Shoes for Clips

Quoted message said:

Hi,
Can anyone recommend cycling shoes (preferably "trainer" style
touring ones, that are OK for walking in) that work well with
traditional toeclips?

They all seem to be "spd-compatible" these days with pop-out sections
in the sole. My only experience to date with this style (A Cannondale
of some sort) was disastrous, as the pop-out section started leaking
almost immediately, rendering them useless in puddly weather...

Not all SPD compatible shoes have a pop out section. Some have a cut
out section instead (I think my current Shimanos do). Just leave it
uncut.

Tim

in message <[email hidden]>,

(') said:

Hi,
Can anyone recommend cycling shoes (preferably "trainer" style
touring ones, that are OK for walking in) that work well with
traditional toeclips?

They all seem to be "spd-compatible" these days with pop-out sections
in the sole. My only experience to date with this style (A Cannondale
of some sort) was disastrous, as the pop-out section started leaking
almost immediately, rendering them useless in puddly weather...

Silicone bathroom sealant (applied to the outside of the shoe around the
pop-out section) will prevent water coming in through the bottom. But try
clipless pedals - they are /miles/ better.

Quoted message said:

Hi-Tec used to make some great "canvas" MTB boots, they seem to be
long gone :-(

SIDI make wonderful MTB boots, but they ain't cheap!

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Age equals angst multiplied by the speed of fright squared.
;; the Worlock

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,
Can anyone recommend cycling shoes (preferably "trainer" style
touring ones, that are OK for walking in) that work well with
traditional toeclips?

They all seem to be "spd-compatible" these days with pop-out sections
in the sole. My only experience to date with this style (A Cannondale
of some sort) was disastrous, as the pop-out section started leaking
almost immediately, rendering them useless in puddly weather...

Haha, my shimanos have a cunning desgin feature.....both of those pop out
section thingies have popped out. This actually makes their wet weather
performance better..........water comes in through the top and out through
the bottom......genius in design I say :-D

Im going to see how cold and wet my feet have to get this winter to make me
fork out the brass for a new pair :-( - so I too am looking for a similar
product, let me know if you find one!

Colin

Hi,
(Sorry about the double posting in this thread- finger trouble
this morning)

Simon Brooke said:

Silicone bathroom sealant (applied to the outside of the shoe around the
pop-out section) will prevent water coming in through the bottom. But try
clipless pedals - they are /miles/ better.

I had some success with sealant on my previous Cannondales, but it
wasn't very satisfactory. I'm sure that clipless pedals are much
better, but I do a lot more "utility" cycling than anything else and
don't want to have to change and carry shoes all the time.

Quoted message said:

SIDI make wonderful MTB boots, but they ain't cheap!

I'll have a look... thanks for the suggestions.

Cheers,
W.

In article <[email hidden]>
Simon Brooke <[email hidden]> wrote:
<snip>

Quoted message said:

But try clipless pedals - they are /miles/ better.

Unless you want to ride in regular shoes as well as spuds.

Rob Morley said:

Simon Brooke <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

But try clipless pedals - they are /miles/ better.

Unless you want to ride in regular shoes as well as spuds.

Though there is the option of the SPuD on one side, platform on the
other type of pedal. I don't have those, but haven't really missed my
clips for the dozen or so years since I got rid of them.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

In article <[email hidden]>

Peter Clinch said:

Rob Morley said:

Simon Brooke <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

But try clipless pedals - they are /miles/ better.

Unless you want to ride in regular shoes as well as spuds.

Though there is the option of the SPuD on one side, platform on the
other type of pedal. I don't have those, but haven't really missed my
clips for the dozen or so years since I got rid of them.

Back in the day it felt weird riding a bike unless I was strapped in,
and I had the same rat-traps and clips on my ATB as on my road bikes.
When I built up my new ATB I used DX-style pedals with no clips, and now
I'm comfortable with them - they certainly feel better than the "wrong
side" of the rat-traps that I still have on my road bike. I think it's
partly a matter of what you're used to, although obviously riding style
is affected too.

Peter Clinch said the following on 12/10/2006 11:14:

Quoted message said:

Though there is the option of the SPuD on one side, platform on the
other type of pedal. I don't have those, but haven't really missed my
clips for the dozen or so years since I got rid of them.

I've never tried those pedals, and what puts me off is having to look
down to see which side you're trying to use. Murphy's Law will dictate
that if you have SPD shoes, the platform side will be up, and vice versa!

I went to using toe-straps on both my touring and mountain bikes 20
years ago. More recently I've switched to clipless on my touring bike.
On that bike, I feel naked if I'm not strapped in, whereas on my MTB I
use flat pedals quite happily!

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

In article <[email hidden]>

Paul Boyd off.2.zen.soon@possible said:

Peter Clinch said the following on 12/10/2006 11:14:

Quoted message said:

Though there is the option of the SPuD on one side, platform on the
other type of pedal. I don't have those, but haven't really missed my
clips for the dozen or so years since I got rid of them.

