suburbanbeat

I figured this would be a more common thread topic here, but the only one I came across was fairly old.

I just bought a Salsa Marrakesh (!) and am taking the opportunity to move away from flats with toe-clips to a clipless SPD system. I will use the system year-round, twice daily for my 7-mile commute and on tours of varying length.

That said, I'm seeking recommendations for an SPD shoe that will allow me to easily and comfortably walk and hike around off-bike. To make them tour-suitable, I would like a pair of shoes that use only velcro or traditional shoe laces for fastening.

I understand that there are a number of solutions out there, but I'd be curious to know where the consensus is in 2016.

Some that have stood out to me:
SH-CT71 - TOUR - CYCLING FOOTWEAR AND PEDALS - LIFESTYLE GEAR - SHIMANO
https://www.amazon.com/Pearl-iZUMi-X.../dp/B004MDLEII
https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Mens-.../dp/B002MGBIO2

fietsbob

hiking will wear out the cleat The SPD design does nor recess the cleat very far..

Lots of people buy the Mountain bike 'SPuD' shoes..


I got a TO 92 shimano , years ago 3 velcro upper .. NB: stiff sole for cycling does not a comfortable walking shoe make,

Hiking or sight seeing , bring another pair of shoes on your tours..

Some places wont like the metal cleat damaging their floors ..

pdlamb

The longer you're planning on walking, the better this advice is. I had to replace shoes on my longest tour because the lugs were worn down so far.


You might be able to take a pair of sandals. Wear them as shower shoes without socks, add socks and they're good for limited hikes.

thumpism 

If you plan to hike on rocky terrain in SPD shoes the metal cleat will compromise traction in places where you would rather not have that happen. They are fine for casual walking but don't make them your only shoes for every occasion.

saddlesores

https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/10...e-touring.html

indyfabz

Agree with others about wearing down the cleat. If you do walk extensively, check the cleats periodically. I damaged up one bolt so badly that I could not get it out. The shoes were ready for retirement anyway, so it wasn't a loss.


With that said, the PI shoe looks like it might be a good one. I am currently using their Road Fuel Flex VII or something like that. Very comfortable to walk in. But again, I wouldn't use them for serious hikes.

mstateglfr 

The PI shoe you linked, as well as most all of PI's 'X Alp' shoes are good for walking.

I have the pearl izumi x alp drift iii and its comfortable to use riding, walking, and even jogging around on a soccer field or playing driveway basketball with kids. <---done both multiple times in them.

Yes yes, any SPD shoe isnt a hiking shoe and the shoe mechanism shouldnt be abused. That disclaimer aside, the X Alp series is really diverse and there is certainly something within the line that would work for casual trail hikes.

Tim_Iowa

I agree that the Pearl Izumi X-Alp shoes are very walkable. Their sole is very flexible for a cycling shoe. This flex which makes them less efficient/comfortable while pedaling; but it also means that I can wear them all day while working on my feet at the bike shop, and they're still comfortable.

That said, I didn't like riding long days (>50 miles) in them; my calves would feel sore. Also, even thought they're light and flexible for a cycling shoe, they're still heavier than most light hiking shoes.

The PI X-Alp shoes are the best compromise for walkability. But, they may be too compromised to be totally satisfactory at either. I still wear mine for commuting when I don't want to bring a second pair of shoes. But, I choose my stiffer cycling shoes (Pearl Izumi X-Project 3.0, excellent shoes) for any other type of cycling.

niknak

I'd reconsider the need to go clipless for touring and commuting. There are plenty of mountain bike flat pedals that have tons of grip, but my favorite is the MKS Lambda. The Lambda is longer than almost all flat pedals on the market. This allows the pedal to support your foot so you don't have to rely on a stiff shoe. I used the Lambdas and some Five-Ten Freerider shoes for a 5,500-mile tour this summer. The combo was excellent.

If you're dead set on going clipless, my only recommendation is to avoid shoes that rely on velcro. The velcro will wear out, and then it'll be a hassle to repair.

Tourist in MSN

I bring some hiking shoes or trail runners along with bike shoes. My favorite bike shoes for warm weather touring are Keen sandals, I have their Commuter 3 ones that have a good rubber sole for walking but if I am walking significant distance I use my other shoes instead of the bike shoes.

I use pedals that have platform on one side, SPD on the other. Several months ago I wrote up a piece comparing two pedals like that, the link is:
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/10...l#post18306425

Awl

Had you considered the newer Shimano ME7 or ME5? They're a bit spendy but the idea seems to be for enduro so you in theory could do some trail in them. They seem to have not-so-stiff soles too so maybe comfortable. I'm considering them moreso than anything I've seen thusfar.

