Are all Touring Shoes the same? (As far as stiffness?) I'm very Flat Footed so I need something stiff but you can still walk in it. What does this list recommend?

Consider some regular shoes that feel comfortable to you, with platform pedals, with or without toe clips.

Experiment a bit.

There is no real need for actual cycling shoes.

What is the "touring shoe" of which you speak? I've been riding MTB shoes for years, touring, commuting, or just fun rides.


Of course, my feet are too big for almost any store to stock a sub-specialty shoe in my size.

In my experience, "stiff" and "walkable" are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

A flexible sole is more comfortable to walk in, but leads to foot pain on the bike.

A stiff sole is more efficient on the pedals but less comfortable to walk in.


I have a pair of Pearl Izumi X-Alp Seek V shoes that are almost as flexible as non-cycling hiking shoes. They have a "normal" rubber outsole/tread like a hiking shoe, so they have excellent grip. They're so comfortable that I can wear them all day at the bike shop (on my feet the whole time, working at a stand). However, my feet start getting numb on long rides in these flexible shoes.

I've also used various cycling shoes with stiff, non-bending soles. They feel better on the bike, but they suck to walk in. Stiff MTB shoes often have a "hard" rubber outsole/tread, which I find OK in soft ground but dangerously slippery on smooth surfaces.

Factors like this make it difficult to find appropriate cycling shoes without physically trying them on.

Shimano, Pearl Izumi, Giro, and others make various MTB/Touring shoes that aren't as stiff as race-level shoes and aren't bad to walk in.

Have a Shimano Spud shoe" Touring" It just is not Knobby soled ..To 92

Those who like Spud pedals usually go for MTB shoes


Toe clip Pedals A past product was Stiff sole "Touring Shoes " but that went away 20 years ago

Size 45 Carnac Carlit shoes of last type Not touring, got them when they were available $175..
never worn outside carpeted House.

I don't know anything about the needs of a flat footed person, but I wonder if you might be helped by orthotic inserts. The last time I went in for a bike fit at a Specialized dealer the fitter offered me some inserts that he said were matched to my foot, but I don't have problems so I declined. You can also get insoles from Shimano that are heated when you buy them so that they mold to your foot.

In my experience, "touring shoes" for bicycling tend to be on the lower end of the price/quality spectrum when it comes to bicycling shoes. They tend to be less stiff than other shoes. A good quality mountain bike shoe is usually stiffer but still walkable.

Sometimes you can even walk in them a lot further than you think. I had a pair of Pearl Izumi carbon fiber shoes that I once had to walk most of a marathon in. The wheelchair "runner" that I was shepherding was incredibly slow and I could pedal at her pace. I ended up walking most of the event with her...probably 20 miles. It wasn't comfortable but it can be done.

As for individual shoes to look at, I've had good luck with Specialized's house brand and some of the Pearl Izumi, although their quality has gone down a bit. I also like Shimano's shoes, although I hate to give them any more business. Lake's are good and I've had Northwave that I liked. Sidi's are excellent but damned expensive.

My current shoe is a Mavic Crossmax which is a pretty good shoe at a decent price but they are white which isn't my first choice for bicycle shoes.

I have MTB shoes, Pearl Izumi Seek X-Alp V and though they're stiff they're not as stiff as road shoes and are actually comfortable to walk around in. I also like that they don't look like cycling shoes, I mainly commute on my bike.

Miniature size pedals require stiff soles. Do yourself a favor and get some good size platform pedals and wear whatever shoes you want.

I use Northwave Jet 365s. Got them on sale from PBK, good deal. Fairly stiff, 2-hole SPD, very walkable.




You're apparently missing the right side of that bell curve.