I've never tried those pedals, and what puts me off is having to look
down to see which side you're trying to use. Murphy's Law will dictate
that if you have SPD shoes, the platform side will be up, and vice versa!

All you have to do is weight them so they always stop one way - then you
know it will be forward for clip, back for platform or vice-versa.

Quoted message said:

I went to using toe-straps on both my touring and mountain bikes 20
years ago. More recently I've switched to clipless on my touring bike.
On that bike, I feel naked if I'm not strapped in, whereas on my MTB I
use flat pedals quite happily!

Weird innit?

in message <[email hidden]>, Paul

Boyd ('off.2.zen.soon@possible') said:

Peter Clinch said the following on 12/10/2006 11:14:

Quoted message said:

Though there is the option of the SPuD on one side, platform on the
other type of pedal. I don't have those, but haven't really missed my
clips for the dozen or so years since I got rid of them.

I've never tried those pedals, and what puts me off is having to look
down to see which side you're trying to use. Murphy's Law will dictate
that if you have SPD shoes, the platform side will be up, and vice versa!

I went to using toe-straps on both my touring and mountain bikes 20
years ago. More recently I've switched to clipless on my touring bike.
On that bike, I feel naked if I'm not strapped in, whereas on my MTB I
use flat pedals quite happily!

I used to ride with clips and straps; on my road bike I used to use the old
fashioned cleated shoe where the cleat gripped the edge of the pedal and
shoe was held in by the strap (I still have both the shoes and the pedals
to go with them, in the bits box). On my mountain bike I used to use
fell-walking boots with clips and straps.

It all seems a very long time ago now, rather quaint and primitive. Did
people /really/ used to do that when you were a lad, Grandad? I wouldn't
dream of riding a mountain bike without clipless pedals these days, and
wouldn't choose to ride a road bike without. For an intra-urban utility
bike, maybe.

But otherwise clips and straps are just obsolete technology. If they're not
very tight they don't help much, and if they are very tight they aren't
very safe.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Paul Boyd said:

Peter Clinch said the following on 12/10/2006 11:14:

Quoted message said:

Though there is the option of the SPuD on one side, platform on the
other type of pedal. I don't have those, but haven't really missed my
clips for the dozen or so years since I got rid of them.

I've never tried those pedals, and what puts me off is having to look
down to see which side you're trying to use. Murphy's Law will dictate
that if you have SPD shoes, the platform side will be up, and vice versa!

I have a set of Shimano M324's fitted on my touring bike, it's really
not a problem and I don't have to look at all.

The key is to weight the pedals so the side you mainly use (SPD in my
case) is on top. I do this by removing the front reflectors (when the
SPD side is on top).. which means the pedals hang easily to clip into.

Quoted message said:

I went to using toe-straps on both my touring and mountain bikes 20
years ago. More recently I've switched to clipless on my touring bike.
On that bike, I feel naked if I'm not strapped in, whereas on my MTB I
use flat pedals quite happily!

I started using straps (which came with the Galaxy) about 18 months ago
but found with the oversized cranks they would hit the ground. After a
few months the plastic (and springy metal) inside failed completely.

Later on when I hit the side of a road hump with the offside pedal and
completely teared the tread bit of the pedal off (I was still upright,
but my direction of travel had changed by 30 degrees!), I decided to
replace them with M324's (having not tried clipless before, I thought it
would be a good compromise)

Infact I've found that 99% of the time I clip in now.. it makes so much
difference (both in less effort and more speed). Next time I'd go for
SPD only.

To the original poster: I don't know if M&S still have them (it was
early this year I bought some), but they did a sort of lightweight
trainer which has a elasticated/tog lace with a flat tough sole which I
found perfect for pottering about on the bike with.

Looking at ther site these seem to the ones.. see
http://www.marksandspencer.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=7559&Product_Id=1883460
but I think I paid about £17!

Regards
Mark

mblewett said:

Paul Boyd said:

Peter Clinch said the following on 12/10/2006 11:14:

Quoted message said:

Though there is the option of the SPuD on one side, platform on the
other type of pedal. I don't have those, but haven't really missed my
clips for the dozen or so years since I got rid of them.

I've never tried those pedals, and what puts me off is having to look
down to see which side you're trying to use. Murphy's Law will dictate
that if you have SPD shoes, the platform side will be up, and vice versa!

I have a set of Shimano M324's fitted on my touring bike, it's really
not a problem and I don't have to look at all.

The key is to weight the pedals so the side you mainly use (SPD in my
case) is on top. I do this by removing the front reflectors (when the
SPD side is on top).. which means the pedals hang easily to clip into.

