
 
RubeRad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: San Diego
Posts: 10,238

Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Krampus

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Liked 3,400 Times in 2,511 Posts
They look a lot smaller
RubeRad is offline  
Old 03-23-16, 10:32 AM
  #10  
noglider 
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,691

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 510 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7287 Post(s)
Liked 2,365 Times in 1,382 Posts
Originally Posted by RubeRad
They look a lot smaller
Keen shoes are bulky on the outside, so they look a size or two bigger than they are. I like them because the toe boxes are oversized.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  
Old 03-23-16, 10:41 AM
  #11  
fietsbob
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,354 Times in 861 Posts
A stiff arch supportive Insole adds enough stiffness to make most any Shoe a commuting cycling shoe.
fietsbob is offline  
Old 03-23-16, 11:12 AM
  #12  
RubeRad
Keepin it Wheel
 
RubeRad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: San Diego
Posts: 10,238

Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Krampus

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Liked 3,400 Times in 2,511 Posts
Conversely, enough pedal surface area spreads pressure sufficient to make any shoe a commuting cycling shoe.

In both cases though, people with out-turned feet (like me) need to also control heel strike. I take a box-cutter to old running shoes and remove the inside flare of the heel. And use 20mm pedal extenders. And position my feet a little outboard. Yes my feet basically go sideways.
RubeRad is offline  
Old 03-23-16, 03:56 PM
  #13  
AusTexMurf
Senior Member
 
AusTexMurf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: South Austin, Texas
Posts: 919

Bikes: 2010 Origin8 CX700, 2003 Cannondale Backroads Cross Country, 1997 Trek mtn steel frame converted commuter/tourer, 1983 Univega Sportour, 2010 Surly LHT, Others...

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 48 Post(s)
Liked 15 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by noglider
... I like them because the toe boxes are oversized.
Indeed, agreed. My Keen Austin Cycling shoes are my go to winter shoes in Austin, Tx. Plenty of room for wool socks, including toe box. Wore these through the Ohio winter of 2014 (cold one w/ lots of snow) and they served me just fine as winter cycling shoes while I was working up there. Rode in temps down to -10F or so a couple of times. Kept wool on the feet and beeswax on the leather.
AusTexMurf is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Fly2High
Road Cycling
15
07-24-16 07:10 PM
abstractform20
Training & Nutrition
4
06-24-10 08:50 PM
avocado
Commuting
38
06-17-10 02:47 PM
|3iker
Commuting
67
01-29-10 06:28 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.