abuckeye04

Needed: advice on shoes for riding with clips...
(advice that i should go clipless also welcome, but probably will not be heeded in the near future)

i bike everywhere that i can; class, grocery store, bar, parent's house out in the boonies... so i like not having to walk around in clips. i've got MKS platform pedals (https://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/pedals.html#platform) on my bike, and currently wear addidas sambas almost all the time (well, sandals too, but it's hard to get them in my clips) sambas are light and comfortable and easy to slip into clips...but really flexible - especially as worn as mine are. any good suggestions for an allaround city shoe that's stiff through the arch and not so expensive? riding fixed has definitely improved my pedal stroke, and now i can't help wonder how much power i'm losing by riding in soccer shoes.

thanks for any tips
ben

svwagner

i wear vans pretty much anytime i'm riding in clips. the sole is a bit stiffer, the fit decently into the clips, and wear like iron.

sometimes a pair of converse all-stars, but they're really flexibile as well.

danielmolloy

I ride in sambas as well, and I really like them. To me at least, the soles feel pretty tough. I also tried the converse all stars, but it hurt to pull up on the pedals, because of the thin canvas. I definitely feel more secure in clips/straps. It would be pretty bad to pull out of clipless pedals riding a track bike. At least on a road bike you just stop pedalling and clip back in.

abuckeye04

i fell over at 0mph for the first time last night. skidded to a stop on wet asphalt by my house, and pulled out of my right clip...but was leaning left. i had hoped that would never happen to me. of course there was a female watching! oh well, first time for everything

jimv

I wear specialized sanomas. They feel great in the clips but are comfortable enough to walk around in for hours. I forget that I'm wearing cycling shoes.

Jim

MKRG

I haven't used them but Adidas Shell toes or whatever they are called seem like they would do the trick.

sohi

like these?

Cynikal 

I ride in addidas when I have my clips on (right now I'm riding clipless). I would love to find a stiff insert for street shoes. Anyone seen anything like this?

Grunk

DVS Millans. Wider and stiffer than Adidas, but similar look. They're skate shoes.

slopvehicle

I picked up some Hurley International Chuck Taylor look-alikes at a Pacific Sun outlet mall for $5. Look almost like Chucks, but the sole is a bit thicker and the padding is better.

Bikkhu

Shimano DX's. Stiffer than SPD'd Vans. Lasts well and looks like skate shoe

HereNT

I'd say go with a real bike shoe of some sort and just not put any clips in. I'm pretty happy with the sixsixone launches that I picked up a couple of weeks ago. They're BMX shoes that look a lot like a skate shoe, and they're pretty OK to walk in, too. If you ever decide to go clipless, you'll already have the shoes, so it won't be as much of an expense. Most MTB or BMX shoes probably won't have that much of the cleat sticking out, so they won't be too bad for walking.

pitboss

Adidas Gazelles/Sambas fit nicely, as do Nike Cortez. I picked up a pair of nike soft track shoes @ Marshalls for damn near nothing - the drawback is the knobs on the bottom make it difficult to kick in. So I just wear them clubbin! (j/k)

MKRG

You love the Crobar. Admit it. Your biggest wish is to be an "A-lister"

pitboss

HA HA...Crobar is too trendy for my trendy ass. dip****

jfmckenna

Get some touring or cyclocross shoes. I use specialized something or others, touring/cross shoe. It is comfortable to walk in and to ride in...

s2sxiii

Your screen name says buckeye, but your locations says you're soon leaving cbus for ann arbor? Ladies and gentlemen of the forum, please give no more advice to this man, as he is obviously some sort of traitor and ******** beaver-lover.

Abuckeye, post a picture of yourself on your bike so that i may hunt you down and pelt you with buckeyes as you are run out of town and forced to ride to a2.

Do you know why all the trees in Ohio lean to the North?.... (wait for it) BECAUSE MICHIGAN SUCKS.

Why not just ride clipless. I do it, lots of people do. Works fine.

abuckeye04

yeah, i'll miss columbus, but i have discovered that ann arbor doesn't suck. it might be uncomfortable during football season, as i'll never be able to forgive tai streets or tim biakabatuka... but it's a good grad program, so, eh, f rivalry...actually i was a bit worried when i went up there for my interviews, but mostly people are either from somewhere else and are like "isn't there some sort of football rivalry or something?" or just think it's kinda funny. either i haven't met the rabid football fans there, or people in columbus are just a bit nuttier (like buckeyes? get it? hehe please don't pelt me!)

you ride a langster right? i've seen you around campus a couple of times i think

oh, and thanks for all the advice so far on shoes everyone... i might try to find a pair of real cycling shoes and wear them w/o cleats for when i'm planning on riding over an hour, and just stick with my sambas for errands and class.

gilby

In the event you decide to go clipless, my sixsixone's are great. They look like normal shoes and are as comfortable as any other shoe to walk around in. I'd go that route if you're thinking of getting a skate-style shoe anyway.