Road Cycling - Road or mountain shoe

Is there a difference detween road shoes and mountain bike shoes?

I can get a pair cheap, but they are mountain bike shoes (Diadora Picante) :confused:

Mountain shoes tend to have rubber soles with some tread to them to make walking up hills a little easier. Road shoes tend to have plastic or carbon fiber soles that do not bend. They are more difficult to walk in, but make pedaling more efficient. I have a pair of both, since I started with mountain biking. If you commute or hit stores while riding, a MTB pair maybe better off. I feel that the road shoes allows me to be a more powerful rider. Not sure if thats true or not. If you get a great deal, go fir it, regardless on the type of shoe.

I'd prefer to use road specific for road and mountain specific for mountain.

However, that gets expensive quickly. I use mountain pedals and mountain shoes for both bikes, which makes things easier. This way I only have to keep up with one pair of shoes.

I wear road shoes all the time. I have a pair of Pearl Izumi's. They have a sole that is solid as a rock. It kills the hot foot problem, and as said before, makes pedaling feel alot more efficient. They are goofy to walk in though, because your toes are higher than your heels. :D

Buy a high-end mountain shoe and it will have a stiff sole like the road-shoe equivalent and then you won't get the "hot foot" problem.

Also you won't fall on your arse when you are trying to pee in the gas-station rest-room with the nasty wet floor!

Good high-end mountain shoes are just like good road shoes.

Cheaper mountain shoes have more flex. Stay away... If you cannot afford high end mountain shoe (Garne King, SIDI Dominator) then stay with a road shoe. Some road shoes are flimsy but they tend as a whole to be stiff enough to stop hot-foot.

Originally posted by astonv0l
Is there a difference detween road shoes and mountain bike shoes?

I can get a pair cheap, but they are mountain bike shoes (Diadora Picante) :confused: Yes, there is a major difference between the two. MTB shoes have walkable soles and are usually only compatible with MTB pedals. Road shoes in general do not have walkable soles & are designed to be used with road specific pedals, although some MTB pedals can work with road shoes. The type of pedals you currently have on your road bike determines which type shoes to use.

Originally posted by The Fixer
Yes, there is a major difference between the two. MTB shoes have walkable soles and are usually only compatible with MTB pedals. Road shoes in general do not have walkable soles & are designed to be used with road specific pedals, although some MTB pedals can work with road shoes. The type of pedals you currently have on your road bike determines which type shoes to use.

to add..

most road shoes, newer models, are also compatible with the two bolt design cleats used on mtb pedals. But I have not seen MTB shoes that are compatible with three bolt cleats(Look, spd-r).

So, a road shoe may be used on mtb pedals, if you use a compatible cleat. ;)

Originally posted by dexmax
to add..

most road shoes, newer models, are also compatible with the two bolt design cleats used on mtb pedals. But I have not seen MTB shoes that are compatible with three bolt cleats(Look, spd-r).

So, a road shoe may be used on mtb pedals, if you use a compatible cleat. ;)

Some road shoes can also accept adapters. Sidi for instance sells an SPD adapter for its road shoes. However, I've tried this (Sidi Energy shoes, heavily trimmed SPD adapter and Speedplay Frog cleats) and let's just say that the results were less than spectacular. :(

Dexmax, the SPD-Rs don't use the Look three bolt standard. In typical Shimano fashion, they wanted to start their own incompatible standard.

astonv0l, how do you ride? If you're a hammerhead, get road specific, period. If you ride at more of a touring pace, and like to "stop and smell the roses," go for the mtb pedals.

Thanks for the replys. I'm putting egg beaters on my bike as the reviews seem to be good (and they look cool :D ) so I can use mtb shoes. I like to go on long rides and "smell the roses" but also am training for sprints. I looked on e-bay and there is a plethora of mtb shoes but hardly any road.

Here is what I'm looking at, let me know what you think

http://pricepoint.com/product1829.html

I've just ordered a pair of touring shoes that had both worlds: tread for walking around and a stiff sole for efficient power xfer... Only cost $25 at Performance Bike on clearance.