intransit1217

I don't want heavy shoes and I'm looking for a "touring" shoe. Something that can handle a shimano setup and I can walk around in without grinding up the cleat.

Suggestions?

veganbikes

The Empire VR90 or Code VR70 from Giro are super lightweight as well as walkability and shiz! I have the Terraduros which are great but I am considering getting a set of Codes just two have something a little nicer and lighter. If weight is less of a concern the Republic is a nice bet it is not too heavy but heavier than the Empires/Codes and looks quite nice.

Trevtassie

If you're looking for a more casual style of shoe some of the 510 mountain bike shoes with SPD cut-outs are pretty good.

Sixty Fiver

I have a pair of Keen Springwater II shoes... for on and off the bike I have never had a better shoe.

Tourist in MSN

I liked the Keen sandals I rode with on my last tour, 892 miles of Pacific Coast.

SPD cleat and pedal combination - if you cleat your shoe into the pedal when you are not wearing it and then look at it closely, you will see that part of the shoe sole sits on part of the pedal. Thus, if the cleat was recessed further into the shoe so that the cleat does not contact the concrete when walking, the cleat would be recessed too far into the shoe to work properly and would be difficult to cleat in. I learned that the hard way when I tried to build up my shoe soles with Shoe Goo to replace sole material that had worn off. I had to use a utility knife to remove some of the Shoe Goo I put on the shoe sole to make the cleats fit into the pedals properly again. Bottom line, it is unlikely that you will meet your objective.

Keen has changed their last at least once, I have a pair of sandals that are several years old that are too narrow. But the two pair I bought last year (in 2014) fit my feet just right.

I bring along a second pair of normal (trail running) shoes to wear in the campsite and when sight seeing in cities, thus I do not walk on the cleats very much.

The friend I was touring with tried some rubber covers over his SPD cleats, he wore thru those in a couple days of walking on concrete. He wanted the shoe covers because he did not bring a second pair of normal shoes like I did.

If your goal is light weight, to get the stiffness you need for a good cycling shoe you would probably be looking at some expensive shoes with a carbon stiffener.

djb

stiffness and weight are one thing, but given how manyhours we spend on a bike pedalling, I first put the emphasis on how a shoe fits me, and this factor is so individual.
I tried on all kinds of shoes the last time I bought new shoes, about 5 years ago, and the one that fit my feet the best were the ones I bought. Sure, there were some that were 50 bucks cheaper, but the 170 or whatever mine cost have been totally worth it because my arches and everything are not sore after riding all day, well, within reason, and to me, feeling a shoe that as soon as you put it on you can feel it fits your feet really well, is always going to be worth the money.
True, I did not try on 300 dollar shoes, but I did find a marked diff in mine at that price I seem to recall they cost, vs others that were a bit cheaper.

bottom line, go visit lots of bike stores and try on lots of shoes, dont buy any for a bunch of trips so you can really get a feel for how they all fit differently.

Sixty Fiver

SPD cleats are pretty tough and can handle a lot of walking miles without degrading their performance... I also carry a pair of lightweight barefoot shoes to wear which lets my cycling shoes take a breather and with a half clip pedal I can also opt to ride in these too.

rekmeyata

I use the SpeedPlay Frog pedal and wear Sidi Duran (wide foot issue is why I wear these), and I don't scrape up the cleat and I walk around a lot and do light touring with them. When I tour though I carry a pair of lightweight tennis shoes and wear those when camp, but I know people who just wear their cycling shoes only which I could do but I don't wear out my cycling shoes faster by doing that.

fietsbob

big surface platform pedals, add stiff arch support insoles to what ever shoe you like wearing.

I've repacked bikes of people who already crossed the continent ,since I'm in a town on the western coast.

back to the special bike shoe fans chiming in ..



my favorite touring shoes had a wide curved slot in the sole birkenstock insoles , and toeclips & straps pedals.

loose fitting shoes with stiffened soles .. looser made for better circulation, nerve and blood.

Doug64

IMO a compromise shoe does not make a very good bike shoe, and does not make a very good walking shoe.

As mentioned above, fit is the most important thing. A mountain bike shoe, while sufficiently stiff for cycling, provides enough "walkabiliy" for lunchstops, grocery shopping, and other short distance needs. For real walking I carry a pair of lightweight running shoes. It is nice to get out of the bike shoes at camp or exploring.