Originally Posted by
rms13
When I first made the switch to clipless I got some Shimano MT33 shoes and Eggbeater pedals. I had a lot of trouble unclipping with this combo and I felt the shoes were uncomfortable. I eventually moved to Shimano 105 pedals with a road shoe and SPD SL. The on bike experience is much better. Clipping in and out is easy, foot retention is great and I can definitely feel the difference with the stiffness of a of a shoe that is designed for one thing : pedaling.
But...I cross a minimum of 12 intersections with lights every day and have to unclip and stop a lot and have to walk short distances when I get to work and home. The one sided pedals can be a pain to get into leaving a stop light and it makes walking a pain when I get to work or if I want to stop at a store on my route. I'm thinking about trying the Eggbeaters again but I need a new shoe and want some suggestions for something cheap (preferably under $75) with a recessed cleat that is stiff enough that I won't notice a big on bike performance drop off from my road shoes and also prefer something with ratcheted and velcro as opposed to laces.
I like my Giro Privateers.
http://www.giro.com/us_en/privateer.html
They're my CX shoes and have a nice balance of stiff enough for long riding but supple enough to walk/run normally. Velcro and rachet enclosure. Retail is $150, I think I probably paid about $100, and the cheapest I've seen is $89, so they're a bit out of your stated price range. They pair up nicely with Shimano M540 pedals. Hop, stamp, and go.
Or, you could just learn to trackstand.
When I use my SSCX bike for commuting I usually have the wheel flipped to the FG side. Takes a little practice, but it's a fun diversion at the lights, and you do get away a little quicker.