What shoes/pedals if you need to walk?
 

Hi all,

Is there a good shoe/pedal solution for if you were going to ride somewhere and then park it and do some extended walking? Like if you were going to ride to a local park for a hike.

The last time I rode with running shoes, I could feel the pedals digging into my feet right through the soles. When I was younger I used to have toe straps and was happy with that for a long time but I have large feet so any kind of hiking boot wouldn't fit in it.

I saw one bike in a shop, it had what looked like platform pedals with like a toe strap bracket without the straps, does anyone know what this is called?

Thanks.

MKS makes a touring pedal that has a bracket where you can attach powergrips. Could that be what you saw? I've been looking at MKS Lambda pedals, which have a nice big surface that I'm hoping will provide good foot support. They also accept powergrips.

Walking and cycling ideally need different shoes. Pedalling benefits from stiff soles, especially under the forefoot whereas walking benefits from more flexible forefoot soles (mountain hiking would be different but that's not what you're talking about). Although there are cycling shoes that are easier to walk in than others such as MTB vs Road shoes, even the more walkable cycling shoes have their limits: walking around the grocery store would be fine but not much more. I think you should consider different shoes if extended walking is the plan.

The pedal clips you're talking about may simply be regular clips that simply haven't had the straps installed.

Why not just use platforms?

They do sell toe clips that aren't used with straps. I have some ready to be installed on my commuter.
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I prefer to have total comfort while I'm walking, so I would go with running or walking shoes, and just find a good enough insert to use that will alleviate any discomfort while you are pedaling.

I agree with this in principle. In practice, however, not so much. I have had Shimano MT-41 MTB shoes for 5 years and they are seriously stiff for pedaling efficiency. Despite this, I can,and have, walked miles in them on occasions. On cement! On a trail, I would think that up to several miles would be possible. My wife's podiatrist says that limiting flexion at the ball of the foot is actually a good preventative strategy for not developing arthritis pain in that region. Standard toe clips are very floppy without their straps. The clips the o.p. is referring to are much stiffer plastic than regular toe-clips and the tops do not have tab's for straps since they are meant to be used without straps. I mostly use PowerGrips, but with several bikes in the stable, they can't all be so honored. Most of them have regular toe-clips with straps but the straps are never tightened. Works for me.

H

I use platform MTB pedals along with walking shoes. I incorporate a 1 to 2 mile walk (with my bike) during my 12 -20 mile bike ride.

Both are good opinions but it does depend on a person's feet and the shoes they purchase: I wouldn't feel comfortable walking in my Exustar for miles (I had to once when I got a puncture and then realized I didn't have the stuff to repair/replace it and had to walk to the Walmart parking lot where my son met me) but maybe I would feel comfortable on extended walks if I had the same shoes as you or perhaps, none of them would feel comfortable enough for extended walks, and by walks, I mean, choosing to walk in them rather than forced to walk in them.

Half clips, that's what I was thinking of. The ones I saw looked kind of like these, I didn't realize they'd be so expensive though. Bruce Gordon Cycles ? Stainless Strapless Clips

I realize there will be a compromise if you want to bike and walk with the same shoe. If biking is more important I'll wear the shoes for it. I'm thinking of when the bike just gets you to where you're going and then you don't want to be wearing biking shoes for the rest of the day. Maybe platform pedals with half clips combined with a set of cross trainers would be the way to go.

I use flat, pinned pedals and Keen sandals/shoes for touring and commuting. Works well for me.

I use platforms with tennis shoes. No straps, no clips, no problems.

Hey I've ridden a century on a flat-bar with just that before. So commuting on it is quite simple.

Like said above, unfortunately good shoes for cycling have completely different traits than for walking. I've been searching for awhile and I have to just resign to that fact.

I have a bad knee which doesn't like bending much past ninety degrees. This means my saddle must be positioned perfectly, and clipping in is almost a must, because my right foot tends to creep forward so I pedal with my heel...

I think I just need the half spd/half platform pedals, and use good mtb shoes for pure commuting, and throw on sneakers if I will be doing more walking.

Flat mtn bike pedals and mtn bike shoes that have proper walking shoe treads. My current favs are the Pearl Izumi seek IV. Comfy for riding and walking.

You can get a pair of decent half-clips (Wellco) from REI for five bucks. They apparently don't fit all pedals, but they fit a lot of the stock platform pedals. In any case, it's a $5 experiment.

What about wearing bike shoes for biking while carrying hiking shoes for hiking then carrying the bike shoes while hiking.

+1 , my solution exactly

I have recently switched back to using pedals with power grips on the hybrid that I use for commuting. It is so much more comfortable to wear athletic shoes with my prescription orthotic when I'm walking around at work. Not as efficient as clipless, but my commute is only 7-ish miles.

Pretty much this. I just bought a pair of really light, thin Tom's style knock off shoes from ross for cheap. Don't take up much room in the pack at all. And much better for a day of walking than any clipless shoes I've tried.

Yup. My commuter has grippy MKS RMX platform pedals. I ride in running shoes most of the time. In really hot weather, I wear Teva sandals.

Me too. The VP Components Thin Gripsters work great and hold my foot nearly as well as cleats. Any rubber soled shoe works with them. I also use the MKS Lambda pedals, they are so large your foot as nowhere to go and rivets can be added if you want.

Marc

Not needing the strap in function, myself..
(now the fixie set has spawned a wide velcro adjusted strap compatible with some pedals platform ..)


Ergon has a pedal with a concave broad surface to support your shoe sole and center it in the middle of the pedal axis .
And the design includes big curved reflectors to improve night time safety ..

and yes there are abundant flat platform pedals that will be OK, and some cost less , some cost more.

Doc Martens, and BMX platforms on all of my bikes