In the real world there isn't a problem even without weighted pedals.
If you are using shoes you can walk in you can pedal on the platform
side of the pedal. If you are using SPD when setting off one side will
be clipped in, you push off and pedal away with the other foot on
whichever side of the pedal it lands on. If it's the clip side clip
in, if not flip it over, if you need to glance down to do this you can
wait until it is safe to do so. It's a lot easier than with one sided
racing pedals where the shoe can easily slip off the wrong side of the
pedal.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

Quoting Simon Brooke <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

But otherwise clips and straps are just obsolete technology. If they're not
very tight they don't help much,

Breaking my loose straps tells me this is bunk. Effortless foot
positioning is well worth it.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl?
Today is Second Teleute, October.

David Damerell said:

Quoting Simon Brooke <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

But otherwise clips and straps are just obsolete technology. If they're not
very tight they don't help much,

Breaking my loose straps tells me this is bunk. Effortless foot
positioning is well worth it.

Uh, are you saying you prefer clips and straps over clipless? I found just
the opposite of 'effortless foot positioning'. With clips and straps I
could never be sure of where my foot was the previous ride, if I was
placing my foot too far ahead of the pedal spindle, or a bit behind. I also
remembering too much jamming of my toe into the toe box of my shoe. Also
had problems with rotating the heel in or out depending on how the forefoot
was placed into the cage.

With clipless it takes all the guesswork out of it.

I think there must have been almost a kg of weight difference what with the
large walking shoe and the clips and straps vs a light cycling shoe and the
small clipless pedal. This alone, to me, makes it worthwhile.

Now, I wonder why I waited so long to go clipless, but looking back it was
neat to get that sudden improvement in speed by upgrading the equipment.

Sorry about the diatribe. Just 2 cents. ;-)

Quoted message said:

Hi,
Can anyone recommend cycling shoes (preferably "trainer" style
touring ones, that are OK for walking in) that work well with
traditional toeclips?

They all seem to be "spd-compatible" these days with pop-out sections
in the sole. My only experience to date with this style (A Cannondale
of some sort) was disastrous, as the pop-out section started leaking
almost immediately, rendering them useless in puddly weather...

Hi-Tec used to make some great "canvas" MTB boots, they seem to be
long gone :-(

Seems there's a shedload of great cycling products been driven off the
market in the last few years...

Cheers,
W.

Drop the clips and go spd, you know you want to. The is no reason to
use clips for anything, road or offroad. I even have pair of casual
Cannondale mtb shoes that I wear as regular trainers, with the cleat
still in.

Lake (and other companies) make some great casual shoes that are great
for walking but still fit cleats for spds. They even do an open sandal
and a full on water resistant nubuck hiking shoe, with yes and a slot
for a cleat.

Come on, join us, join us.

Laters,

Marz

In article <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

David Damerell said:

Quoting Simon Brooke <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

But otherwise clips and straps are just obsolete technology. If they're not
very tight they don't help much,

Breaking my loose straps tells me this is bunk. Effortless foot
positioning is well worth it.

Uh, are you saying you prefer clips and straps over clipless?

He seems to be saying that in normal riding a considerable amount of
force can be applied to straps even if they're loose, you can just slip
your feet into the clips and place them where you want.

Quoted message said:

I found just
the opposite of 'effortless foot positioning'. With clips and straps I
could never be sure of where my foot was the previous ride, if I was
placing my foot too far ahead of the pedal spindle, or a bit behind.

That's why toe clips come in different sizes, and toe straps are
adjustable.

Quoted message said:

I also
remembering too much jamming of my toe into the toe box of my shoe. Also
had problems with rotating the heel in or out depending on how the forefoot
was placed into the cage.

Do you also have problems figuring out which bit of the bars to hold on
to?

Quoted message said:

With clipless it takes all the guesswork out of it.

If you get them set up right in the first place, and if you're wearing
compatible shoes.

Quoted message said:

I think there must have been almost a kg of weight difference what with the
large walking shoe and the clips and straps vs a light cycling shoe and the
small clipless pedal. This alone, to me, makes it worthwhile.

Why were you cycling in walking shoes?

Rob Morley said:

Do you also have problems figuring out which bit of the bars to hold on
to?

You're in a really argumentative mood today, aren't you, Rob?

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Bristol to Bath by unicycle: <http://www.bristoltobathonaunicycle.co.uk>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

In article <[email hidden]>

Danny Colyer said:

Rob Morley said:

Do you also have problems figuring out which bit of the bars to hold on
to?

You're in a really argumentative mood today, aren't you, Rob?

No.
:-)

Quoting <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoting Simon Brooke <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

But otherwise clips and straps are just obsolete technology. If they're not
very tight they don't help much,

Breaking my loose straps tells me this is bunk. Effortless foot
positioning is well worth it.

Uh, are you saying you prefer clips and straps over clipless?

How would breaking a strap convert the pedal to a clipless one? Why would
that show anything about the benefits of loose straps? Read what I wrote.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> Distortion Field!
Today is Second Oneiros, October.