Touring - Best clipless cycling shoe for touring?

I'm planning to buy a new pair of cycling shoes this year and would appreciate any suggestions/advise anyone has. I've been using Specialized Rockhoppers for the last 5-6 years with Time ATAC peddles and they have been ok, but these shoes have softened up a lot and I'm looking for a new pair to use with some Speedplay Frogs with the Speedplay G3 cleat (compatable with SPD, SPD-R Shimano cleat mounting holes).

I'm looking for a pair of shoes that are walkable, i.e. have a recessed cleat mount (as do most MTB shoes), but I also would like something reasonably stiff for good road cycling performance. By walkable I mean casual strolling about town a bit, not hiking any distance. I don't have a strong preference between laces, velcro straps or combinations. Some suggestions so far have been the Shimano SH-MT20D, SH-MT40 or SH-RT50 but I don't know any thing about them, other than what is on the Shimano web-site.

For the last year I've been using Shimano SH-MA80's (with Crank Bros Quattro pedals) which have recessed cleats and 3 velcro straps. I've found them to be very comfortable, even when walking for short distances. I did a 3 day, 200 mile tour last summer and never got any hot spots over the cleat area, had decent ventilation, support, and flexibility. I did have to modify the sole slightly to accomodate the Quattro pedal axle but this was no big deal. Overall I would highly recommend them.
Regards,
Carl

Personally, I like my Lake mtn bike shoes. They look pretty much like normal footwear so I can wear them into stores and things without attracting too much attention. They are also extremely comfortable both on the bicycle ... even for ultradistance riding (I use them on my randonnees), and during fairly long hikes. I've found them to be very versatile shoes ... especially for touring when you want to do some activities off the bicycle, but you don't want to carry a different pair of shoes for every occasion.

I use both the Shimano MA-80 and Time's XC racing shoes which I picked up from Nashbar for $45 on sale, down from $174. I use standard eggbeaters.
Although the Times are noticably stiffer than my Shimanos, they are still very comfortable to walk in...
The Shimanos almost feel like wearing sneekers....very comfortable to stroll around in...:)

I like the Shimano SH-TO92 and the Diadora equivalent (model number escapes me...) Both are "touring" shoes, being basically road shoes with walkable soles.

I've used Lake CX125s with Speedplay Frog cleats and they worked out quite well. The shoes are stiffer than most MTB shoes but they have a tread pattern that makes them quite walkable. You can even run road cleats in them and still have a walkable combo. Lake no longer makes the CX125 but they do make the successor... the CX120.

I bought a pair of Shimano SH-MT030. I use them for commuting, and wear them in school all day. They're almost as comfortable as a pair of regular shoes, and walking with them for a few miles every other day is not a problem.
They're quite cheap as well, but perhaps not very stylish. Unless you like black. :)
That's the only advice I can offer, since they're the only pair of clipless shoes I've used.

Just got my first pair of clipless shoes and pedals, recommended by the Shimano rep as a good entry level set. The shoes are SH-FN20 that are sold as 'fitness shoes' like you would use in spinning class. Laces with one strap at the top, good stiff sole, recessed SPD cleat and pretty good for walking around in. Pedals are PD-A520, single sided road version of the M520 mountain pedal. Tried them for the first time yesterday on a short 30 miler, should've gotten clipless a long time ago :p ....

B'Dog

Best clipless for touring? Contradiction in terms. Clipless SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS for touring (and everything else except racing). Platform pedals and sneakers RULE for every type of riding except racing. Don't accept the mindless mantra that "serious" cyclists must be attached to their pedals. It just aint so!

Hi,

The Sidi mountain shoes. I suppose there are better cycling shoes to walk in, but I never found it that bad. Viewings of tourist sites and grocery shopping was fine. Anything longer I would be inclined to more safely secure the bike and change to mocs and nylon long pants. Tourists spend long times pedaling, so that should be the first priority. Walking type shoes with cleat mounts are not as good of an idea as they might seem IMO. Durability is also important, and so far Sidis have been far and beyond the best for me in that respect.

