Fifty Plus (50+) - Best shoes for platform pedals

Hi,

Swapped out the Look Keo Easy clipless for the kind of pedals with platform on one side and clipless on the other. A lot more useful for our kind of riding. So I know that the Sidis are great with the clipless side. No pain, very comfie. But when I use the platform side, I'm back to feeling that burning pain on the bottom of my foot due to shoes that provide little support. The platform side has the same amount of surface area as the regular platform pedals I've used before, so I'm assuming it's the flexible tennis shoes. I know we've talked about this way back when.

For you who need more support when riding platform pedals, what shoes work best for you?

Thanks!!!

I use low-cut hiking shoes from Merrell & New Balance. Most hiking shoes have stiffer shoes than all-around sneakers. My favorites are the Merrell Mesa Ventilators, for they have stiffer soles combined with partially mesh uppers which keep my feet cool.
http://www.onlineshoes.com/productpage.asp?gen=w&pcid=24078&adtrack=froogle&term=women%27s+merrell+mesa+ventilator+ii&offer=

Another one I like is the New Balance Country Walker, which also has a stiffened sole. They have several versions of this. The 749 has a combined leather/mesh upper. For walking, this shoe is the most stable I've ever worn. I've heard that term used to describe shoes before, but never knew what it meant until I wore it. Somehow it centers your weight and makes it feel like it would be impossible to push you over. I've worn it on many hikes, including in the Colorado Rockies, and it never slips.
http://www.rei.com/product/763692?preferredSku=7636920063&cm_mmc=cse_froogle-_-datafeed-_-product-_-na&mr:trackingCode=489C5450-BE3F-DD11-98CA-001422107090&mr:referralID=NA


But I've used several different types of shoes to good effect.

I use a so called "crosstraining" shoe; a model with vent panels.
Have pretty large feet (14 or 15 depending upon the last), often the shoe I would like is not in my size.
So I've often chosen some sort of sport type shoe with a stiffer bottom and vent panels, my pedals are
shimano mx-30.

Get yourself some SPD-compatible touring shoes. You can put the SPD cleat on them in the recess, but you can easily ride on the "platform" side of the pedals with a very stable shoe. You can walk in them too. Touring shoes have the stiffness you need.

Get arch supports with metatarsal pads. bk

Speaking of arch supports, I do use Spenco orthotic arch supports, the ones with a hard plastic, moldable base. These are wonderful for my feet.

Thanks, everyone! I'll try your suggestions on and see what works best for me. I'll let you know what I end up with.

Wait a couple of days, I'm sure you'll get more good suggestions.

Wait a couple of days, I'm sure you'll get more good suggestions.

Will do, Tom! I really like my new pedals. It was great to be able to get off the bike and walk without breaking my neck. :twitchy:

I posted before that I was pleasently surprised by the 661 Launch shoes. Now that they are broken in and have several rides on them, I'm even more impressed. When mated with the Wellgo MG-1 pedals they are just about a perfect pair.

The MG-1's have so much traction that they grab the tread on my regular shoes and actually require a positive up move to get the foot off (this was too much like clipless for my intended tourist area riding next week). The Launch shoe has a smooth sole with recessed narrow groove tread and it engages the pedal just right for quick on/off while still having enough traction to get 3/4 of the pedaling circle that I get with the clipless.

They are a flat shoe however so even broken in they are not something to take a long hike in. There isn't enough rocker to let the toes roll over as much as normal shoes so you end up walking like a farmer in the fields with your head bobbing up and down..........................wait.............maybe thats me.

Just my humble opinion, but if it's cycling you want to do, get a cycling shoe of whatever flavour you want (I highly recommend a touring type shoe for non-racing use). Cross training shoes are hybrids. I find that the soles are way too wide, and they are neither that good for cycling or for walking. But the other thing is that a cross training shoe can never be used with an SPD cleat if you want to later, while a touring shoe or a mountain bike shoe can.

I use a pair of skate shoes. Very stiff, Very flat sole, extra padding, they work superbly on platform pedals.

torgrot

I used a pair of Sette Rival II shoes on my week-long tour from Pittsburgh to DC, and they were great. Sette is a house brand at Price Point, and the shoes were only 35 bucks or so.

I posted before that I was pleasently surprised by the 661 Launch shoes. Now that they are broken in and have several rides on them, I'm even more impressed. When mated with the Wellgo MG-1 pedals they are just about a perfect pair.

The MG-1's have so much traction that they grab the tread on my regular shoes and actually require a positive up move to get the foot off (this was too much like clipless for my intended tourist area riding next week). The Launch shoe has a smooth sole with recessed narrow groove tread and it engages the pedal just right for quick on/off while still having enough traction to get 3/4 of the pedaling circle that I get with the clipless.

They are a flat shoe however so even broken in they are not something to take a long hike in. There isn't enough rocker to let the toes roll over as much as normal shoes so you end up walking like a farmer in the fields with your head bobbing up and down..........................wait.............maybe thats me.

