Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - What kind of shoes do you wear?

I tried search and can't find anything. Maybe I'm not putting the right keywords?
I don't use clipless and yes I don't wear bike shorts (but planning to wear underneath my pants) I know I need stiffer sneakers or shoes. My payless sneakers aren't cutting it. :lol:
So what do you wear and /or suggest? Any input please.....

I have the same question.. I was thinking maybe mountain biking shoes
would be more of the thing..but havent looked at them yet..

I don't wear bike shorts, either! I do use clipless on longer rides, but I've got a pair of two-sided pedals which have a platform pedal on one side. But I just wear sneakers on the shorter rides when I don't feel like clipping in. I find clipless to be helpful, though, and I wonder if you have something against them? I don't know of any other kind of stiff-soled shoes to recommend.

If you're dead set against cleats and clipless pedals, I'd suggest mountain bike shoes without any cleats installed. They won't be as cheap as a pair of sneakers, but you won't find any sneakers nearly stiff enough.

Pearl Izumi, among others, make great cycling/sports shoes that can be used with clips, or as sneakers--these are what I use 99% of the time. They are pricey, though, but do offer great flexibility. Othwerwise, almost any comfy sneaker will do.. :)

Last summer I broke down and went clipless on my road bike -- but with platform on one side of the pedal/SPD on the other (Shimano M324). I also opted to go for Pearl Izumi mountain biking shoes with cleats, rather than road shoes. I want to be able to walk with some traction, especially across one slick bridge I know.

However, when it came time to buy new sneakers last summer I spent about 30 minutes comparing how flexible the soles were and choosing the one with the stiffest sole. It does make a difference.

Yeah I kinda thought it would be more expensive but Im only wearing them while riding. So they would probably last longer. Never thought of mountain bike shoes,in fact I never heard of them. Where to find them?

Fleabay, or your favorite Izumi retailer... I have the X-Road Fuel--as BeginnerCycling mentions above, they are intended for off-road use, but make for very comfrotable all-around shoes.

Here's a picture of them in white:

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-4646093457161_2160_52479749

Mine are very similar to this, but in Black/red.

Yeah I kinda thought it would be more expensive but Im only wearing them while riding. So they would probably last longer. Never thought of mountain bike shoes,in fact I never heard of them. Where to find them?

Nashbar is one source: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/SubCategory_10053_10052_202526_-1_202330_202362

These ones are less than $30 and kind of cute:

http://www.nashbar.com/images/nashbar/products/small/YS-AQ34-NCL-ANGLE.jpg

I use sidi's dominators and pearl izumi sandals.This years tour I will only bring these two pair of shoes. The sandals work well for walking.

Fleabay, or your favorite Izumi retailer... I have the X-Road Fuel--as BeginnerCycling mentions above, they are intended for off-road use, but make for very comfrotable all-around shoes.

Here's a picture of them in white:

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-4646093457161_2160_52479749

Mine are very similar to this, but in Black/red.

Oh wow lots of places to get them but these are really cute.....let me check it out.

I wear my normal gym shoes.

I went clipless last year after somebody posted on the forums that REI had mistakenly put on clearance "Shimano R160 Road Bike Shoes - Women's - '08 Closeout". Turns out not many women have a size 13 foot. The store had listed the mens shoes and so I snapped them up for $50. The shoes are so comfortable and so light (carbon soles) that if I eve need a new pair I would be tempted to spend the retail cost of $250. I love these shoes:

http://i55.tinypic.com/iz8gnn.jpg

Me?
Started with whatever I was wearing.
Later bought some clipless SPD mountain style shoe
Gravitated toward big bmx pedals and sandals
Put Grip Kings (big weird shaped pedals) on my single-speed and MKS Touring pedals (wide side-to-side) on my LHT
Now I'm considering finding some better clipless shoes and going back

When I'm not using clipless I usually wear sandals, casual shoes, or heavy boots in the winter.