I suggest you reconsider the Speedplays. They are awesome pedals but not for touring. Even recessed in my MTB shoe, walking on my Frog cleats eventually broke them. They don't like concrete with stones and pebbles on it. Spare cleats are hard to find.

Try the Shimano PD-M424 off road pedals. Every shop has SPD cleats which put up with far more walking then the Frogs. Also, those M424 pedals are actually a pedal, not just a tiny bud that hooks to a cleat. While you have all the advantage of clipless pedals, the bike can be ridden with any foot wear. Even tennis shoes!
I find that working through city stop lights or any stop and go situation with cars tedious enough with a loaded tourer without struggling with a miss when I was trying to get clicked in and through the intersection. You can still push through with the M424s miss or not.

Best clipless for touring? Contradiction in terms. Clipless SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS for touring (and everything else except racing). Platform pedals and sneakers RULE for every type of riding except racing. Don't accept the mindless mantra that "serious" cyclists must be attached to their pedals. It just aint so!

What makes them "SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK"?

Flat pedals are fine for quick rides around the neighborhood, but for any kind of distance I find clipless far more comfortable.

Flat pedals are fine for quick rides around the neighborhood, but for any kind of distance I find clipless far more comfortable.

Yes, more comfortable. But also, clipless is more efficient* and safer. I got stuck in my clips with sneakers more times than I can count, even "went over" once, but mastered releasing SPD and Look within a few rides.


*arguably the the stiff cycling shoes that work with a cleat and clip pedals are roughly the same efficiency, but we're comparing sneakers here, which bend like crazy.

I like the Shimano SH-TO92 and the Diadora equivalent (model number escapes me...) Both are "touring" shoes, being basically road shoes with walkable soles.

Do you have a preference? Is one stiffer?

What makes them "SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK"?

Being unable to INSTANTLY remove your feet from the pedals in an emergency. Clipless pedals or toe clips+straps are undeniably more efficient than platform pedals but ONLY if you're climbing, racing, or riding rough/slippery terrain. Since none of the above apply to my riding, there is no effective advantage for me in being attached to the pedals at all. In exchange for "no effective advantage," clipless pedals or toe clips+straps expose me to the hazard of unwanted falls (potentially in traffic). Even experienced clipless riders sometimes fall over.

If you need clipless pedals or toe clips+straps for those situations where the efficiency advantage is more important than the safety disadvantage, then go for them. For the vast majority of riders, however, clipless pedals are a useless and potentially dangerous affectation. Hence, IMHO, clipless SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS!

Even experienced clipless riders sometimes fall over.

I've been in many high-speed crashes (most of them while MTBing but sometimes while road riding too) and everytime, my feet have managed to automagically disengage themselves. It's the slow speed falls when I'm barely moving that cause me to get stuck. The worst injury I've ever received from such a fall was to my pride. Also, I seem to get trapped when I'm consciously trying to wrestle my way out of them. If I don't bother to think about it, my muscle memory just does its job and I can enter and exit my clipless pedals in any situation without problems.

2 "recent" wrecks come to mind
1-hit by car on front wheel, low speed, I had plenty of time to curse before hitting the ground, dont remember clipping out but I was.
2- kinda odd one- I tried to clip out while skimming past a foot high ledge and my heel bounced and stayed in and I fell and ending up clipping out inwards and kinda mangling myself between ledge, bottle cages, and the boulder my right hlf landed on.

Being unable to INSTANTLY remove your feet from the pedals in an emergency. Clipless pedals or toe clips+straps are undeniably more efficient than platform pedals but ONLY if you're climbing, racing, or riding rough/slippery terrain. Since none of the above apply to my riding, there is no effective advantage for me in being attached to the pedals at all. In exchange for "no effective advantage," clipless pedals or toe clips+straps expose me to the hazard of unwanted falls (potentially in traffic). Even experienced clipless riders sometimes fall over.

If you need clipless pedals or toe clips+straps for those situations where the efficiency advantage is more important than the safety disadvantage, then go for them. For the vast majority of riders, however, clipless pedals are a useless and potentially dangerous affectation. Hence, IMHO, clipless SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS!