Thanks! Looks like they are currently on sale at some places. :thumb:

Thanks! Looks like they are currently on sale at some places. :thumb:

Oh yea.........did I mention that they have been on sale for years.......:)

I used a pair of Sette Rival II shoes on my week-long tour from Pittsburgh to DC, and they were great. Sette is a house brand at Price Point, and the shoes were only 35 bucks or so.

Thanks, Historian. But are these for platform pedals? They look like they attach to clipless pedals...

Thanks, Historian. But are these for platform pedals? They look like they attach to clipless pedals...

Any MTB shoe (road shoes are a little slippery) can be used on platform pedals by simply not installing cleats.............or for your double sided pedals they can be used with cleats on one side and the cleats will not bother you much on the platform side.

For platforms without cleats however, the entry level shoes seem to work better as they have more of a normal walking sole without the bigger tread blocks for mud use. (climbing mud hills carrying the bike on your back)(hard core mountain riding)

I use a pair of skate shoes. Very stiff, Very flat sole, extra padding, they work superbly on platform pedals.
torgrot

Shoes used for skateboarding or skating? I'm old. When I think of skate shoes, I think of shoes you wear when you want to wear these:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1165/813555351_b91d0ada15_o.jpg

Any MTB shoe (road shoes are a little slippery) can be used on platform pedals by simply not installing cleats.............or for your double sided pedals they can be used with cleats on one side and the cleats will not bother you much on the platform side.

For platforms without cleats however, the entry level shoes seem to work better as they have more of a normal walking sole without the bigger tread blocks for mud use. (climbing mud hills carrying the bike on your back)(hard core mountain riding)

Ahh! Got it. Thanks for the clarification.

Will do, Tom! I really like my new pedals. It was great to be able to get off the bike and walk without breaking my neck. :twitchy:

Just recently bought new shoes for the SPD pedals and I had a choice. Conventional MTB type shoe OR a Road type shoe with the slippy sole and exposed cleat. Even without the cleats in- I could not stand up with the road shoe and wlaking was decidedly dangerous. I bought the MTB style.

Now down at the gym-I do the occasional spinning class. They have some bikes with SPD pedals so I always wear my normal MTB shoes. BUT a couple of times I have not been early enough and had to use the bikes with platform pedals a toe clips. Those MTB shoes with the cleats fitted have not caused a problem to me on the platform pedals.

One potential downside to mtn bike shoes with the big lugs underneath when using them on platform pedals vs clipless is that on the platforms, you end up with a much thicker sole on the pedal. If you're finicky about saddle height, it can affect that. When used on a clipless pedal, the shoe sits a little lower on the pedal due to the cleat being in a recess and the whole pedal itself also fitting within a slightly recessed portion of the sole.

One potential downside to mtn bike shoes with the big lugs underneath when using them on platform pedals vs clipless is that on the platforms, you end up with a much thicker sole on the pedal. If you're finicky about saddle height, it can affect that. When used on a clipless pedal, the shoe sits a little lower on the pedal due to the cleat being in a recess and the whole pedal itself also fitting within a slightly recessed portion of the sole.

This is a good point about one unmentioned disadvantage to dual purpose pedals. One side is a bit (or maybe a bit more) different from the other. Once your bike is really dialed in, a 1/4" of saddle height difference is a big deal.

TruF coming back to the platform side.

Yen coming back to the platform side.

Tom getting his new Wellgo MG-1 pedals in today's mail.

I like this trend.

I've always used platform pedals on an upright bike,
like the suggestion of skateboard shoes- got to see if I can find any in size 14/15.

However, I do use spd style pedals on my recumbent.

chuck taylor canvas.

Thanks, Historian. But are these for platform pedals? They look like they attach to clipless pedals...

If you want to install cleats, you can. I didn't, and I had a pair of very stiff-soled shoes that I could ride with AND wear walking around downtown Cumberland, MD, or on a tour of Fallingwater.

At some point this summer, I'm going to go riding in my Crocs.

That's what I rode in last night on the little dial in ride on the new Felt. They work fine on platforms.

I use low-cut hiking shoes from Merrell & New Balance.
+1 on the Merrell hiking shoes. I've been using 'em with Wellgo platforms and toe clips lately.

I use these without the cleats. Stiff, but very walkable. They also look much like normal shoes.

http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-SH-MT20-MTB-Shoe/dp/B0011EFF4U/ref=pd_sbs_sg_3

Have you tried platform shoes?

Mt. shoes with no cleats is what I use with platform pedals.

Have you tried platform shoes?


:thumb:

http://www.planetnikon.com/forums/uploads/post-141-1207850635.gif

http://www.planetnikon.com/forums/uploads/post-141-1207850635.gif

Disco G lives..................

