My pedals are all platform, one with power straps, which are ok but not great.
So I am considering going clipless.

After doing some initial research I think I'm going with Shimano PD-M520 pedals.

Problem is I usually wear barefoot shoes - no heel, flexible sole, wide toe box. After wearing five fingers, soft star, and the like for two years my toes have spread out a bit and normal shoes tend to feel tight on me and hurt my feet after extended use.

The guys I ride with use clipless, and their shoes all look like they are designed to crush the toes. Perhaps some Chinese foot-binding advocates have infiltrated the cycling shoe design teams, or maybe it's just more aerodynamic.

So I am seeking an SPDM shoe with a wider than usual toe box, and ideally made from materials with some "give" to them. I know cycle shoes need to be stiff in the sole, but maybe there is something out there with a softer upper for comfort.

Is there such a thing?

thanks!

Did you look into Chrome shoes.... like the messengers wear..... I have a pair of Keen's that are wide in the toe box that have some flex with the SPD cleat.... look like a hightop.. but they have leather uppers.

Touring or mtb shoes would be the best bet... they tend to run wider and have more flex which makes them a better walking shoe.

Barefoot shoes and their design makes them incompatible with spd pedals as the sole has to be stiffer and more supportive.

I do wear my barefoot shoes when I cycle although I do this on half step or flat pedals.

I've got the women's version of these, and they're nice and roomy in the toe box (a great find for my unwomanly wide feet): Keen Austin Pedal.

I really don't see barefoot shoes working with cleats - as Sixty Fiver says, the stiff sole is key.

What about cycling sandals?

I need width in the toes and have a high arch and wide ankles. The tendon on the front of my ankle demands a lower-cut shoe. Haven't found accommodating regular bike full shoes yet.
I wear my Keen bike sandals year-round. The sole is stiff under the cleat but has flex elsewhere.
Some say the toes run narrow on the Keens. Try before you buy.
I love having the loose sloppy fit, just make sure it's snug enough to clip out.
I also love that I can adjust the width to accommodate thin summer cycling socks -vs- heavy wool winter socks plus a thermal toecover (worn between sock and shoe).

Sounds like a possibility...do you use toe or shoe covers in the winter?

Keen makes a couple of shoes that accept cleats, and sport Keen's trademark wide toe box.

I have a pair of Keen "Austin" shoes, as well as their bike sandals. Note that the sandals are noticeably narrower than the "non-cycling" models.

Hey Bikebreak, I feel your toe pain. I'm pretty much in exactly the saem place as you, been wearing VFF for a couple of years and my already wide feet, have spread even more. What I have been wearing for winter shoes and now for bike commuting is Merrell's barefoot shoe. They have a whole line of them, but because of my "Flintstone" feet, I got the Trail Glove Wide, which is fantastic. It's their only barefoot shoe offered in wide size, but it's great. It's about 90% mesh, so light weight, flexible, with a 5mm, no drop, Vibram sole.
Check them out.

Clipless and a flexible sole seems like a bad combination to me. When you join your foot to the pedal at a single, relatively small point, you need some stiffness in the sole to spread the contact force out more evenly.

Here ya go:

https://www.keenfootwear.com/us/en/pr...arroyo%20pedal

I have these and they are quite wide with the cleat set a bit off center to clear the crank. Talking to the Keen rep at some show he said they redisigned it wider etc due to complaints on previous models. I couldn't find anywhere to try them locally so I ordered them from REI Knowing I could return them if I didn't like them.

Thank you all,

Anyone tried the nashbar sandal?
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product..._#ReviewHeader
Half the price of the keens and reviews are positive.

I also wonder if sandals are appropriate for winter and rainy season. I don't bike in a real downpour but do go out in a drizzle. Do you sandal-wearers rock waterproof socks or overshoes, or switch to something else for cold and wet conditions?

Agreed, I'm looking for a fairly stiff sole but with wide toebox and comfortable upper with some give to it.

I have used vibram 5 fingers Trek with platform pedals and they are stiff enough for casual riding. For cycling the foot is just the interface to the pedal.
But barefoot shoes really shine for walking, running, climbing and other foot intensive activities. You can actually build muscles and ligaments in your feet.

Ergon pedals feature a wide contoured surface, so the support is under your soft sole shoes..