Afraid not. It is a far easier (and more instinctive) to unclip with a small twist of the foot than to pull your foot out of straps. I have never fallen with clipless in many years of using them, but have several times due to feet getting stuck in clips. And the efficiency advantage is HUUUUUUUUUUUUGE. Oh, and it is also much safer to have your feet attached to the pedals when standing or climbing than to have one slip off....

You guys seem to either ignore my points or deliberately misinterpret them. I don't advocate clips+straps at all. If you must be attached to the pedals, clipless is undeniably the best system.

I further concede that there IS an efficiency advantage to being attached to your pedals. I do say that this advantage is negligible-to-non-existant UNLESS you're climbing, racing, or in danger of having your feet slip off of platform pedals.

I do, however, contend that no matter how experienced you are, no matter how "automatic" clipping out has become, there will still be times when an emergency catches you unprepared and you won't have time to clip out. In traffic, these situations tend to occur more often, and falling over has potentially much greater consequences.

Finally, I say that although being attached to the pedals has undeniable advantages for climbers, racers, and some off-roaders, the vast majority of cyclists are much safer, and NO less efficient when using platform pedals (with no attachment to the pedal at all). Unfortunately, the vast majority of riders have been brainwashed by a cycling industry and by cycling magazines to believe that no "serious" cyclist would even consider riding without clipless pedals+shoes. It just aint so!

If you need clipless pedals or toe clips+straps for those situations where the efficiency advantage is more important than the safety disadvantage, then go for them. For the vast majority of riders, however, clipless pedals are a useless and potentially dangerous affectation. Hence, IMHO, clipless SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS!
I have never fallen because I couldn't get my foot out of the toe clip. On the other hand, I have fallen because my foot slipped off of a platform peddle.

I may be wrong but I assume the vast majority of riders who own other bikes besides their touring bikes use clipless pedals, therefore natural for them to equip their tourers with clipless pedals.
All my bikes are clipless, except for one errand bike which I keep at work which has platforms, clips, and straps. Every time I get on that bike to run to the bank which is twice a week on average, I can definitely feel how inefficient these are UNLESS I cinch the straps down which is unpractical and dangerous in stop and go traffic as I need to loosen one strap each time I anticipate coming to a stop. With clipless, you're clipped in right up til the moment you decide to put your foot down...it really becomes second nature....:)

I have never fallen because I couldn't get my foot out of the toe clip. On the other hand, I have fallen because my foot slipped off of a platform peddle.

Exactly the opposite of my experiences. You pays your money, you takes your choice.

Being unable to INSTANTLY remove your feet from the pedals in an emergency. Clipless pedals or toe clips+straps are undeniably more efficient than platform pedals but ONLY if you're climbing, racing, or riding rough/slippery terrain. Since none of the above apply to my riding, there is no effective advantage for me in being attached to the pedals at all. In exchange for "no effective advantage," clipless pedals or toe clips+straps expose me to the hazard of unwanted falls (potentially in traffic). Even experienced clipless riders sometimes fall over.

If you need clipless pedals or toe clips+straps for those situations where the efficiency advantage is more important than the safety disadvantage, then go for them. For the vast majority of riders, however, clipless pedals are a useless and potentially dangerous affectation. Hence, IMHO, clipless SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS!

Where are you touring, or even riding, that you never climb? Is Louisianna that flat?

As others have mentioned, I also feel safer with clipless than with flats. I've had more scary moments slipping off flats than being unable to unclip. Flats can be especially insecure in wet weather. Besides, pedaling in sneakers makes my feet hurt.




Exactly the opposite of my experiences. You pays your money, you takes your choice.

Yet the majority here seem not to have the same experience you have. Unless you've got some sort of better evidence to back up your claims of grave dangers, maybe your pronouncements of clipless pedals as "affectations" of "brainwashed" cyclists could be considered a bit excessive.

After all, tourists with their affection for "obsolete" cycling technology like 36 spoke wheels, steel frames, and cantilever brakes are hardly the type to swoon over the latest doodads for the sake of fashion. Maybe you're missing something.