Squeezebox

I'm for 2 pr of shoes. 1 cycling, 1 walking. If you try to find a shoe that does both. It probably won't do either very well.
I also have a foot problem that requires stiff soles.

Snuts

Rumble by Giro - High Performance Trail & Mountain Bike Shoes
I really enjoy my pair of Giro SPD shoes. (the blue ones)
I wore them on my 2500km tour this summer. Everywhere, a whole month. Sure, I had a pair of sandals I used in my campsite/tent but only for quick on/off. I where them all the time still. I will get the same thing again next spring. With 13,000 km of riding, and 6 months of everyday use they owe me nothing. Actually the sole/tread is in very good condition.
Hope this might help.


-Snuts-

tcarl

I asked your very question in a shop that specializes in commuting and touring. The answer - take two different pairs of shoes. The stiff soles and cleat mean the cycling shoe wouldn't be good for walking or hiking.

saddlesores

what do you mean by "hike around"?

you mean "hike" maybe a kilometer or two on dirt/rock trails up hillsides to scenic spots?

or do you mean "hike" around the city center or market square?

Chuck Naill

I came to the conclusion that touring pedals and clips, with all things considered, was a better option. The SPD shoes I saw were $180 and heavy.

andrewclaus

Nice understatement. This is why my experiment with SPD shoes only lasted a few years--too many slips, thankfully no falls. That and, as mentioned already, the cost of replacing the shoes when they wore out.

rm -rf

Both of my two different SPD shoes had the cleat just barely recessed. The cleat will click and grind on hard surfaces, so you don't want to wear them indoors on polished floors.

I'm going to try "trail running" shoes. These are lightweight. Some of the thinnest ones would flatten out to not take much space in a pannier, but are probably too thin and flexible for trail hiking or long walks.

bikemig 

+ 1 on reconsidering clipless for touring and commuting. The MKS Lamba is funky looking but works great.

mstateglfr 

$180 for SPD shoes? Just google SPD MTB shoes and you will immediately see hundreds of results which are under $100. 15min of looking online would net you dozens of options in your size for $50-100. And many of those will be light.

How are people slipping in shoes? I have walked all over towns in my shoes. Ive run in them. Ive played driveway basketball with kids. At times there will be a click or two due to the cleat contacting pavement, but thats it. I havent ever given a thought to traction, much less actually slipping.
SPD shoes vary widely and some have the cleat protrude more than others. If anything, I would think SPDs that make you slip all over the place would drive you to look for some that dont do that.





My replies sound critical, they are more just surprise since these concerns and issues have never been experienced by me...at all.

andrewclaus

The original quote was about hiking in rocky terrain. I agree, the MTB shoes I used were just fine around town, even safe on most floors.

jefnvk

I have a pair of Giro Rumbles. Cost like $59 on one of Nashbar's coupon sale days. They look like a pair of standard sneakers, you can get them in a navy blue/tan or black/orange.

I don't use a cleat with them, so I can't comment on how it is with one, but they are SPD compatible and very comfy. Seem to run a bit big, though, I normally wear a 42 and had to order a 41. Took a week to break in, but when they did they fit like a glove. I had no problem both cycling and walking around cities when I toured Europe, I didn't have a second pair of shoes.

indyfabz

Yeah. That's the issue. I tour/commute/run errands in SPD shoes. That has me walking a lot on sidewalks, in supermarkets, etc. I even took a 2.5 tour of Wind Cave N.P. wearing SPD shoes. The cave floors are, of course, but the only steep parts had stairs. No problems.

Squeezebox

Why are 2 pair of shoes so much trouble? I slip into my crocs for walking. For cycling I slip into my cycling shoes ratchet them snug takes 10 secs, maybe. My feet are happy for walking or cycling.
So what's the problem?

niknak

There's no problem and there's no right answer. I just prefer to have one pair of shoes for everything and I don't think there are any advantages to clipless for touring. I've done long tours with clipless and flat pedals and prefer the simplicity, lighter weight, less bulk, and slightly more convenient method of using flat pedals and sneakers.

As a side note, in which they test the efficiency of clipless vs. flat pedals. Despite the rider using his clipless mountain bike shoes on crummy flat pedals (a poor combination), his body used less oxygen to ride over a specified distance at a consistent output. Now this test was only done once, so it shouldn't be taken too seriously, but the rider was pretty surprised to learn that he was more efficient with flat pedals.