Burglar

I'm looking at clipless for my road bike. I've only been riding a few months. I have an MTB with platform pedals that I use for commuting. I'm going to keep it as-is for convenience.

I also have a road bike that I ride mostly on weekends and whenever I have the time. I want to go clipless. I ride it for the sake of riding (and getting in shape... I'm kinda bulky... but less so than I was a few months ago). The few people I know that ride adamantly suggest the SPD/MTB shoe setup due to walkability. To me, most MTB shoes look too bulky and heavy. I'm not racing or anything, but I don't want boat anchors on my feet. Plus having such a small area of contact between the shoe and pedal (SPD) doesn't look comfortable.

Really... is the "you can't walk in road shoes" thing even that big of an issue? The most walking I do when I ride this bike is from the house to the detached garage to get to the bike. Maybe a stop for a drink, snack, bathroom break etc... but it's not like I'm going to be jogging across marble floors or something.

I'm looking at SPD-SL. Probably Shimano 105 pedals, and... not sure on the shoes yet. Something entry level and cost effective. I'm thinking that road cleats with cleat covers would give me enough walkability. I have a reasonable amount of coordination and balance, so I can't see myself falling over as soon as my foot touches the ground.

Input and experience is appreciated!

BrainInAJar

Just don't stop riding. Problem solved.

FWIW, no I don't have a problem walking in my road shoes. I wouldn't run a marathon or go shopping in them, but house-> garage, bike -> cafe not really an issue. I also don't use cleat covers (Shimano cleats have rubbery bits that work pretty well. Look not so much)

tadawdy

I use shimano road cleats, and don't find incidental walking to be an issue at all. Really overstated.

garciawork

My MTB shoes don't look bulky... and the small platform matters not if you have a stiff sole IMO. I have used road shoes on a friends bike, didn't like 'em. Instead, I choose to be ridiculed for my CB Eggbeaters and Mavic MTB shoes. Works for me.

AMAlex

I can walk short distances, but yes, with clipless pedal shoes it is not recommended to walk around in them because it will ruin the cleat and anyways, the shoes are made specifically for cycling not walking. You can easily walk with road shoes (well mine atleast are not) but it feels weird and my conscious tells me to be careful any time I walk with them haha. I have the Shimano RD-540 pedals in white with mavic shoes and they do fine. I would suggest maybe hopping over to your LBS and check out their options and maybe try on a couple of shoes to see what you like best.

gladiator13

I'm not going running in my cleats but wandering around while I get ready to ride or trip into the gas station is just fine. It's a tad awkward but very worth it for the added benefit on the bike. I have shimano SPD-SL's

ericm979

I've climbed over a big landslide, carrying my bike, wearing road shoes with SPD-SL cleats. On the other side MTB riders were turning around and driving home. I didn't plan it, but it was between me and home and going around would have added three hours to the ride.

SPD-SL are pretty walkable for road cleats. They have small rubber bumpers on the corners of the cleat, and the pedal design means that you're not walking on the surface that locks you into pedal (until you wear through the bumpers).

Road shoes are fine for the amount of walking you intend.

John_V 

Everyone on my cycling team wears road shoes except me. I have a pair of Specialized Sport MTB shoes and Shimano M-520 pedals. I don't really see much bulkiness in my MTB shoes and although they aren't as light as many of the road shoes, they aren't boat anchors, either. Walking in them is just fine and I don't tear up my cleats. Quite a bit of the shoe is fine mesh and it keeps my feet fairly cool. I can tell you that with them being double sided, I don't have to fumble around trying to get the clip right side up. They are also much faster to clip in to and just as fast to clip out of. I also don't have to pre-clip one foot when kicking off. Everyone has their own preference, but for now, I'll just stay with what I have.

SBRDude

I walked 8 miles in SIDI mtb shoes after breaking my collarbone in Moab. I lost 4 toe nails, but other than that my feet were fine.

deacon mark

I wear eggbeaters with Shimano shoes. THey are very stiff and I have no problem walking or cycling. They have never slowed me down in a pack and are not bulky at all. I don't have hot spots and ride centuries with no problem. Best of all the eggbeaters cost about $70 and the shoes can be had for about $60, no need to fuss and I spend it on other things more important, like good tires and wheels.

achoo

Heh. Even when you wear through the bumpers, you're not walking on the surface that locks you into the pedal.

