Pedals and bike shoes

purpose? to be stiff. ie all of your effort goes into he pedal, not flopping about...

what to buy? mildy governed by what pedals you buy as the show will need to accomodate the cleat's bolt pattern (ie 2 or 3 hole. some models have both, but rare)

remember to size em with whatever type of sock you will ride in.

pedal type will also govern if you can do short rides (to shops etc) without cleated shoes altho not that advisable. you could go for either spd or eggbeater pedals/cleats in a mtb style shoe thus allowing you to walk in your cycling shoes well (road shoes are great for falling over at coffee shop 😄)

Lastly, its worth getting the cleat positioned on the shoe correctly as this can cause problems if not done correctly

take a look at these for package deals:

http://www.cecilwalker.com.au/category270_1.htm

http://www.torpedo7.com/page/bikes/CTGY/exustar-shoes_road-apparel

Quoted message said:

But what is the purpose of riding shoes? What do they do that a normal
pair of sneakers don't, apart from maybe being a few grams lighter.

Efficient pedal stroke - they give you positive contact with the bike (no
slipping, limited twisting) and because they have a stiff sole and tight
bindings they remove a lot of the flex and sponginess from foot / pedal
interface (hmm appols for the wnkr words there). This may sound trivial but
particularly important when you have been extending yourself - such as a
long ride, big hills or trying to impress your mates - or when you are on
the rivet.

Quoted message said:

Also, if I get clip-on pedals, will I have to always use cycle shoes or
can they also be used with regular shoes (minus the clip on bit of
course).

Depends which pedals you buy. Most modern road pedals make it pretty
difficult, dangerous and / or uncomfortable to ride without shoes and
cleats. Not like the old-school cage and clip road pedals (rat-trap) - they
can be ridden in runners without a huge amount of grief. Some MTB pedals
allow for both clipped and unclipped riding. They tend to be a bit heavier
and, anecdotally, do not give the smae cornering clearance because of the
generally higher bottom brackets on mtbs.

Whilst personally I'd say get something that suits the way you want to ride
the bike the snigger and sneer factor may be important to you - if you are
paying for the latte factor don't mix the 'conceit and sophistiction' of
road with the 'agricultural honesty' of mtb. People will sneer.

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions about what to look for in a reasonably good cycle shoe
and how much I should expect to pay?

Circa $200+

On 5 Mar 2006 08:17:46 -0800, "Travis" <[email hidden]> wrote
in aus.bicycle:

Quoted message said:

But what is the purpose of riding shoes? What do they do that a normal
pair of sneakers don't, apart from maybe being a few grams lighter.

Also, if I get clip-on pedals, will I have to always use cycle shoes or
can they also be used with regular shoes (minus the clip on bit of
course).

It depends on your cycling I guess. For a number of years I have been
using a pair of VP 131 pedals (a slightly cheaper version of the
Shimano M324) These pedals have a SPD clip on one side and a platform
pedal on the other which means you can cycle in a pair of sneakers
down to the shops or go for a 'serious' cycle clipped in for maximum
efficiency.

They are a compromise but I reckon they are great best of both worlds
for the commuter and casual cyclist.

(one advantage for me was that I bought the pedals then bought the
shoes when I could afford it three months later)

Regards
Prickles

Timendi causa est nescire
This message only uses recycled electrons

jim said:

>
Whilst personally I'd say get something that suits the way you want to ride
the bike the snigger and sneer factor may be important to you - if you are
paying for the latte factor don't mix the 'conceit and sophistiction' of
road with the 'agricultural honesty' of mtb. People will sneer.

You mean it's not cool to run MTB SPDs on a road bike?
:o

......No wonder I'm always the last to get my latte-decafe.

Marx SS said:

You mean it's not cool to run MTB SPDs on a road bike?
:o

......No wonder I'm always the last to get my latte-decafe.

No. that'll be cos you're ordering decaf!!! 😄

In article <[email hidden]>,

flyingdutch said:

Marx SS said:

You mean it's not cool to run MTB SPDs on a road bike?
:o

......No wonder I'm always the last to get my latte-decafe.

No. that'll be cos you're ordering decaf!!!

Exactly. Wearing SPDs means you always get to the counter to order first.

--
Shane Stanley

Travis said:

In the very near future I'm going to get my first decent road bike.
I've picked up from around here that proper jerseys and knicks do have
a purpose beyond merely looking nice, namely that they help the rider
stay cool and comfortable and relatively dry, much more so than normal
t-shirts.

