Originally Posted by
wirehead
OTOH, do not scrimp on shoes. They can and will last you for years before they fall apart. And if you want to ride a century or longer, it's going to be critically important that they be the pinnacle of comfort. I splurged on some fairly fancy sidi shoes and haven't regretted it.
I rode a solo century last weekend using metal touring pedals, Power Grips, and a pair of New Balance cross-trainers. At the end of the day, my feet were the most comfortable parts of my body. I have weirdly shaped feet, though, and I have never found cycling-specific shoes to be very comfortable.