Cheap gum soled sneaks from Big 5 Sporting goods. I thought I would get some dedicated bike shoes, look for stiff soles, low ankle, and without stripes, colors, or Hello Kitty laces. Today's first ride on my new bike with the "dedicated" shoes proved that good bike shoes will (someday) be on the short list of 'must haves'......

I'm just wearing a new pair of basic Nike cross-trainers. I prefer the all leather upper because it's stiffer than those with netting or canvas material, which really helps on my platform pedals (I hated that on my old ones, my feet kindof bent around the pedal on the edge - if that makes sense). Look for something with a firm sole and a stiff upper, and you'll probably be fine.

Depends on the season:

Spring & Autumn I wear skateboard shoes. Luckily I fit into boys shoe size range and currently wear a pair of blue suede Etnies. Very comfy with a stiff enough sole that allows me to ride all day and walk comfortably.

Summer I wear Teva Terrafy sandals. The skateboard shoes make my feet heat up so much on hot days, I think my toes are on fire! These Tevas have good support, sticky and stiff sole, plus it's nice to feel a breeze on my toes.

Winter I wear big ole snowboots with wooly socks. It isn't pretty, it's survival!

So far I have had good luck with 3 brands: Teva, Merrill(sp) and my favorite Keen

I ride clipless Shimano pedals and found a pair of sweet carbon-soled Shimano road shoes I got at the Chicago bike swap last year :D

I used to use Nike running or cross training (40-50 at Kohl's or Sports Authority) but it would irritated my arches. So I switched to Under Armor running shoes when they came out and found relief some relief for my arches, but they are too soft for bike riding. I'm clipless now and probably won't go back.

I have a pair of Shimano mountain bike shoes and pedals for my commuter/beater.

I like skate board shoes like Vans. My New Balance seem to have a failrly stiff sole and I like them too.

I use sneakers so I can move my foot around. I like keen sandals/shoes. Chrome makes some more cycling specific shoes. If you're using platforms, get good pedals with good width, grip and support.

My Pearl Izumi MTB/sport shoes are so comfortable -- even with cleats installed -- that I sometimes forget I have bike shoes on and end up wearing them for totally non-bike-related pursuits.
If you want to stick with platforms only, there are numerous options. Trying flexing and pushing on the soles of various shoes when you're shopping. There are vast differences in stiffness and protective properties among similar looking shoes. Some of the best I've found are Brooks walking shoes, Prospector closed-toe sandals, and Merrell Tawas water shoes.

I have 3 variations:

1) just running casual errands on utility commuter bike. Jump on bike with what ever I have on, but no flipflops
2) commuting (5 miles one way) on utility commuter bike. put on my shimano... touring/light moutain bike spd shoes and use the clipless side of my pedals.
3) Riding my road bike...put on my road shoes (performance brand...nothing super special)

YMMV, but for me clipless are far more efficient when going longer distance (partially because of using stiff shoes).

An option is to get the two sided SPD pedals and the mountain/bike tour type shoes. You can start out without using the cips and flip over and use them as you get comforatable. I find the spd clips are the easiest to use of the ones i have used (spd, Look style and speedplay)

I got a pair of Shimano SPD shoes with carbon soles on Craigslist for $45 about a year ago. They were used, but still worked pretty well. The "hot spots" I used to get on my foot, near the contact area with the pedal, went away instantly.

I just got a pair of Giro carbon soled mountain (SPD) shoes at REI's sale. Haven't put the cleats in them yet ... I had a root canal recently and it's still bothering me a lot, so I don't need an excuse to get on the bike and make it worse!

EDIT: I don't wear bike shorts, either, or other bike specific clothing. But the shoes and pedals make a huge difference!

well im new to this and i just where my Fila cross trainers with my custom fit orthotics that i had made last year by my podiatrist after surgery for planters fasciitis on both feet.should i be wearing something else?

I use oldstyle toe clips and straps, and I wear indoor soccer shoes.

well im new to this and i just where my Fila cross trainers with my custom fit orthotics that i had made last year by my podiatrist after surgery for planters fasciitis on both feet.should i be wearing something else?