But what is the purpose of riding shoes? What do they do that a normal
pair of sneakers don't, apart from maybe being a few grams lighter.

As a gross generalisation, they're a lot stiffer, so they support your
feet better for riding and allow you to ride longer without your calves
and soles getting sore.

Quoted message said:

Also, if I get clip-on pedals, will I have to always use cycle shoes or
can they also be used with regular shoes (minus the clip on bit of
course).

Yes, see below.

Quoted message said:

Any suggestions about what to look for in a reasonably good cycle shoe
and how much I should expect to pay?

Knowing what you're trying to achieve, I think I'd make the following
suggesion to you :

I'd be looking at some Shimano SPD pedals , dual sided, with a
removable platform on one side. The M520's are like this :

http://www.shimano.com.au/publish/content/australia/en/cycling/products/shoes_and_pedals/mountain_pedals.ProductPar.0006.Image.306.275.gif

They mean you can use a normal shoe if you need to by inserting a
plastic plate (that comes with the pedal), but most of the time you can
use your cleated bike shoes. As for shoes themselves, something like a
Lake (http://www.lakecycling.com/) MX80 or a Shimano MT40 - these are a
MTB pedal and shoe, but for recreational and commuting road riding
they're just fine, and you can walk around in them quite well.

I'd expect to fork out around $250 for this combination, or
thereabouts, maybe a bit cheaper if you go for non-shimano pedals or
you can find a shop dumping their old stock.

Get the cleats set up for you by a knowledgeable shop or coach, getting
them in the right place will help reduce your risk of injury.

And finally, a lot of people will tell you "everyone has a cleat
incident". This is bollocks. What they mean is that everyone forgets
to clip out and falls over. Not true. A lot of people do, but not
everyone, if you remember to clip out early (ie: you're anticipating
what's about to happen and being prepared) your risk of a cleater is
very low indeed. I've never had one, and a lot of my riders also have
not had a cleater.

Quoted message said:

They are a compromise but I reckon they are great best of both worlds
for the commuter and casual cyclist.

(one advantage for me was that I bought the pedals then bought the
shoes when I could afford it three months later)

Regards
Prickles

I'm in the same situation. I got a pair of Shimano M520 with all the cleats,
plastic platform etc for $53 off E-Bay.
I havent put them on my MTB yet and am looking around for a pair of shoes. I
just can't seem to bring myself up to pay $200 upwards for a pair of shoes.
I'd really like to get a pair of the Shimano Sandals but same problem...$170
bucks for a pair of sandals !!!!!!!!!!!
Hey...anybody tried routing out the sole of a sandal and inserting a plate
???????????????????

gaza said:

I'm in the same situation. I got a pair of Shimano M520 with all the cleats,
plastic platform etc for $53 off E-Bay.
I havent put them on my MTB yet and am looking around for a pair of shoes. I
just can't seem to bring myself up to pay $200 upwards for a pair of shoes.
I'd really like to get a pair of the Shimano Sandals but same problem...$170
bucks for a pair of sandals !!!!!!!!!!!
Hey...anybody tried routing out the sole of a sandal and inserting a plate
???????????????????

nah! bite the bullet, those sandals are really comfortable to walk in
and cycling and do support your feet well, pedalled all day in them and
don't get sore feet, like you I ummed and arred for a while but in the
end I haven't regretted buying them a couple of years ago

--
Frank
[email hidden]
Drop DACKS to reply
"gaza" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

They are a compromise but I reckon they are great best of both worlds
for the commuter and casual cyclist.

(one advantage for me was that I bought the pedals then bought the
shoes when I could afford it three months later)

Regards
Prickles

I'm in the same situation. I got a pair of Shimano M520 with all the

cleats,

Quoted message said:

plastic platform etc for $53 off E-Bay.
I havent put them on my MTB yet and am looking around for a pair of shoes.

I

Quoted message said:

just can't seem to bring myself up to pay $200 upwards for a pair of

shoes.

Quoted message said:

I'd really like to get a pair of the Shimano Sandals but same

problem...$170

Quoted message said:

bucks for a pair of sandals !!!!!!!!!!!
Hey...anybody tried routing out the sole of a sandal and inserting a plate
???????????????????

