since6

Here is the shoe my feet are comfortable in, a pair of Shimano mountain bike shoes. I wear these for two reasons.

First, as a Captain on a tandem when I plant my foot at a stop I want it to stick and not slide, thou shalt not pull your hamstring and/or drop your stoker (wife-terrible, terrible things happen then-much later associated with much laughter).

Second, these shoes have what I believe is called a box toe as opposed to the narrower more pointed toe you find on road bike shoes. I know I cannot wear a shoe with a narrower more pointed toe for very long without my foot feeling cramped and then hurting.

My plan is to have quill pedals and toe clips on my under restoration vintage bike, but I don’t plan on going to the clips racers would install on their shoes to race in toe clips. I would like some tread, though nothing like that on the current mountain bike shoes, on the sole of the shoe so that I’m not walking on just hard plastic and ice skating with each step, and most of all a box toe like that of my current shoes. Also lacing is fine as opposed to straps, just so long as I can loosen them and the shoes upper will stretch to accommodate feet swelling over a 3-4 hour ride.

Are there any brands you have used or could recommend that would meet my needs?

Thanks for your help.

rhm

Good luck!

I rode a 300k brevet last year wearing a somewhat worn out pair of black wingtips. The front of the shoe, being a hard leather, gave my toes all the room they needed.

I have found the most important thing to do is to bend the toe clip itself, as much as necessary, to make sure it does not interfere with my toes. Most toe clips are a little low at the front, and press down on the top of the shoe. This doesn't appear to be a problem until I've been on the bike for several hours, but by then the damage is done, and my feet hurt.

41roadmaster

Rhm makes a good point about the design and shape of toe clips. I remember loving it when I got my first pair of clipless pedals and I finally didn't have to cinch my feet into the toe clips. I always rode with my toe clip strap cinched down pretty tight and it wasn't always that comfortable.

due ruote 

Something like these might work (see below). I haven't worn them but they seem to have the type of toe box you are looking for.

I have some old Nike bike shoes from the '80s (I think) that are sneaker-comfortable but have typical slippery and hard road shoe soles. Something like that could work though if you wanted to go to the trouble of putting a sole on them like Northbend describes on this thread.

+1 to rhm's comments about toe clips. They are made to work with pointy cycling shoes and will probably pinch the toe area unless you bend them. If that still doesn't work you can go to plastic mtb clips that are ugly but roomier.

Giro Republic Touring Shoe

ApolloSoyuz1975

I believe MKS offers deep toe-clips (strap-compatible) for non-cycling shoes.

crank_addict

If you have a wider quill pedal (touring), might consider the old brand Record toeclip. Not as elegant or highly plated as others but they're wide and also easy for the shoe topside. The Records will fit Campagnolo and the copy version MKS.

Spaghetti Legs 

+1 to due ruote. First shoe I thought of, and classy looking too!

ThermionicScott 

I think all shoes have "toe boxes", but the only people who discuss them are those of us who need wider ones.

since6

Next to finding the right seat, getting shoes that work are the real deal when you start going for longer rides. Thanks for the excellent suggestions, will check into the suggested shoes, and Record and larger MKS toe clips (as I have a very nice pair of MKS touring pedals which I am going to try out first, very smooth bearings and races).

Thanks

The Golden Boy 

Are you talking old "clips and straps?"




Use any stiff soled shoe of your choice that fits in the clips. I've ridden in dress shoes, combat boots and "riding" shoes. Some "work" type boots with reinforced toe boxes don't fit so well (but they're heavy anyway), some modern "athletic" shoes don't fit- too wide at the sole.

Right now my favorite shoes are some 5-10 Dirtbag shoes. For all intensive porpoises- they're "sneakers" that happened to be made by a company that makes riding shoes.

https://dirtmountainbike.com/bike-re...irst-look.html

Bad Lag

Who makes those clips?

The Golden Boy 

These are King Cage- they'll set you back $60.

MKS makes a similar set for $20:







Both of them are FANTASTIC.

Then again, I'm the type that doesn't cinch down my straps.

Bad Lag

What about them makes them so "fantastic"?

They look heavy? Is that a misperception based on appearance and stainless steel?


Here's another boxy-toed shoe from Giro and they cost only $80. I'd use black laces.

John E

Interesting option. I do like those platform pedals, and I would consider those three-wire clips on my commuter.

The big plastic 1980s clips on my mountain bike can accommodate all sorts of shoes.

The Golden Boy 

The two bikes that I'm using them on are not particularly "lightweight." My guess is that if you're interested in the look of these, weight isn't a driving consideration for your component choice. However, I don't particularly notice them being any heavier than the stainless MKS or resin Cateye clips they replaced (although I'm sure they are). The MKS clips are more gracile than the King Cage ones.

As for what I like about them; I think they look exceptionally swell. I also find they're easy to get your feet into- and I don't think I'd need straps (I know MKS makes strapless half clips in this style). Again, I don't often cinch down my straps.

Bad Lag

Okay, that's great. I may try a pair. I have trouble finding clips long enough, as most shoes have pointy toes and my BIG feet require extra-large clips to keep my foot properly placed on the pedal.

Weight is not critical, I only mentioned it as it was something that "popped" into my head (engineers always think about mass).

They are stainless steel, correct? The chrome-plated clips look like crap after the plating is scuffed off and the steel starts to rust.

The Golden Boy 

I have mediums of both- and they're roomy for me so I think they're adequately sized- in other words- if you order a large/x-large, my guess is they'll be what size they are advertised.

Both the King Cage and MKS clips are supposed to be stainless. I've used the King clips all last summer- with plenty of dragging on concrete- I don't see much damage on them. I just got the MKS clips- I haven't got many miles on them, however- they look shinier, so to me, they'd probably scuff.

The Golden Boy 

We took a nice jaunt through Peninsula State Park -took the Trek 720.

As an idea of how the King Cage clips look with the 5-10 Dirtbag shoes:




I was actually riding when I took this... Doesn't look like it, though

Bad Lag

Anyone know anything about these (~$90)?

I'd probably get black laces but you could coordinate lace color with your bike's color.

jimmuller 

For those of you who wear shoes with Velcro-style strips instead of laces, do you find the strips get hung up on the clips? I've always looked for lace-up shoes because that seems like it could be a problem.