Eventually, depending on how much you ride, you will start to be interested in clipless pedals/shoes--they are more efficient and make pedaling distances or faster much easier...

I went clipless last year after somebody posted on the forums that REI had mistakenly put on clearance "Shimano R160 Road Bike Shoes - Women's - '08 Closeout". Turns out not many women have a size 13 foot. The store had listed the mens shoes and so I snapped them up for $50. The shoes are so comfortable and so light (carbon soles) that if I eve need a new pair I would be tempted to spend the retail cost of $250. I love these shoes:

http://i55.tinypic.com/iz8gnn.jpg

I say you were real lucky that you got them. 250.00? They look real pretty.



I wear my normal gym shoes.

You find it stiff enough? I feel like my feet are swimming into the pedals. LOL


So far I have had good luck with 3 brands: Teva, Merrill(sp) and my favorite Keen

Keen seems to be a popular brand...I'll have to check that out.....and those other . ;0


I like skate board shoes like Vans. My New Balance seem to have a failrly stiff sole and I like them too.

Are skate board shoes stiff? I actually like Van sneakers but I only bought a couple of slip on pairs . Very comfy. I probably bought the wrong ones for biking. LOL

I tried search and can't find anything. Maybe I'm not putting the right keywords?
I don't use clipless and yes I don't wear bike shorts (but planning to wear underneath my pants) I know I need stiffer sneakers or shoes. My payless sneakers aren't cutting it. :lol:
So what do you wear and /or suggest? Any input please.....

I use Shimano BMX shoes (current incarnation here http://www.bicyclehero.com/us/shimano-sh-mp66w-bmx-mountain-bike-shoes-white-44.html (http://www.bicyclehero.com/us/shimano-sh-mp66w-bmx-mountain-bike-shoes-white-44.html)) with 2-hole cleats (currently Bebop), although you could just pass on removing the plug in the sole and ride them on platform pedals.

Another vote for 2-sided SPD pedals. I also like to have mountain bike shoes that have rubber in the arch. Most have a slick nylon or fiberglass arch, that is really easy to slip off of at a traffic intersection. Slipping off is dangerous. I've seen people wreck that way numerous times.

You can push through the intersection with the rubber arches without being clipped in. Saves me lots of worry at busy intersections.

I also have an old stiff front-fork mountain bike that I use as a commuter with old fashioned toe clips. That works fine for carrying groceries and such, but I can't pull up on the toe clips as hard on hills as I can with SPD pedals.

I wear Sidi mountian bike shoes and use Shimano M324 SPD pedals.

I brought my bike in for the derraileurs to be adjusted yesterday. While I was waiting I found these Keen bike sandles, ordinarily in the $100-$115 range:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/519zB-XHqKL._SY395_.jpg
They were on sale for $89, one pair, my size. I waffled and didn't buy and regretted later because they were a perfect fit. I went online and found the exact same shoes on Amazon for $69. I ordinarily would have supported my LBS but I couldn't pass up this deal.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001T6FYNC

I just wear regular ole Nike tennis shoes. No clips on the pedals or anything.
.
.
.

I brought my bike in for the derraileurs to be adjusted yesterday. While I was waiting I found these Keen bike sandles, ordinarily in the $100-$115 range:

I have a pair of of Keen bike sandals for SPD. In the summer, I wear them on bike rides to a couple of beaches that have lots of rocks on the ground, where you can swim, but your feet need protection.

Goldfinch- 69 bucks is the cheapest I've ever seen Keen's. Thanks for the link, I ordered a pair. Stouts (http://www.shoestores.com) is a site to keep an eye on that carries Keens too. I have found that the even the biggest sites don't have every color and size variations at all times. Do you think the better the deal the less likely you are to find exacctly what you want?