I further concede that there IS an efficiency advantage to being attached to your pedals. I do say that this advantage is negligible-to-non-existant UNLESS you're climbing, racing, or in danger of having your feet slip off of platform pedals.

What about when you are riding into the wind on a bike loaded with 50 - 60lbs of equipment and you are on your twentieth consecutive day of 65 plus mile days? No efficiency advantage there, huh? :rolleyes:



I do, however, contend that no matter how experienced you are, no matter how "automatic" clipping out has become, there will still be times when an emergency catches you unprepared and you won't have time to clip out. In traffic, these situations tend to occur more often, and falling over has potentially much greater consequences.

I use speedplay frogs and have never fallen. I've had them for a couple of months now and they are the first clipless pedals I have ever used and I have not fallen or gotten stuck in them even one time. You maybe ought to switch to Speedplay Frogs as well. They are incredibly easy to clip out of. Maybe that'd change your mind about how unsafe they are.
Any situation in traffic that forces you to clip out is a situation that forces you to come to a sudden and complete stop. I don't believe that these situations happen regularly enough on a tour to merit giving up the efficiency. If you are reallly worried about it, just wear some sneakers while in heavy traffic and then once you hit the open road, where the majority of touring is done, switch back to the cycling shoes.



Finally, I say that although being attached to the pedals has undeniable advantages for climbers, racers, and some off-roaders, the vast majority of cyclists are much safer, and NO less efficient when using platform pedals (with no attachment to the pedal at all). Unfortunately, the vast majority of riders have been brainwashed by a cycling industry and by cycling magazines to believe that no "serious" cyclist would even consider riding without clipless pedals+shoes. It just aint so!

We are not talking about the vast majority of cyclists. We are talking about a Touring Cyclist, bccycleguy, who is looking for a pair of shoes. Since he is going to be touring, there is a good chance he will be climbing and going long distances with a fully loaded heavy bike. In my opinion, clipless pedals will offer a substantial advantage for bccycleguy.
I purchased these Shimano touring shoes for my Speedplay Frogs....
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=16767&subcategory_ID=2010
They are comfortable to walk in however, if you have wider feet, you may need to wear the lower two straps a bit loose for toe wiggle room.

I purchased these Shimano touring shoes for my Speedplay Frogs....
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=16767&subcategory_ID=2010
They are comfortable to walk in however, if you have wider feet, you may need to wear the lower two straps a bit loose for toe wiggle room.
On second thought, they are the only cycling shoes I have ever had, so I don't have anything to compare them to. I do wear them when in the grocery store or running other errands without problems. However, even though the cleats are recessed and walkable, they do make some contact with the ground making an annoying grating sound when walking on concrete or pavement. I wear them at the grocery store, etc., but if I were going to walk a few blocks along sidewalks and pavement, I think I would prefer to have some sandals handy.

Obviously, we're never going to agree on clipless. I've stated my preferences and my reasons. If you disagree (and the majority of you do), feel free to disregard me - my statments aren't Gospel nor are the intended to be.

Yes, Louisiana IS that flat (at least the southern half, where I live and ride). I tour, commute, and excercise perfectly happily on platform pedals, thank you. I've tried clipless (and toe clips + straps) and don't care for either.

Another reason I don't like clipless is because of my body geometry. Being flat-footed and bow-legged, my feet "normally" intersect the pedal platform at an angle - shoe soles touching on the outside of the pedal, not touching on the crank side. Using clipless forces my ankles into an unnatural alignment with the soles of my feet parallel to the pedals. This produces excruciating ankle pain after about an hour. If I had "normal" feet and legs, this might not be an issue.

In any case, I do believe clipless to be more of an affectation than a true "need" for the vast majority of cyclists. Those of you on this forum are NOT the "vast majority of cyclists," so if the %*&^)! clipless shoe fits, then feel free to wear it. ;)

If you are reallly worried about it, just wear some sneakers while in heavy traffic and then once you hit the open road, where the majority of touring is done, switch back to the cycling shoes.

