TransitBiker

Now i want a root beer. Thanks a lot!

You mean the flat-flat cruiser kind? Yea, those are not so good for longer rides. Your feet slip so easily off them.

My old cruiser had these:



As the name suggests, they are for barefoot riding, something i'd never do ahaha. They got really bad later on with slipping as the textured bit wore down.

- Andy

gsa103

I meant something like the big colorful plastic suckers linked above. Personally, I've been very happy with the Shimano DX pedals, but man are they tank like. If I ever remove them from the bike, I'll probably refuse to put them back on just because of the weight.

TransitBiker

Oh, ok. I have decent stock platform pedals on the uptown, but i may indeed change them over to ones with some lil grippy pegs. My bistros can get clogged with slush/snow due to their rubber non-slip sole, and in that case they can slip a tiny bit (not unsafe, just beyond my safety tolerance preferences) if i don't stomp the ice out.

These are the full chromed version of the ones i have on the uptown, mine are a tiny tad more basic. Like so many things related to my uptown, the ones on there now are no longer made or very hard to come by.



- Andy

tddfleming

Lesterofpuppets:

Yes, that is pretty much the pedal. It is the stocked plastic pedals on my Specialized. I have been looking at replacing with the RMX Sneaker Pedal. But I will check these out as well. I have to admit, I use my old running shoes as my bike shoes. I like the way I can feel the pedal under my feet. I have tried my Altra running shoes to see if it made a difference. None, but it started to tear my soles up after a couple of rides

tddfleming

Very helpful article. Keeping it in the back of my mind. Still a fear of falling in front of car and my body being dragged down the street. While I look like a commuter, some folks behind the wheel are not good at sharing the road.

tddfleming

Those are some bedazzled pedals!

Leebo

I use flat pedals for all my road bikes, clipless for off road. Ditch the sneakers. Too soft. FL? I like Keen newport sandals, stiff and lets some breeze in. Pic of pedals you use now? I have size 15 shoes and like big, flat pedals with steel pins. Try chrome, vans or 661 for shoes. Any low hiking boot or shoe would work. But try the keens, that's what I use in the summer and tour with.

noglider 

This can be more complex than you think. Still, the most sensible thing to do is try the easy stuff first, changing shoes and pedals. I have really bad foot pain when I ride more than a couple of hours. I've made all kinds of changes, and it turns out that the problem is a pinched nerve in my back. Changing my shoes and pedals has helped me but just a little, because they don't get at the root of the problem. I'll be going to a chiropractor soon and also a yoga alignment specialist.

TransitBiker

When i first started riding, i had those sneakers with thick mushy sole that ended up making my feet hurt, and riding position that hurt my back. I learned the hard way all on my own how to do stuff with nothing like a bike forums or even another friend that rode. When i wear my chucks the few times a year when i feel like changing it up from my crocs, the hard sole is AWESOME. They are about 60% harder than the bistro, and i can fee a difference even after a half mile that i'm using less energy. However, because they are lace-up and canvas and no good in wet, i don't end up using them. They are also no good for walking, make my feet hurt quite a bit, but not for riding!

When i bought my current pair of chucks, they cost 25 dollars. Ever since nike bought them out they moved production to china and jacked up the prices. Really sad. But, you can still grab a pair if you feel they might help.

Chuck Taylor Classic Colors - Converse

- Andy

rmfnla

Running shoes are designed to be soft and flexible, exactly the opposite of what you want in a bike shoe...

JohnJ80

Agree. I had for a long time, a serious pain on the outside of my left foot. I tried different shoes, wedges under my cleats etc... Finally I started fooling with Q factor and that solved it. I need a slightly wider Q factor on my left foot than my right. Go figure.

J.

noglider 

@JohnJ80, how did you put your left foot farther out?

JohnJ80

I use speedplay pedals. Not only does the cleat have a lot of lateral adjustment, you can get pedals with a longer spindle or a replacement spindle. Speedplay dealers have a fit kit with several sets of pedals that have all the spindle options. My speedplay LBS let me try a pair once I'd spent time on the trainer with one of their fitters who adjusted the cleats and tried different lengths. No other pedal system has this capability.

Speedplay also says that they intend to do the spindle length options on their new SYZR mtb pedals.

J.

katsrevenge

I'll second (third?) the skate shoe recommendation. Always loved a good pair of Vans! Nice and stiff and they wear like iron.

Another non-bike shoe option are Birkenstocks. The 'narrow' soled ones fit more like normal shoes and they do make more than sandals these days. The cork and rubber soles on them are great for bike riding.

noglider 

Thanks for the information, @JohnJ80. I may never need it, but I have it if I need it.

rmfnla

Good info...

tddfleming

I have taken everyones advise. I have started wearing my Merrells hicking type shoe. It has helped a lot with the pain. Don't like the heavyness of the shoe and if they get wet...I am not sure I could still pedal. I think they would be weights on my feet, but as least I know what I need to fix. Someone had asked me to post a pic of the pedal I was using-here it is. I will invest in bike specific shoes and may add a new pedal. Thanks to everyone for all your help and suggestions. Happy biking!!