Low cost cycling shoes
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Low cost cycling shoes
I've looked at some internet articles about alternatives to cycling shoes. My riding is almost all city with some easy trails and unpaved roads thrown in. There is also the occasional dog sprint. I have platform pedals on my cross country rig and I'm planning for them for my road bike. It has some dinky little things that came on it that I want to replace. I used to have cleats but I sold all my gear a decade ago because I got too fat and I looked silly in it. Have any of you city riders come up with any particular brand or type of shoe you like to ride in that isn't expensive but durable? I will someday be buying "real" cycling shoes but I can't do it right now. BTW I'm not fat anymore. My wife's and MIL's restrictive diets have caused me to shrink.
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I don't ride a roadie bike, but I do use typical BMX style platform pedals. My "cycling" shoes are simple hiker type sneakers. Similar to this. They bite onto to the pedals very effectively, even when wet.
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Adidas Sambas
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Platform pedals with pins and whatever shoe you like that stays on your foot and have a reasonably flat (rubber) bottom (I.e. not inch-long knobs). If you don't have special needs for a specific type of shoe, I'd just buy whatever is comfortable to walk in with the above requirements.
Last edited by CargoDane; 11-10-20 at 03:59 PM.
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If you have a large platform pedal, you don't really need a cycling shoe in my experience. Wear whatever you want and save the money for later if you decide to go clipless.
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I like flat mtn bike shoe like 510s matched to flat pedals with pins.
I have these pedals and like them a lot with mnt bike shoes.
RaceFace Chester Mountain Bike Pedal
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have soft trail running shoes (speed cross 4). The shoe is flexible and it has flexible knobs on the bottom. That's a horrible shoe for anything above 50% power.
I have these pedals and like them a lot with mnt bike shoes.
RaceFace Chester Mountain Bike Pedal
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have soft trail running shoes (speed cross 4). The shoe is flexible and it has flexible knobs on the bottom. That's a horrible shoe for anything above 50% power.
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The main difference is that bike shoes for flat pedals, vs. other non-bike shoes, is the semi rigid sole. A stiffer sole transfers more energy to the pedal rather than the heel collapsing as it does with non-bike shoes. But you won’t find cheap bike shoes.
When I started riding a mountain bike I used hiking shoes and so far they have been fine. I’m sure bike shoes would be better.
I use skate shoes for my flat pedal urban bike.
John
When I started riding a mountain bike I used hiking shoes and so far they have been fine. I’m sure bike shoes would be better.
I use skate shoes for my flat pedal urban bike.
John
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I mostly commute. All my bikes have platform pedals and toe clips (you know, straps and mousetraps) I usually buy inexpensive water resistant sneakers with stiff soles, like skateboard shoes. In the winter I wear the same, but with LEDs in the sole for visibility for the night ride home.
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I use minimalist footwear and rubber-block pedals. If that's not for you, then classic Vans (gum-waffle sole, etc) work great with the DX pedal and its throng of imitators.
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Cycling shoes won’t be cheap but they are great investments. You can find cheap but expect the results of a cheap buy. In all honesty, a pair of decent platform pedals such as some Chesters are really all you need. It always surprises people how grippy they actually are when riding.
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With platform pedals many folks swear by Five Ten Freeriders. They're good, grippy, stiff soles but walkable.
For the past year I've worn Adidas Daily 2.0, basically fancy sneakers, less expensive than Five Tens, grippy for my hybrids with platform pedals, and comfortable enough for long walks. I usually walk 3-5 miles two or three times a week, no problems. I'll buy these again if I can find 'em.
I use clipless on my road bikes but TBH, there isn't much difference in my times and speeds. Whenever I've bought a road bike I'll use platform pedals the first few rides and carry a few tools so I can easily make adjustments as I go. Once I'm satisfied with the setup I'll switch to clipless. But some of my fastest Strava segments were done on those bikes with platform pedals. The only reason I prefer clipless is for the much more rigid soles. I have high arches, skinny, bony feet and get arch spasms really badly without adequate support. Only reason I don't have that problem with my hybrids and platform pedals is I rarely hammer on those bikes -- those are for casual rides, solo and with friends. If I switched completely to platform pedals I'd need to get the stiffest soled shoes I could find for harder workout rides.
For the past year I've worn Adidas Daily 2.0, basically fancy sneakers, less expensive than Five Tens, grippy for my hybrids with platform pedals, and comfortable enough for long walks. I usually walk 3-5 miles two or three times a week, no problems. I'll buy these again if I can find 'em.
I use clipless on my road bikes but TBH, there isn't much difference in my times and speeds. Whenever I've bought a road bike I'll use platform pedals the first few rides and carry a few tools so I can easily make adjustments as I go. Once I'm satisfied with the setup I'll switch to clipless. But some of my fastest Strava segments were done on those bikes with platform pedals. The only reason I prefer clipless is for the much more rigid soles. I have high arches, skinny, bony feet and get arch spasms really badly without adequate support. Only reason I don't have that problem with my hybrids and platform pedals is I rarely hammer on those bikes -- those are for casual rides, solo and with friends. If I switched completely to platform pedals I'd need to get the stiffest soled shoes I could find for harder workout rides.