Or even better, get pedals that are regular platforms on one side and clipless on the other.
I have the Shimano PD-M324 myself.

http://www.mikesbike.com/images/pedal2.jpg

They let you decide which pedalling mode to use at any given moment.
The spring adjustment also lets you set them to be very loose, so that almost any movement other than pure pedalling disengages them. That's what I have them set to. Less efficient than a solid connection, but far better than single-action platform pedalling.

And I've never fallen over once. Have about 600 miles on them now.
Consider also that half of those are through busy city traffic with frequent stops, where you'd think falling over is a greater risk.

To say that clipless pedal don't make any differance to your pedal stroke you have to be tapped in the head to believe that, have you forgotten that when you pedal there is an up stroke or pull that you don't get the full benifit from with flats, i know this as i race BMX bikes for a long while pre SPD and the change of all round power in the whole pedal stroke is noticable when spd's came out (I also rode with the SRM crank system whilst road racing and I'll tell you from using that there is an upstroke and the amount of power produce can change depending on the type of riding you do). As to say that riding with clipless pedal is dangerous that is utter rubbish i've ridden 100's of thousands of miles and i can't attribute a single fall to the pedal system, unlike my flats on my BMX where my feet have slipped off on numerous occassions and I have the bumps of missing shin bone to prove it, before you memtion heavy traffic I've commuted in London at peak rush hour clipping in and out of my pedals quite happly. To say it's not a pedal system for the mass that is also rubbish what ever makes riding easier and more fun let the masses have it who are you to judge what is good for the masses let them make up their own minds what they want, you have to remeber just because you don't get on with something don't assume that no one else should use it or enjoy it. I'll tell you that there are very very few place in this world that are completely flat even Belguim and Holland have their hills just because you don't have hills in your region of the world don't think that mine doesn't and I won't benefit from the extra power I get from clipless pedals. I'm not a slave to Clipless either because my hack work bike has flats as I do one mile ride to work I've not bother taking the flats off the bike , this due to lazyniss but yes I can tell the diffrence with not having clipless pedals.

Well....I was interested in this thread as I am in the same situation as the original poster - looking for (preferably) road shoes with recessed cleat for Speedplay Frogs.

But it has now quickly gone off track.

Some people like clipless, some don't, still others only like clipless for certain things. We can bash each other here and try to change opinions and end up right back with the same problem or agree to disagree and move on.

Jeez, they're just words on a screen.

I use a Shimano MTB shoe (model number escapes me) with Frogs, but have been looking hard at those T090 shoes. The only thing is they don't seem stiff enough for me. The only thing I CAN find stiff enough is a MTB shoe. But I'll have to checkout those shoes that others mentioned at the start of the thread.

Digger

Touring involves mileage upwards of 3 miles a day. Platforms pedals are great for ~3 miles a day, otherwise either clips or clipless are far better.

I'll second the Lake shoes. They're cheaper than Shimano and mine even have Vibram soles. I could easily wear them for everyday shoes.

Az

To say that clipless pedal don't make any differance to your pedal stroke you have to be tapped in the head to believe that, have you forgotten that when you pedal there is an up stroke or pull that you don't get the full benifit from with flats, i know this as i race BMX bikes for a long while pre SPD and the change of all round power in the whole pedal stroke is noticable when spd's came out (I also rode with the SRM crank system whilst road racing and I'll tell you from using that there is an upstroke and the amount of power produce can change depending on the type of riding you do). As to say that riding with clipless pedal is dangerous that is utter rubbish i've ridden 100's of thousands of miles and i can't attribute a single fall to the pedal system, unlike my flats on my BMX where my feet have slipped off on numerous occassions and I have the bumps of missing shin bone to prove it, before you memtion heavy traffic I've commuted in London at peak rush hour clipping in and out of my pedals quite happly. To say it's not a pedal system for the mass that is also rubbish what ever makes riding easier and more fun let the masses have it who are you to judge what is good for the masses let them make up their own minds what they want, you have to remeber just because you don't get on with something don't assume that no one else should use it or enjoy it. I'll tell you that there are very very few place in this world that are completely flat even Belguim and Holland have their hills just because you don't have hills in your region of the world don't think that mine doesn't and I won't benefit from the extra power I get from clipless pedals. I'm not a slave to Clipless either because my hack work bike has flats as I do one mile ride to work I've not bother taking the flats off the bike , this due to lazyniss but yes I can tell the diffrence with not having clipless pedals.