You pretty much have to wear right through the cleat to get to that point...

UCIMBZ

They are not made to walk with. And yes it is a problem. If you need to walk in them frequently use spd pedals with mtb shoes such as Mavic Razor.

Nachoman

It depends on how much walking your talking about. Walking around a parking lot, running into store to buy a power bar, ordering coffee at a cafe, all no problem in ANY cleat.

Palomar01

For the above use, the road shoes with SPD-SL style pedals will be adequate. You'll walk like a Penguin and there is a bigger risk of slipping and falling on smooth floors. So, be careful when walking into a Starbucks or other cafe's with hard floors and especially with steps. Even after I've been using them a while I still feel like a Penguin walking on hard ice.

iheartbenben

Ummm, I walk in my Shimano cleats everywhere I have to. If it's tile, every guy and girl hears "heels" coming towards them. You sound like a runway model.

Also, in carpet, it's like football cleats in field grass. Grip +1.

MMM.PWR

I have Look KEOs and *hate* walking in them. It just feels awkward and slippery on tile flooring. You will be able to walk around the house, but it will definitely not be comfortable, unless you have carpet.

droped

Fully agree. It completely sucks ass to walk around in Look KEOs. Fortunately, I usually only have to walk from the front door to the garage.

CoyoteEatsGirl

If you're planning on racing road, go with road shoes and pedals. If not, it doesn't really matter and it's easily a lot better to go with SPDs. You won't wear down your cleats and it will be easier to walk in.

I have road shoes, but:

I am carless right now so I commute on my road bike to/from school and work. I went to class the other day, then went to meet someone for an afternoon ride, only to discover mid-ride that walking up the stairs in my road shoes earlier had chipped the front part of my left cleat off. I rode 40 miles effectively unclipped on my left side. It sucked.

eippo1

Agreed, those aren't so hot for traction and the ones with the rubbery things weren't a good idea either. What does solve the issue with those is a cleat cover. I have to walk across tile floors with my bike and have never had an issue with cleat covers on.

bikepro

I think part of legacy of walking in road shoes goes back to the toe-clips and cleats era when the cleats were often metal. Walking across a wood or tile floor with them could cause damage to the floors. Most cleats for clipless systems either have pads, such as the Shimano's or you can get cleat covers, such as the Look's.

loreley

As others have said, it is so overstated.... walking is a complete non-issue. Walking in your road shoes is not a problem what so ever.

jayp410

I just switched from SPDs (w/ Sidi Dominator 5) to SPD-SL (Sidi Road Genius 5) and my feet can't tell the difference on the bike (i.e., no hotspots or noticeable inefficiency with either). These are the same level of shoe (except MTB vs. road) so it's a good apples-to-apples comparison. The SPDs are a bit easier to walk in, but the SPD-SLs aren't bad either...but I wouldn't want to walk a long way in them. With SPDs just make sure you use a shoe with a stiff sole (those DOM 5's are very nice and lightweight...NOT boat anchors). The SPD-SL shoes + cleats for my size 50 shoes came to 100g (3.5 oz) lighter.

Menel

A lot of intown riders I know, use mountain shoes, the really stiff soled racing style mountain shoes and recessed mountain cleats. (Not the semi-flexible commuter class shoes).

With the stiffness of soles these days, they are probably sufficient.

tessartype

Your neighbours might wonder who's walking around in heels at 7AM, but SPD-SL is quite walkable. Had no problem running out of the transition zone in a triathlon in these, either.

mvnsnd

It really depends. The MTB SPD system is OK for road use, but just make sure you have a decent shoe with a stiff sole. I rode quite a bit this way before changing to a road specific system on my road bike.

Go for the SPD-SL if you like. It's a nice system and the Shimano cleat does have the pads.

Which system you use should be based on how much walking you think you are going to do. It it easier in MTB shoes, but not terrible in road shoes.