It took a couple of years for me to wear out the first pair which is the best longevity I've ever had on a commuting shoe.

I use Pearl Izumi X-alp Seek bike shoes, with a number of different Shimano SPD combos. They work great for me...

Think how fast your transitions will get by the time you're ready for a tri.

This model looks very interesting to me....minimal kind of shoe w/ SPD and stiff mid. If I had one pair of cycling shoes, this would be the one for me to try.

Keen Austin. Keen cycling sandal. Both excellent in my experience. The soles of both are a bit stiffer than "normal" shoes, but I've walked many miles in both.

Don't think that I have tried the newer type or the Power Grips mentioned. Actually hadn't really considered them because if I am not cycling, I rarely if ever wear traditional shoes. In other words, I am sure they work fine for most folks. And would be a huge benefit to commute or hop on the bike in any shoes. Problem is, I don't like to wear shoes.

I am usually barefoot in the summertime, even when running. When I am not barefoot, I wear Vibram Five Fingers almost exclusively.
Because they have soft or no tops and individual toes, cages/traps have not seemed very comfortable to me. I love being barefoot or in my VFF's but they are not ideal cycling shoes. So, in my case, I ride Shimano A530's or M324's for use w/ my VFF's on shorter rides.

About the only time I wear shoes is for cycling. And then SPD's. The system just works for me very well.

I have gotten rid of my road shoes and Look pedals for road riding as well. Just no reason other than racing, IMO.

Yeah, for me, I need something I can walk around in and agree the road shoes are only good for racing. Not to say that they can't be used but there are better choices. I like MTB shoes for their stiffness and I just remove the clips. I do use the clipless only when I go on long tours where I won't be getting off the bike for long periods of time. For commuting, never.

I like these from Chrome because they help me look like I'm in my mid-20's again. ;)

http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/...6at82116PM.jpg

In the summer I commute in Keen cycling sandals, and they are more comfortable to walk in than any other bike shoes that I have. That said, any pair of SPD shoes, after having been worn and ridden, and walked in for several miles, will wear down such that the cleat is contacting the pavement when you walk, and a steel cleat is never going to offer much traction against a concrete surface - worse still are ceramic tiles. I can imagine a disaster happening if you are walking on the cleats, and a dog pulls the leash - your legs would go right out from under you! I think that I would put a second pair of shoes on the rack on the back of the bike and wear those for the dog walking part.

ETA: WOAH sorry guys, too many tabs open, that was meant for P+R. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

+1 for Power Grips, better than regular straps and you can wear any shoe you want

Emulating the Cyclocross racers of the pre SPD 70's, I did learn the knack of flipping
Lyotard 460D pedals , both, in the first crank rotation, and stuffing my shoe toe in..

but lately I just ride in shoes that keep my feet dry, on Ergon Platform pedals..

I used to use Shimano SPD sandals for many years. They have a stiff inner sole (same fibreglass one as the entry level Shimano mtb shoes)
I know they are walkable. I once took them as the only shoe on a 1 week primarily non-cycling vacation. I have hiked 7miles in them.
The Keen sPD ones likely are too, even more so as their sole is less stiff which makes them less suitable for cycling, but even more comfortable for walking.

I only have a little experience with powergrips. They seem difficult to adjust. Is there a solution for this? I can get them right for one pair of shoes, and that makes them for another pair.

I've learned not to adjust them like I would regular clips and straps. I find if I set them for the largest shoe (for me it's my winter boots) they're fine for everything else. I actually run them much looser than I would old style straps. The key to powergrips is they use the same kind of twist motion as clipless - toe in then twist right tightens, heel out loosens for release. Hope this helps!

That does help, arsprod. Thank you.

I too would like a nice walkable shoe, however, do any of these come in wide sizes? From looking at the websites of the shoes in this thread I don't see any shoes in wide. I really don't even need clipless. I just want a nice, reasonably stiff soled cycling shoe that I can walk or pedal all day in. Does this exist?

Specialized BG comp Mtb spd shoes, quite walkable and nice looking.

sarahbruce, I've given up finding shoes wide enough for me. I just buy a size up now.

I have found the Keens to be the widest cycling shoe I have ever tried, particularly in the toe box. Behind them, the Pearl Izumis. They also have big, wide toe boxes for cycling shoes. Both of them are much wider than the Shimano, Specialized, Forte, Sidi, etc., cycling shoes that I have tried.

Keens.

Agreed. All Keen shoes I have seen have very wide toe boxes. When a shoe store worker measures my feet, they are not even as wide as E. My feet are size 11 in length, but I cannot wear 11E shoes. It turns out that the widest point in my feet is farther forward than the widest point on normal feet. That's why wide shoes are not wide enough for me. As I said above, I just wear size 12 from now on, and I'm thinking of going up to 12-1/2. I can keep my feet back in the shoe if I need by putting padding on the underside of the tongue, leaving lots of room in front of my toes, which neither helps nor hurts.

I am about a half size wide so I always buy a half size up to compensate for the width of the shoe. I recently purchased a pair of Keen Austins and I probably didn't need to go up that half size They are wider than the average shoe.

I like the Keens btw. Nice compromise on stiffness. I use them with Shimano M520 and A530s and they clip in easily. I have heard of people having problems clipping in with other pedals due to the recessed cleat. I haven't walked too far or for too long in them yet but I don't forsee any problems Good shoe.

So, not to hijack this thread too much, I guess I should try Keens. I've always had a problem going up a size and then having the front of the shoe fold over. Is there a website that is better than others about returning shoes if they don't fit? I have never ordered shoes online because even with regular shoes I normally try on maybe 15-20 pairs before finding a pair that fits well. There is no where local (central Florida)that I know of that sells Keens. I think my feet are too sensitive and weirdly shaped for their own good. Thanks everyone

Ha, ha. Just jumped to end of the thread and see you've already reached the conclusion many of us have.

KEEN'S.

They work.

i prefer SPD's and have about a 1/2mi walk from my lockup to my office. these have been great (Shimano MT22):

http://www.npbikeshop.com/images/lib..._mt22_10_m.jpg

if i don't feel like clipless, i have one bike set up with bmx pedals and velcro straps. adjusts in seconds to any shoe:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5198/7...74358999_z.jpg

I've had very good luck with zappos.com.