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question about pedals/shoes

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Old 03-07-12 | 08:46 PM
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question about pedals/shoes

I'm going to start commuting to work but the problem is once I get there I have to walk through a concrete warehouse floor. I'm using a road bike and I really don't want to eat **** trying to walk through the warehouse with regular road shoes. Should I just get some cleat covers? Or switch to some spd pedals and shoes like dzr for commutes and a road spd shoe for longer rides?
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Old 03-08-12 | 12:34 AM
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Old 03-08-12 | 05:57 AM
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I use mountain bike clips, like SPD or Crank Brothers, with rubber-soled "commuter" shoes.

Right now its eggbeater cleats with Specialized commuter shoes.

I have to walk across marble floors at work and haven't heard as much as a "click."
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Old 03-08-12 | 06:05 AM
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You know, you can just use platforms if you like.
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Old 03-08-12 | 06:09 AM
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I havent tried them- but i always thought those "power straps" looked like a great idea.
They don't go with a road bike as much as they would with a dedicated commuter bike i guess.

Last edited by TnBama; 03-08-12 at 06:11 AM. Reason: afterthought
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Old 03-08-12 | 07:10 AM
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Bikes: BiknBrian brand custom 26 inch commuter trekker, Cannondale F600 Single Speeded MTB, Nashbar Cro-Mo CX, some other bikes and parts that could be made into bikes.

What a ridiculous idea, shoes that you can't even walk in. Just get yourself some small cleat MTB pedals and shoes with recessed mounting. Ok, I suppose you could get some of the pocket slipper type shoes if you really want to keep your current setup.

https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Catalog...chTerm=slipper
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Old 03-08-12 | 07:11 AM
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Over time, the concrete floor will chew up your cleats and shoe heel. At a minimum, get cleat covers. If you prefer road shoes & cleats on the bike, can you carry a pair of slip-ons (like a lot of my kids' baseball/softball/soccer/field hockey/lacrosse-playing friends use when they change out of their cleats) and walk in those? SPD and MTB shoes on a road bike are fine - as long as the cyclist style police, the Velominati (Keepers of the Cog, aka "The Rules"), or NYC Bike Snob arne't around.
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Old 03-08-12 | 08:47 AM
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I have a pair of these MTB shoes for when I plan do do significant walking (I consider them touring shoes, however) . Soles are stiff like a riding shoe should be, but plenty of grip. I've walked over uneven rocks with them and have been quite secure. Hiking boots they are not, but they are all-day walkable.
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Old 03-08-12 | 09:05 AM
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I don't want to switch pedals for when I go out on regular rides so platforms and powerstraps are out. Its looking like spds with a commuting shoe and a road shoe is going to be the way to go
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Old 03-08-12 | 09:27 AM
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Originally Posted by bjh000
I don't want to switch pedals for when I go out on regular rides so platforms and powerstraps are out. Its looking like spds with a commuting shoe and a road shoe is going to be the way to go

In the immortal words of Phil Hartman (RIP) as Ed McMahon "You are correct sir!"
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Old 03-08-12 | 11:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Yo Spiff
I have a pair of these MTB shoes for when I plan do do significant walking (I consider them touring shoes, however) . Soles are stiff like a riding shoe should be, but plenty of grip. I've walked over uneven rocks with them and have been quite secure. Hiking boots they are not, but they are all-day walkable.
I have considered buying something like these for quite some time now. My biggest concern is that I'm on my feet all day long and am worried that the very stiff sole will be awkward to walk on.
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Old 03-08-12 | 12:41 PM
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then you use wide platform pedals and the shoes that work for you..

there are double sided pedals with a spud mech on just one side,
so the pedal stays on the bike and you use either a shoe
with or without the step in cleat.
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Old 03-08-12 | 12:46 PM
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Originally Posted by frpax
I have considered buying something like these for quite some time now. My biggest concern is that I'm on my feet all day long and am worried that the very stiff sole will be awkward to walk on.
That's different. I think they are great for running errands or touring, where you are on and off the bike, but if you are on your feet at work all day, they are probably not a good choice.

