3speed

My shoes are taking up a lot of pannier room. I'm guessing there's no way around this, but I'd like to hear any suggestions others may have. My only thought so far is a frame bag if I find I really need the space for longer trips, but I'd rather not do that. Cover them with shower caps and strap to the bike somewhere?

ekibayno

How many pairs of shoes do you need? How many pairs of shoes do you carry?

I wear Northwave Explorer GTX SPD shoes on and off the bike, and carry a pair of Zem Oxygen barefoot running shoes to wear in camp, in the showers, and if I need to ford streams. The Zems weight next to nothing and pack flat - they ride in a stuff sack on the top of my rear rack under my tent bag.

These for biking and hiking.

These for camp shoes.

Machka 

I wear my cycling shoes while riding, and I put my small sandals into my Carradice.

spinnaker

Get smaller shoes.

MichaelW

I carried some leather hiking shoes in my pannier bags but they are heavy and large and not worth the space. Wear some more general purpose shoes for riding and carry some sandals, running or watersports lightweight footwear. I strap my Tevas to the top of my panniers.
Cycling race shoes (road or MTB) are not good for touring where will walk a lot. MTB leisure style is much better. I ride in light trail shoes or older style running shoes.

indyfabz

+1. Aside from cycling shoes, I may bring a pair of cheap sandals from PayLess if I think I am going to do some walking where I want more support than flip flops provide. I will be doing that for my 9 day trip in MT next month. The sandals go in one of my front panniers. I wear a size 12 and they fit with no problem. Haven't decided whether I will also bring flip flops. Showers at private campgrounds usually don't worry me. Two days I will be camping in places where there are no showers. And I will be getting a motel one night.

During my last week long trip I didn't even bother with the sandals since any walking was likely to be minimal, which turned out to be the case. Justbrought the flip flops. When I do bring flip flops, they get lashed under the bungess that hold my tent to my rear rack. I don't have a lot of stuff piled up on the rear rack so it works fine.

BobG

I ride with Keen SPD sandals and carry a pair of Chaco sandals for off bike. I put them inside the rear panniers, one in the left and one in the right so as to not take up too much space in either bag. On top for quick access at the end of the riding day. I tried one short trip using just the Keens but found that I needed a change of foot wear without cleats after riding.

fietsbob

My Beckman Needle works Panniers have a sub-divided compartment in the right pannier that a pair of shoes fit into nicely..

I bring them for walking around in the Old Cities of Europe when sightseeing for a few days .. I'm easily Distracted along the way doing that.

with a bike trailer the space available expands ..


My kit was 4 equal volume panniers , + the tent and Bafg on top of the rear rack .. not a light and fast ride, but Im not in a rush.


If you can walk all day on cobbled streets and hike trails in something light, that packs flat and compact, more power to ya.

badger_biker 

I bungee a very light pair of running/walking shoes in a waterproof stuff sack next to my tent on top of my rear rack. Easy to get to when I reach my destination and start to set up camp.

Doug64

My wife has been carrying her running shoes in the space between her panniers and the rackpack for the last 10 years. They are reasonably protected from rain, secure, and she can have them out in about 10 seconds. I carry mine in my rackpack--not quite as handy.



Her shoes stay pretty dry tucked underneath the rackpack. She used to put them in waterproof bags or protect them with her foam pad, but I have not seen her use the bags or pad on the last 3-4 tours. I'm not sure, but I think she may still keep the lightweight sil-nylon bags in her rackpack for really wet weather.

indyfabz

That is such a nice featuyre. My pair of bobos fit great in that compartment. Still hoping to some day have Bilenky modify my Nitto racks so they can accept my Beckman panniers, the racks for which were stolen along with the bike they were attached to.

mdilthey

I second minimalist shoes. I use a pair of Vibram Fivefingers and they are completely flat like sandals, while offering more comfort and protection. Since they're pretty resilient, I just strap them on the top of a rack and hit the road!

3speed

I suppose different shoes might be an option if they're cheap. I'll have to think about it and see what I can find. I ride in my flip-flops, and take along a pair of Teva MTB shoes for cooler weather or rain. It's the Tevas that I'm trying to find room for. I do have a couple pair of Vibrams. Maybe I'll try them out a few times before the big tour and see how they are for such use. I think I'd rather have a pair of actual shoes with me, though. My feet can get pretty tired if walking a lot in the Vibrams, and we'll be doing a couple days sight seeing in cities on the trip. If those are cold/rainy days then I'd rather have shoes.

acantor

I have carried lightweight hiking shoes AND sandals. They took up a lot of space, which meant I carried less of other things. The sandals travelled inside a daypack strapped to the top of the rear rack (along with lightweight bulky items such as a sweater and rain gear). I placed one shoe in each pannier, with woolen socks and other rarely needed items stuffed inside the shoes. Everything else was packed around the shoes. The shoes fitted vertically along the inside front of the panniers, in an effort to keep the weight forward and nearer the centre line of the bike.

3speed

Packing things inside the shoes is a good idea, as is that a good way to store them in the panniers. Thanks. If I end up keeping them in the panniers, that's what I'll do.

Machka 

How far have you ridden in flip-flops during your training rides? Are you comfortable in them over the distances you're planning to ride on this tour?


[HR][/HR]

I wear the Lake MX100 shoes which are good on the bicycle and also off the bicycle walking and hiking.
Lake Cycling | The Ultimate Bikonnection

Then I bring a pair of lightweight, relatively inexpensive sandals which are comfortable enough to do quite a bit of walking in. They are a nice change from the Lake mtn bike shoes.

That combination of shoes has served me well on all my tours.

Rowan

The croc knockoffs or flipflops live under the bungee cords that hold my tent in place on top of the rack. My MTB shoes do everything from riding to hiking and town cruising.

3speed

^ I'm considering just riding in the MTB shoes and keeping the flip flops on the rack. I Really don't want to, though. It'll depend on what I can come up with.
I haven't ridden in them quite that far, but I've done ~40miles in them loaded with gear. There was no difference between that and 1 mile, so hopefully that won't change.

I wear flip flops all the time in my everyday life. I even wear them at least 50% of the time in winter(except this past record setting cold winter) as long as I'm not going to be outside for a prolonged period of time. Basically the only time I'm wearing shoes is when I'm at work.

Doug64

I met a young guy riding the Pacific Coast Route wearing flip flops. He did not seem to be having any trouble. But he was also riding it south to north, making footwear the least of his troubles.

Whatever works for you. The only hesitation I'd have is the lack of protection in any kind of crash; flip flops don't offer much protection to the foot.

For me this is the best place for my flip flops when I'm riding. I don't usually carry them, but this was a long tour with a lot of campground showers.

Northwestrider

I ride with only my Keen Sandals rain or shine . I suppose if it started snowing I may regret it, but with wool socks I stay quite warm down to freezing temps and it does save space

Walter S

I have some real thin (flat when crushed) slippers that pack easily. In cold weather I take some bigger shoes. If I'm tight on space I hang them from the back of the rear rack. They flop around under the rear light.