I have two pairs of Shimano sandals - love 'em! I've used them for
everything from XC MTBing to road touring. Phantom Cycles has them for
$149 -
http://www.phantomcycles.com.au/product.php?productid=1988&cat=84&page=1
Well worth the cash.

My first pair (SD60s) lasted about four years with a little TLC applied to
the sole occasionally to keep it from peeling off. My fault - lots of
walking in them on lots of surfaces from rocky tracks to wandering around
places when I've been touring. I still have my first pair and use them
occasionally but they're on the way out.

I recently bought a pair of the current model (SD65, I think). I don't find
them as comfortable and, since they are more closed in, they are not as
cool. I much prefer the old style.

My advice is to bite the bullet and get some. Yes, they are dear for sandals
but when you consider how long they last it's not too bad. Perhaps you could
get stuck in to a pair of sandals with a router but my guess is they won't
support your foot the way the purpose-built ones do. I also doubt that they
will hold up to pulling up on the pedal on the upstroke the way the Shimanos
do.

Bonus feature! After a while you'll get interesting tanlines on your feet!

Cheers,

Frank

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

Quoted message said:

gaza said:

I'm in the same situation. I got a pair of Shimano M520 with all the
cleats,
plastic platform etc for $53 off E-Bay.
I havent put them on my MTB yet and am looking around for a pair of
shoes. I
just can't seem to bring myself up to pay $200 upwards for a pair of
shoes.
I'd really like to get a pair of the Shimano Sandals but same
problem...$170
bucks for a pair of sandals !!!!!!!!!!!
Hey...anybody tried routing out the sole of a sandal and inserting a
plate
???????????????????

nah! bite the bullet, those sandals are really comfortable to walk in and
cycling and do support your feet well, pedalled all day in them and don't
get sore feet, like you I ummed and arred for a while but in the end I
haven't regretted buying them a couple of years ago

And if you're lucky like I was, trawling the bike shops, you'll find someone
who had to order a box of them, and has the last few pairs on sale for $70
to clear them. I was sooo very lucky they were my size, a very common 43.
Keep your eyes peeled. Have to agree they are very comfy for cyling and not
bad to walk around in. Modifying beach sandals just would not cut it. They
are designed to flex with your foot, SPD sandals are designed to be stiff
for pedaling - the main feature of all cycling shoes, that newcomers to
cycling don't really understand until they've used a proper cycling shoe.

And an advantage of clip-in shoe-pedal combos that has not been mentioned,
is the ability to pull back and up in your pedal stroke, especially handy on
some short steep climbs and to relieve knee pressure. You simply cannot do
this with toe-clips and straps, unless you use track racing cleats.

--
Cheers
Peter

_@
~~ _-\<,
~~ (*)/ (*)

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 6 Mar 2006 20:41:36 +0800

Plodder said:

I have two pairs of Shimano sandals - love 'em! I've used them for
everything from XC MTBing to road touring. Phantom Cycles has them for
$149 -
http://www.phantomcycles.com.au/product.php?productid=1988&cat=84&page=1
Well worth the cash.

I found it interesting that people who had them loved them, but bike
shops I talked to were agin em. "not stiff enough" they said and
"you might get hurt in a spill".

I figured a recreational/commuter didn't need super stiff, and I can't
see bikes are any different to motorbikes in that you make a 3 point
landing - 2 palms and a knee... I suppose if you can't clip out in
time then you might hit the road with the side of your foot, but then
they seem to stick out well past the toe.

I didn't buy a pair because the bricks and mortar shops didn't have
them and I don't dare buy shoes mail order as I have feet shaped like
tennis rackets and even sandals often don't fit.

Zebee

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

Quoted message said:

jim said:

Quoted message said:

Whilst personally I'd say get something that suits the way you want to
ride
the bike the snigger and sneer factor may be important to you - if you
are
paying for the latte factor don't mix the 'conceit and sophistiction'
of
road with the 'agricultural honesty' of mtb. People will sneer.

You mean it's not cool to run MTB SPDs on a road bike?
:o

.....No wonder I'm always the last to get my latte-decafe.

It's extremely cool, and we're part of the streetwise, edgy new wave of
urban vehicular cycling that's soon to sweep the country.

No, really.

Zebee Johnstone said:

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 6 Mar 2006 20:41:36 +0800

Plodder said:

I have two pairs of Shimano sandals - love 'em! I've used them for
everything from XC MTBing to road touring. Phantom Cycles has them for
$149 -
phantomcycles.com.auproduct.phpOpen ↗
Well worth the cash.