Touring cyclists like SPD sandals as the strap adjustment allows more room for thicker sox ,
G-tex sock over the others, in the wet, or thin to no socks in the warm.

I tried these, but I found that the middle of my foot hoot over the pedals, and I couldn't get the cleat set back as far as I would like. These were my first set of clipless "shoes", so I don't really know how they compare to other shoes. Based on reviews, I suspect my results may be expected of clipless shoes. They seemed well made. The cleats weren't fully recessed so I still had to be careful walking in the house.

I ended up taking off my clipless pedals and going back to heel slings (I ride a recumbent trike) for my end of summer long ride, since I never got an opportunity to ride more than 20 miles in these. I just didn't have the time. I am planning to put them back on in the spring and give them another chance. I may try a platform / clipless mountain style pedal that I think might give my foot some more support other than just around the cleat.

As far as cold / wet weather I had some neoprene socks and wool socks I was planning to wear, but I never tested this combination.

I'm a full on barefooter myself, really only wearing shoes while at work, or on the bike. On my KHS with platforms I typically wear my VFF's and they're been fine. At work I wear Stem Primal Origins which are pretty much the most comfortable shoes I have ever tried, and feels more like barefoot than even VFF's. However I feel like the sole material is really too soft to use with my studded platform pedals. I have some old flip flops that I use on the KHS sometimes in warmer weather, and the soles are getting torn up from the pedal studs.

I have normal-style Bontrager SPD shoes that I use on the road bike. They're not the roomiest, but they're okay. However I really like the looks of Bont shoes, which seems to be the best bet for wide toe box. Unfortunately their lowest-price shoe is still $165, though I really want to try them out one day.

https://shop.bontcycling.com/collecti...s/commuter-two

I haven't found toe covers or shoe covers that fit OVER the Keen sandal. Between the wide width and the thick tread, even XXL covers don't fit. Shoe size is mens 9.5/womens 11C.
The shoe covers I've tried are also too tight on my thick ankles and lower calf, regardless of the shoe.

I can loosen up the Keen sandal enough to fit a fuzzy thermal toe cover BETWEEN sock and sandal. This is my preferred solution for cold rides.
The toe cover cleat cutout doesn't bother me when I am wearing thick (Blaze) wool cycling socks and pedaling. Not so great when walking and uncomfortable with thinner socks.
The Keens have a rubber toe bumper that completely blocks wind to the toes. And I've decided that my heels do not need extra cold protection, they have good callouses.

In N.Texas most of my rides are above 40F and I do not ride on cold rainy days.
However, I did order some low-cut neoprene booties designed for pool swimming with fins. I think they should also fit between sock and sandal for cold weather.
I tried Performance neoprene socks but the XXLs were too tight and hard to get on, came up too high on my leg, and couldn't be worn over a sock. They were intended for rain.
I've also seen overshoes (goretex?) online that should fit over a sandal but haven't tried them yet.

I have the Nashbar sandals and use them a lot. I usually wear them with socks unless it is quite warm. Thin, light running-type socks for warmer weather and heavy wool socks for colder weather. I have not tried them with a windproof layer, so I am not sure with that how far I could extend their use below the upper 30s F that I currently have used them in. I have SPD mtb shoes that I use down to the low 20s where I then switch over to a mid-weight winter SPD boot. The stiffness of the soles is a lot different between the sandals, shoes, and boots. Boots>shoes>sandals.

I ride no matter the weather, so if it is a downpour, my feet will get soaked. It is kind of fun in the summer with the sandals in a downpour. Without socks, you just let the rain slosh all over your feet with no worries. If it is going to be cold enough and wet, I will put the boots on since they are pretty waterproof.

Thanks,

I saw nashbar has 20% off today so I went ahead and got the sandals and the SPD M520L. $67+ shipping + tax (no 20% discount on shimano).

I guess I'll find out in 7-10 days if the sandals work out. I do have some nice wool socks already.

I rode the Nashbar sandals for most of the summer. REALLY liked them. Once it cooled off I went back to my Performance MTB shoes. I ride the Shimano PD-M520 on my Trek 520 because I also finish my ride dressed for work after changing at the gym. Problem now is I can't find any winter toe covers that fit the heavier sole of the MTB shoe.