Well, I guess you set me straight... :rolleyes:

Touring involves mileage upwards of 3 miles a day.

:eek:

That's one slow tour... :)
You wouldn't happen to be Swedish, would you?

To everyone else...
In Sweden, we use the word "mil" to indicate a distance of 10 km.
It is, of course, cognate with the English word "mile", although they have never been used to represent the same distance. The original Swedish usage was for a distance of 36 000 ft (and a foot at that time was about as long as foot today), which is close to 11 km.

So, three Swedish "miles" would be 30 km, or ~20 miles, which still is a slow tour, but not quite as snail-like as 3 miles a day... :)

I/we are the page as FarHorizon......
After 3 years and many miles of "clipless", my wife lost her balance coming to a stop and the left cleat did not release quickly enough and the subsequent fall broke her arm. Sometimes a mili-second is significant! There is no way performance is better/improved if one is in a cast for 6 weeks followed by months of painful recovery. We ride for fun and if our speed is 3 to 4 MPH slower and we are delayed five to 30 minutes due to platform pedals.....DON'T CARE........at least we are riding (which can't be done at all while in a cast).
I tried clipless...... but due to several 7.62mm body "modifications" (right ankle, foot, and leg/calf) compliments of unca Charlie during my 1965 Vietnam "tour", I am unable to "twist & release" properly. During a 50 to 60 mile day, I constantly change the position of my foot on the pedal......sometimes break the cardinal rule and ride with my heel on the pedal. We are, occasionally, impugned for having platforms on an Allez Comp Triple and LeMond (wife's) but we always "go the distance" and arrive at rest stops etc....albeit later than some or most.
Clipless are not for everyone......IMO enjoyment should supersede performance oriented pain/discomfort .
Thanks and BCNU,
Gary

Thew first Century I did with platforms with no toe clips, in a wool jersey on a 26 pund Peugeot U08 with a plastic crap rear derailleur and Mavic Racer brakes that squesked a lot on the cheap steeel rims on wheels that camew with my $89 bike. The guys I passed all day on the lite Italian bikes with toe clips (this was back in 1975) kept giving me advice at every SAG about why i needed toe clips and they also felt bad I had to ride such a heavy bike all day. This was a hilly century aroung Solvang/Vandenburg area.

Conclusion: ultimately it has more to do with the skills of the rider and what he/she is most comfortable with - to each his own.

Have fun and keep spinning !!!!

Thew first Century I did with platforms with no toe clips, in a wool jersey on a 26 pund Peugeot U08 with a plastic crap rear derailleur and Mavic Racer brakes that squesked a lot on the cheap steeel rims on wheels that camew with my $89 bike. The guys I passed all day on the lite Italian bikes with toe clips (this was back in 1975) kept giving me advice at every SAG about why i needed toe clips and they also felt bad I had to ride such a heavy bike all day. This was a hilly century aroung Solvang/Vandenburg area.

Just imagine......if you had toe clips and straps on that ride you could have shaved an hour off your century time in addition to passing all those guys on light Italian bikes with toe clips......:D

I purchased these Shimano touring shoes for my Speedplay Frogs....
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=16767&subcategory_ID=2010
They are comfortable to walk in however, if you have wider feet, you may need to wear the lower two straps a bit loose for toe wiggle room.
I use the Shimano SH-TO92 also and they have been great. Definitely stiff enough for long rides, I've never had any hot spots or sore feet.

I feel sorry for FarHorizon and Thrifty1 not being able to use clipless. I personally love clipless and since I'm so used to pulling up on the backstroke (even on flat terrain) I feel unsafe on platform pedals because my feet come flying off the pedals all the time. So clipless are more efficient for me ALL the time and are safer as well.