I found it interesting that people who had them loved them, but bike
shops I talked to were agin em. "not stiff enough" they said and
"you might get hurt in a spill".

I figured a recreational/commuter didn't need super stiff, and I can't
see bikes are any different to motorbikes in that you make a 3 point
landing - 2 palms and a knee... I suppose if you can't clip out in
time then you might hit the road with the side of your foot, but then
they seem to stick out well past the toe.

I didn't buy a pair because the bricks and mortar shops didn't have
them and I don't dare buy shoes mail order as I have feet shaped like
tennis rackets and even sandals often don't fit.

Zebee

Not a big fan of the sandals although a lot of friends are. A mate got me a pair for $50 - last pair from the season, or something like that. I find that in hot weather, they feel kind of sweaty, slimy, and you can get injuries even from sticks when stopped at the side of the road, eh Peter.

For casual commuting that shouldn't be a problem, and they are stiff enogh for that. Some people wear socks with them even in winter, but I can't bring myself to do that. The image, you know.

Anyway, most shops often have sell off bins for shoes of remaining sizes, just got to be in the right place at the right time. If you are in Melbourne, Melbourne Bike Centre in Clifton Hill have a swag of old model Nikes from about $70. I got a pair there, though I don't find them that comfy, so if you are after size 42, maybe we could deal?

Other point to note is that your feet will often swell a bit when cycling especially in warmer weather, so you might need to go a size up. I'm normally a 41 in street shoes.

In aus.bicycle on Tue, 7 Mar 2006 10:44:13 +1100

slaw said:

Anyway, most shops often have sell off bins for shoes of remaining
sizes, just got to be in the right place at the right time. If you are
in Melbourne, Melbourne Bike Centre in Clifton Hill have a swag of old
model Nikes from about $70. I got a pair there, though I don't find
them that comfy, so if you are after size 42, maybe we could deal?

Alas no I'm in Sydney. And have very small feet - men's size 5,
whatever that is in euro-sizing.

I figured they'd be a bit sweaty, I was thinking of gluing light
towelling to the sole.

Zebee

'agricultural honesty' of MTB? Geeeeeeeeez! Go up to the ski-fields in
the summer and witness the private school kids on the latest downhill
rigs sneer at anything worth less than $7k. Or worse, last year's $7k
downhill rig...

In aus.bicycle on 6 Mar 2006 16:26:58 -0800

blah said:

'agricultural honesty' of MTB? Geeeeeeeeez! Go up to the ski-fields in
the summer and witness the private school kids on the latest downhill
rigs sneer at anything worth less than $7k. Or worse, last year's $7k
downhill rig...

Always happens. The only way to deal is to have something weird.
Weird enough to not get caught in the pose wars, but still having some
cred.

With motorcycles I've had no problems. The Infamous MZ was a very
weird 250 but with high cred, and the Guzzis are so far out of the
ballpark (never mind left field) that the concept of Cred is like fish
and bicycles. (So to speak)

But what is the Guzzi of the pushbike world?

Zebee

On 2006-03-07, Zebee Johnstone (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

With motorcycles I've had no problems. The Infamous MZ was a very
weird 250 but with high cred, and the Guzzis are so far out of the
ballpark (never mind left field) that the concept of Cred is like fish
and bicycles. (So to speak)

Come back SuziJ! All is forgiven!

--
TimC
Using top down development, you never have any working code. Using bottom
up development, you never solve the problem. -- John Kelly in debian-user

Zebee Johnstone said:

In aus.bicycle on 6 Mar 2006 16:26:58 -0800

blah said:

'agricultural honesty' of MTB? Geeeeeeeeez! Go up to the ski-fields in
the summer and witness the private school kids on the latest downhill
rigs sneer at anything worth less than $7k. Or worse, last year's $7k
downhill rig...

Always happens. The only way to deal is to have something weird.
Weird enough to not get caught in the pose wars, but still having some
cred.

With motorcycles I've had no problems. The Infamous MZ was a very
weird 250 but with high cred, and the Guzzis are so far out of the
ballpark (never mind left field) that the concept of Cred is like fish
and bicycles. (So to speak)

But what is the Guzzi of the pushbike world?

Zebee

recumbant?

Dave