They are skateboard shoes. I wouldn't put my poor old feet on those again if my life depended on it. I hated them when I was a kid, and my parents hated them every time they ripped the sole off a pair of shoes. I don't know how many times I wound up with gravel in the palms and knees from those torture devices.

torgrot

I was browsing around a bike shop yesterday and noticed the Shimano SH-WM40 women's SPD shoes. They looked like nice, normal shoes, that would be fine for walking.

Some old friends of DG, no doubt, with the right idea.http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/features/wallpaper/images/1024/slade.jpg

So Tru, which shoes did you pick?

Hi all,

After trying on LOTS of shoes, I ended up with these: Shimano SH-MT21 (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=24870&subcategory_ID=2120). Yes, I know that they are men's shoes, but they had the smaller sizes and they fit better than anything else in the store. And I got a pair of inserts, too. I'll wear them tomorrow with my new Shimano PD-M324 (http://www.rei.com/product/668198) pedals and let you know if they resolve the burning pain on the ball of my left foot.

http://media.rei.com/media/668198Lrg.jpg
http://www.bicyclebuys.com/productimages/SHMT21PART.jpg

I think this may be a winning combo. Took our normal 30+ miler today. No foot pain at all. The shoes remind me of bowling shoes, but who cares? Next I need to try the other side of the pedals with my Sidis.

Hey Tru, glad to know these work for you.... I know how frustrating it can be to have to try and try until you find the perfect solution. It sounds like you'll have to look no further. My shoe hunt continues....

Good luck, Yen! We should start a forum to sell or swap all the stuff we collect and then replace as we get "dialed in." I don't know about you, but we have a growing pile!

Not coming from a cycling background I adopted a different approach to what most people here would suggest. I ride with platform pedals and in very comfortable 'laceless' sneakers which have a chunky sole which engages with the pedals very securely. They're not 'stiff' at all, and when I started riding I was copping that 'burning' sensation too after a while on a ride.

I soon found that I could avoid getting that discomfort just by changing the foot position every so often. On a longer ride, when I have sections where I'm coasting or pedalling a bit more leisurely I shift the feet forward a wee bit to have the pedals under the arch of the foot. A couple of minutes or so of that every now and then and I can ride for hours on end without any foot discomfort.

Made sense to me. It's kinda the same idea as changing hand position every now and then. And if it works for me it oughta work for some other people, surely? My feet are pretty stuffed from years of heavy work, so it's not like I'm all young and athletic and stuff! :)

Add my shoes to that pile, Tru. The mystery about my shoes is solved. My 2nd toe is longer than the others and is being squeezed by the other toes inside the toe box! I have no doubt that this shoe size is right for me -- it's simply the wrong shoe for me. I need something with a larger toe box or soft upper materials. I wear running shoes almost every day, or go barefoot at home. The more pointier toe with rigid leather material is squeezing my toes in the shoe. I hope I can find a suitable replacement for <$100.00. :(

Not coming from a cycling background I adopted a different approach to what most people here would suggest. I ride with platform pedals and in very comfortable 'laceless' sneakers which have a chunky sole which engages with the pedals very securely. They're not 'stiff' at all, and when I started riding I was copping that 'burning' sensation too after a while on a ride.

I soon found that I could avoid getting that discomfort just by changing the foot position every so often. On a longer ride, when I have sections where I'm coasting or pedalling a bit more leisurely I shift the feet forward a wee bit to have the pedals under the arch of the foot. A couple of minutes or so of that every now and then and I can ride for hours on end without any foot discomfort.

Made sense to me. It's kinda the same idea as changing hand position every now and then. And if it works for me it oughta work for some other people, surely? My feet are pretty stuffed from years of heavy work, so it's not like I'm all young and athletic and stuff! :)

I wish that relieved my foot pain, but now I'm convinced I'm just wearing the wrong shoe (see my previous post just above this one about the 2nd toe). :(

Yeah, shoes which are narrow where they oughta be wider would do things to you. :(


I've got bunyips poking out and toes turning in and that kinda thing, and I figure if shoes aren't soft and stretchy they aren't good enough to be shoes.

heh heh....

LOL, my feet are a mess too. The big toe joints might need replacing when I'm about 70 if not sooner.... longer 2nd toe which never did fit any shoes but I didn't realize until too late..... high arches that require custom (i.e. expensive) orthotics, bone spur on top which is irritated by a tight shoe. But on the bright side of things, it could be worse! :)

Just got in from vacation and 78 miles total on platform pedals.

1. I had to constantly remember to move my feet around every now and again to prevent hot spots. (grippy platforms have 0 float)

2. There is one distinct disadvantage to platforms. As I am a didicated right foot starter, I had become very used to standing a a stopsign with left foot on the pavement and pulling the right foot around and up to the ready position. Platforms don't pull up and have to be kicked up. Bummer, another habit to break and restart.

3. When riding in the rain on platforms, it's nice to have good traction pins..........:)