rtwilli4

Hi all,

I know this has been discussed a billion times, but I was hoping someone could help me narrow things down a bit as I don't spend much time reading about cycling kit.

I commute 20 miles a day, 3-4 days a week. Single speed road frame, 25mm tyres. Lots of small hills.

Have been using SL pedals for nearly a year (so I can use the same shoes I use for my road bike) but I ride my bike around town enough that I really do need a pedal with a platform on one side like the Shimano A530. The SL pedals are OK but obviously are not made for trainers.

Can anyone recommend me some good commuting shoes to go with these SPD pedals? They need to be:

- Less than 80 pounds
- As stiff as an entry level road shoe
- Have recessed cleats (I don't walk far, but I do walk)
- Be breathable for summer
- Take an overboot for winter
- Available to try on at London bike shops

I think that's about it. Added bonus if they don't look terrible, as I will end up at the pub once or twice a week in them.

Thanks!

lostarchitect 

I was thinking of getting some of these:

Amazon.com: Giro 2014 Men's Republic Touring Cycling Shoes: Shoes

Obviously, I don't have them yet so I can't say whether they are great or awful, but take a look.

RPK79

I was going to say that the 80 pounds thing should be really easy to stay under until I realized you were in London and were not talking about the weight of the shoes.

fietsbob

cost in UK currency units or weight? UK keyboards would have the "L" thing rather than the $


no place to actually put your feet in some to know if they will fit.?

Posh class .. Dromarti bike shoes https://www.dromarti.com/index.php?ma...products_id=29

any of a zillion China sewn MTB SPuD shoes should work

SiDi is pricy ,Italian, but they make a lot of widths and sizes to get a good fit .

MattFoley

Pretty much any reputably-branded MTB shoe is going to fit your criteria at the given price point. I'd say just go try a few pairs on at a local shop and get whichever ones fit and look the best. I just upgraded my old Specialized Mountain shoes, which served me well for 2+ years. They were all of $90 (what is that, like 60GBP?)

rtwilli4

Sorry, I'm American, with an American keyboard, so I don't have a pound symbol and am too lazy to figure out how to get one. Just happen to live in London. I know I can (and will) try on lots of shoes... I was just hoping to hear a few success stories.

And even though 80 pounds is $140, it really only buys about $90 worth of shoe. Many companies just change the $ to a pound sign when they sell things here.

fietsbob

the 20% VAT to fund the NHS , vs $500 a month on Medical insurance premiums..

rtwilli4

Yea, I haven't decided which sucks worse























aaaand ten minutes later my wife and I have just finished a discussion about which system is better and I still haven't decided which one sucks worse.

ItsJustMe

I have been riding for about 8 years in just the basic entry level mountain bike shoes. I think I paid about $35 for each pair. The Shimanos lasted me about 4 years, I'm in some Sette shoes that I found on sale somewhere now. They're generally passable as street shoes. I can walk around in them all day. I don't know if they're as stiff as road shoes because I don't think I've ever even seen a pair of road shoes except on TV, but they're definitely way stiffer than sneakers.

ItsJustMe

£ = Alt+0163

noglider 

Shoes go into and out of production. It doesn't matter what we recommend. Just go to a bike shop or sporting goods store and try some on. That's what I usually do. I've done well that way. I have a pair of Shimano shoes and a pair of Perl Izumi shoes. I like them both.

Lanovran

I wear Bontrager Solstice shoes, which are more "road-style" than some, with recessed SPD cleats. I like 'em! It seems they're regularly priced at £74.99.

Bontrager: Solstice (Model #11664)

WickedOne513

Should take a look at DZR SHOES. I wore them for 2 years every day when I was in college and riding my fixed gear, they are great for walking around in and being able to jump on your bike and ride.

sci_femme

Check stuff by Specialized Body Geometry. My experience with Riata (ladies SPD shoes) is excellent. I do not remember the name of men's counterpart.

john.b

I'm currently riding the Shimano M088 SPD shoes, good walking traction though I can still sometimes hear the cleats on the pavement when I walk. Stiff, well ventilated, work great with Pearl Izumi toe covers and Louis Garneau full shoe covers. You'd have to think they'd be available in Blighty.

If you're going to be doing more than casual walking in SPDs (no matter what you buy), the depth of the cleat channel between the treads on the shoe is worth looking into.

As far as those A530s, the "flats" side of the pedal has almost no traction to speak of. I'd give them an A for the concept but a D for execution. Mine had other problems as well and I wasn't sorry to send them back. YMMV.

On a Mac w/ US keyboard: £ = Option-3. Easy to remember, since Shift-3 is the other pound sign: #

Sixty Fiver

I like the Shimano M324 pedal and have LG touring shoes for commuting and touring which are not as stiff as my MTB / Road shoes but are nicer for walking and standing in for longer periods.

There are lots of choices out there.