I highly recommend the SH-TO92's.

I suggest you reconsider the Speedplays. They are awesome pedals but not for touring. Even recessed in my MTB shoe, walking on my Frog cleats eventually broke them. They don't like concrete with stones and pebbles on it. Spare cleats are hard to find.


I have to agree with you about not using the Frog's for touring. On my last weekend tour I pretty well destroyed a Frog cleat just from walking around the campground on gravel and dirt. I love the Frogs for day use and have two pair of them, but the cleats are more vulnerable to damage than an all metal design. I'm going to try a pair of Eggbeaters next for touring.

I've used platform pedals, toe clips and straps, PowerGrips, and now clipless. I prefer the clipless, myself. Have I gone down? Of course! I've also slipped off the platform pedal and gone down.

Now, I just bought a pair of clipless SANDALS! HA!! I can't wait to get them!! :D

I've used platform pedals, toe clips and straps, PowerGrips, and now clipless. I prefer the clipless, myself. Have I gone down? Of course! I've also slipped off the platform pedal and gone down.

Now, I just bought a pair of clipless SANDALS! HA!! I can't wait to get them!! :D

How much of an improvement did you see going from Powergrips to clipless? I ride powergrips with New Balance leather cross trainers now, and a co-worker is hounding me to try clipless, but I'm (at least I think I am, ignorance is bliss) perfectly happy with my powergrips. Love to hear from someone who's done both...
Thanks,
DP

.... I did a 3 day, 200 mile tour last summer and never got any hot spots over the cleat area, had decent ventilation, support, and flexibility. I did have to modify the sole slightly to accomodate the Quattro pedal axle but this was no big deal. Overall I would highly recommend them.
Regards,
Carl

What are hot spots? How do you prevent them? Thank you :)

Touring involves mileage upwards of 3 miles a day. Platforms pedals are great for ~3 miles a day, otherwise either clips or clipless are far better.

I'll second the Lake shoes. They're cheaper than Shimano and mine even have Vibram soles. I could easily wear them for everyday shoes.

Az

Each to his own mate. I've seen plenty of folk doing BIG miles with platform pedals. Clips/clipless are better for some, just different for others all things considered.

Each to his own mate. I've seen plenty of folk doing BIG miles with platform pedals. Clips/clipless are better for some, just different for others all things considered.

+1 To each his/her own!

What are hot spots? How do you prevent them? Thank you :)
Hot spots occur on the balls of the feet directly above the pedal cleat, probably from friction of the cleat against the body of the pedal or possibly from the foot twisting too much inside the shoe. Some pedal/cleat combos appear to be more prone to this (cleats that engage the pedal over a larger surface area may transfer less pressure per square/inch to the ball of the foot than smaller cleats). My guess is that proper shoe sizing to eliminate foot slippage in combination with a pedal that dissipates the force over a larger area, and which allows some degree of lateral movement will be the best preventative measures. Hope that helps!

Hot spots occur on the balls of the feet directly above the pedal cleat, probably from friction of the cleat against the body of the pedal or possibly from the foot twisting too much inside the shoe...

In most cases, you're spot on. Another cause you don't mention is just plain biomechanics. If the rider's foot-soles don't meet the pedals parallel to the pedals' surfaces (mine don't), then only a portion of the feet are "naturally" in contact with the pedals. This can cause hot spots when the full amount of force being applied to a pedal is concentrated over a much smaller area of the foot.

This "biomechanics" cause applies equally to clipless-pedal+shoe combinations and to straight sneakers on platform pedals. Short of custom-designing pedals with spindles that are not parallel to the ground, there is no solution to hot spots caused by biomechanical incompatibility.

Does anyone manufacture pedals with non-parallel spindles?

This "biomechanics" cause applies equally to clipless-pedal+shoe combinations and to straight sneakers on platform pedals. Short of custom-designing pedals with spindles that are not parallel to the ground, there is no solution to hot spots caused by biomechanical incompatibility.