I like these, sole is stiff and they don't slip, plus, easy to stop and get the
rocks out.

http://www.payless.com/store/product/detail.jsp?catId=cat10089&subCatId=cat10290&skuId=000098085&productId=1064&lotId=000098&category=&catdisplayName=Mens

Keen Sandals, rain or shine, stiff and dry out well.

Shimano mountain bike shoes with SPD cleats.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ScEel2AlL._SY395_.jpg

Bought them this year and since they are an older model I only paid $100 for them at my LBS. I also use SPD-SL pedals with them.

Next to switching to bibs these are the most comfortable addition to my cycling gear.

Brahma low cut boots from Wal-mart. A couple of the styles are very light, and have stiff soles; and less than $30-

My commute is 12 miles each way, the Brahmas are comfortable for the ride and all day at work (office).

I am a fan of Sidi shoes but understand they are expensive. I recently bought a pair of Pearl Izumi MTB shoes at REI. They were on sale - I think around $70. Although I've added a cleat, I can see where these shoes would work great without one (I use the same pedal system - Time - on my MTB and road bikes - just different style platforms). The shoes are stiff enough to be supportive but comfortable for walking around. I highly recommend them (as I see others have as well).

One word of Sidi's... yes I know they cost just south of $300 but most comfortable shoes ever and they last. I beat my MTB shoes up terribly and am still using a pair I bought a number of seasons ago. I can't say the Sidi's are the most comfortable walking around shoes (even though I buy the Dominators with an MTB sole) which is why I bought the PI for longer,more difficult rides where i know i have to walk.

I am a firm believer in using the right equipment for the task. For instance, cycling shorts... nothing beats them for comfort and function. Cycling shoes same thing. The investment in good stuff is worth it.

Adidas road shoes (closeout, cheap at local bike shop) + Speedplay pedals (new for 2011, formerly Time pedals)

For my commute (20-34 miles round trip, depending on how I feel), plain old sneakers with wide bmx style pedals work fine for me.

For longer rides, I'm currently using shimano "multi-use touring shoes" and dual sided spd mountain pedals.

http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/shoe_test.image.+media+images+cycling+products+actionsports+SH+SH-MT22_600x450_v1_m56577569830680129_dot_jpg.bm.677.0.jpg

Shimano mountain bike shoes with SPD cleats.

Ditto - I've had my first (and cheapest) pair for over four years. Ride MTN bike mostly on streets or MUP, somtimes on real mountain bike trails.
Soaked by rain numerous times. Still working fine. Went to cleats to keep the foot on the pedal.

I mostly wear Speedo's version of the aquasock which has almost zero padding for better foot/pedal transfer and keeps my feet dry if I have to cross a stream. In the summer I sometimes ride wearing my rope sandals: I have a pair from Nomadic State of Mind, but there are several similar manufacturers. Again, little padding for less squishiness.

I wear these everyday with slacks for work. I get home and change into my baggies and t-shirt and then put these back on. I am crazy about them:love: Very stiff, look good and extremely comfortable.

http://www.merrell.com/US/en-us/Product.mvc.aspx/15128M/30430/Mens/Intercept

That said, the more serious mtn bikers I have been around swear by these. I am surprised no one has mentioned these yet.

http://fiveten.com/products

This summer I am wearing my regular Keen sandals. They're not bike sandals but they seem rigid enougn. In the winter I wear my Shimano mountain bike shoes.

I've been happiest with the Chrome shoes I bought last fall.

http://simplecycle-marc.blogspot.com/2011/06/chrome-shoes-revisited.html

Marc

For my commute (20-34 miles round trip, depending on how I feel), plain old sneakers with wide bmx style pedals work fine for me.

For longer rides, I'm currently using shimano "multi-use touring shoes" and dual sided spd mountain pedals.

http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/shoe_test.image.+media+images+cycling+products+actionsports+SH+SH-MT22_600x450_v1_m56577569830680129_dot_jpg.bm.677.0.jpg

I have an older version of this shoe with Speedplay Frog cleats. The shoes have been great. Comfortable and easy to walk around in should the need arise.