I'd say commute with regular shoes/sneakers or keep a pair of them at work to change into.
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Old 03-08-12 | 12:49 PM
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Originally Posted by bjh000
I'm going to start commuting to work but the problem is once I get there I have to walk through a concrete warehouse floor. I'm using a road bike and I really don't want to eat **** trying to walk through the warehouse with regular road shoes. Should I just get some cleat covers? Or switch to some spd pedals and shoes like dzr for commutes and a road spd shoe for longer rides?
How far is work? There's nothing wrong with SPDs on a road bike, especially with stiff shoes. If it's not terribly far, you could do something Fredly like get SPDs that have platforms on one side.

Or ... you could stash a pair of shoes at work. This is what I do.
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Old 03-08-12 | 12:51 PM
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I just use some BMX pedals and wear whatever shoes I want.
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Old 03-08-12 | 12:53 PM
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Originally Posted by SouthFLpix
You know, you can just use platforms if you like.
You can drive if you like, too.

Originally Posted by TheTreauth
I just use some BMX pedals and wear whatever shoes I want.
A gas pedal lets you wear any shoe you like. Much less fun than a road bike, though. But I guess it's good to have options.
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Old 03-08-12 | 12:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
A gas pedal lets you wear any shoe you like.
Road shoes and gas pedals are not a good combination, IME.
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Old 03-08-12 | 12:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Yo Spiff
That's different. I think they are great for running errands or touring, where you are on and off the bike, but if you are on your feet at work all day, they are probably not a good choice.

I'd say commute with regular shoes/sneakers or keep a pair of them at work to change into.
Thanks, that's what I thought.
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Old 03-08-12 | 01:46 PM
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On my commuter I use these shoes (Austin pedal/ Springwater):

https://www.keenfootwear.com/us/en/wall/shoes/men/pedal

With these pedals (Performance bike campus pedals):

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._1033468_-1___
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Old 03-08-12 | 04:31 PM
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Well, if clips and straps are out , my vote's for some PD-M324 SPD pedals, so you can wear regular shoes for the commute.
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Old 03-09-12 | 12:03 PM
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A couple years ago I switched over to MTB SPD-style pedals on all my bikes. I had already been using them on my commuter but got tired of hobbling around on the external cleats of my road bike pedals/shoes. Best move I ever made!

I recently bought these non-cycling shoe looking SPD shoes on Amazon. They have more of a rubber sole so there's no klip-klop when you're walking on hard surfaces.

https://www.amazon.com/Exustar-Mens-S...1316212&sr=8-6

Last edited by Eric S.; 03-09-12 at 12:08 PM.
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Old 03-09-12 | 12:17 PM
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I would look at using Shimano SPD pedals (M520 or the road version with additional support A520) and a Shimano shoe with the "RT" model prefix. I used RT-80's with the old, original Ultegra SPD road pedals (they don't make them anymore, but I think they were the best road pedals ever made) for last year's Paris-Brest-Paris on a fixie, so they'll handle all day riding as well as walking. The RT-80's are basically a mountain bike shoe without the lugged sole, so it looks more like a road shoe (if you're concerned about that sort of thing - I know I am!). It takes SPD mtb cleats, recessed into the sole. This should allow you to walk thru the warehouse without looking like a duck until you get to where you keep your normal street shoes. They also use velcro and ratchets for tightening instead of laces (I just HATE laces!), and if the ratcheting mechanism wears out, they take Time ratchets if you can't find the Shimano ones.

Luis
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Old 03-09-12 | 01:20 PM
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I bought a pair of 'Toe clips' a while back that had a plate on the bottom to attach a pair of cleats, this way you could wear your regular shoes & use clipless pedals. I gave up on clipless pedals a while ago & don't know what happened to those toe clips, but they were a pretty decent solution for riding in regular shoes, but with clipless pedals.
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Old 03-09-12 | 03:24 PM
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You may want to look into SPD sandals (Lake or Schimano). I found them quite preferrable to MTB shoes during the occasional days that I had rain on the way in.......with shoes, they rarely dried out in time for my trip home.....with sandals, it wasn't an issue. On the occasional mornings when temps were in the 30's or 40's, I would wear smart-wool socks, leggings and Sealskin socks....kept my feet more than dry and warm enough in the sandals.
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Old 03-09-12 | 03:53 PM
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MTB. I like Speedplay Frogs, but SPD works well to. I keep street shoes at my desk and change when I get there.
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