Does anyone manufacture pedals with non-parallel spindles?[/QUOTE]
LEMOND fitness makes a set of orthotic wedges that install between the sole of the shoe and the cleat which I believe addresses the problem to which you refer. These can be customized to provide a solid base against which to press, thus ensuring a proper biomechanical stroke free from excessive power robbing wobble. Check them out at this site: http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Lewedge+Shims&vendorCode=LEMOND&major=5&minor=6

I just remembered that Look makes a pedal called the CX-7 which allows for + or - 3 degrees of platform tilt. They are expensive , however, at about $600. If it's the only way to keep pedaling without injury it may be worth the money, though. Of course you may be able to find a used pair on e-bay for alot less?
Hope these suggestions help. Happy riding. CC

Hi CC Rider!

Thanks for the info. I'll check them out.

I've used Lake CX125s with Speedplay Frog cleats and they worked out quite well. The shoes are stiffer than most MTB shoes but they have a tread pattern that makes them quite walkable. You can even run road cleats in them and still have a walkable combo. Lake no longer makes the CX125 but they do make the successor... the CX120.

Sorry to resurrect this (hijacked) thread, but any one here got the Lake CX-120?

I'm looking for walkable shoes that can take "road" cleats, and I found those. How stiff are they? And just how walkable?

Thanks.

Or even better, get pedals that are regular platforms on one side and clipless on the other.
I have the Shimano PD-M324 myself.

http://www.mikesbike.com/images/pedal2.jpg

They let you decide which pedalling mode to use at any given moment.
The spring adjustment also lets you set them to be very loose, so that almost any movement other than pure pedalling disengages them. That's what I have them set to. Less efficient than a solid connection, but far better than single-action platform pedalling.

And I've never fallen over once. Have about 600 miles on them now.
Consider also that half of those are through busy city traffic with frequent stops, where you'd think falling over is a greater risk.

I just got the same pedals last week. They are my first clipless and they're great so far -- no problems clipping in or out during urban rides, and versatile enough to commute to work in my regular work shoes. I got the Shimano MT30 shoes to go with them and they're also plenty comfortable to walk in.

To the debate about the value of clipless: I resisted horribly, and I still don't find a HUGE difference except uphill. That said, the big reason that I went for it was that a neighbor who I respect tremendously as a cyclist advised that I do -- because there are enough bumps and pits in the roads around us that, as he put it, they will help keep your feet on the pedals. It's a good point, and even if you're not going to climb much or tour with loaded packs, there's something to be said for keeping your feet where they belong if you hit a sudden bump or snag in the road.

The Quoted Poster (QP?) is spot on about adjusting the tension on these pedals. A friend with the same size shoe let me try his road pedals / shoes and it was nowhere near as simple as how I have mine set up. A very gentle twist and you'll pop right out.

I toured with an old pair of Lake Shoes cycling shoes and clips/straps but that was before SPD's came along. I'd recommend the Shimano SH-MT40 because I have a very similar pair these days that I use for almost every kind of riding; off-road, commute, road. They are stiff enough for riding all day and comfortable enough to wear off the bike. They look like normal sneakers (kind of like skate/BMX shoes) - suede brown/black with laces and a single velcro strap across the top. No longer made of course. Bought them in 1995 and they are still my go-to shoes even though I have a bunch of new Diadora and Northwave shoes.

Though I recently got a cheap pair Exustar SPD sandals that I used all summer and they were alright for walking - not great but okay. Oh, but my feet were so happy when I was riding!

Anyhoo, if you get a pair with laces make sure they have some sort of way of keeping the laces from getting caught in your cranks (that is no fun, don't ask me how I know). The single top strap is the best option in my opinion. I have a pair of the Diadora Patrol shoes and they have a little velco loop/strap on the tongue to hold the laces but that is a major pain in the butt to deal with. The single strap gives you the option of either tying the laces for serious riding or just leaving them loose for going to get groceries.

I have a pair of Performance's Forte Traverse shoes that work great for clipless and are good for walking around town. I have never tried to hike long distances in them. Also have a pair of Shimano's MTB shoes. They are also good for touring.