Aaron, toe clips have improved. The mountain style don't bother the tops of your feet.

One advantage toe clips (more accurately called traps or cages) have is that you can use them with just about anything on your feet. Some people won't buy SPD shoes, and some people have them but won't wear them on the bike all the time.

I agree SPD are easier to get in and out of than cages, even for a beginner. But I'm adept at both now, so that's not much of a factor for me. It is for some.

I have the Perl Izumi shoes that AusTexMurf shows us. They are as good for walking as any other shoe. I can walk five miles in them with no compromise in comfort or fatigue. To me, that means there is no compromise. I like them that much.

I have had both Shimano and Sette mountain shoes with SPD cleats. Maybe I just don't know what I'm talking about, but I can wear them all day at work and forget that they're not just sneakers, and they seem to be fine on the bike as well.

I think SPD's are mindlessly easy to get in/out once you are used to it. Automaticity. Just like a manual transmission in a car, if you drive. You don't even think about shifting, just what you do.

Didn't have time to explain on my previous post w/ pics.

I use SPD shoes when cycling, most of the time.
Always to pedicab.
Always for fast/long recreational rides.
Always for long commutes.
Always when touring/traveling.
Almost all of the time when on trail.
Almost all of the time when pulling a trailer.
Vibram Five Fingers for grocery store runs, neighborhood hops, swimming holes, friends, neighbors, etc.....Shimano A530's.

Anyway, I have a pair of Pearl Izumi's similar to the pic posted and noglider's. Mine are about 5 years old and are my primary shoes for pedicabbing and frequently, commuting. I wear them for up to 12-16 hours at a time during crazy pedicab times or long hauls. Lots of walking. Very comfortable. Mine are the old school version designed for adventure racing. I am on my third set of SPD cleats and 2nd set of insoles. Insane durability for a cycling shoe with a ton of walking and biking miles. SPD cleats are not easy to wear out, unlike the candy's i have used. I will try to post a pic of my well used shoes if I have a chance.

I also use the Keen commuter sandals for spring/summer use. Love them because I don't need socks and can get my feet wet, no worries.

The Keen Austin Pedal are extremely comfortable, walking and biking. They are also casual/low key. In austin, I use these as my winter cycling shoes or when I might need to appear business casual.

And yes, I have ridden with cages/traps/straps. Better than nothing, but still a compromise. Actually, I think they are more difficult to get in and out of compared to SPD's.

I don't remember the model, but I use Keen shoes with 3 velcro straps. I haven't had good history with laces, they usually get caught in the crank and/or chain and tear the laces apart. I don't like the new Commuter sandal design as much; it seems to be tighter at the top of the foot.

EDIT - Springwater is the model.

Its hard to explain the new clips but there are no cages, no traps, no straps. just slip in and go. Used just like a SPD but no concerns of walking on clips which will wear them out. Especially good with MTB shoes or you can use the keens or any other hard sole sneaker. The only thing is you have to take them off in the winter for hiking boots or anything larger and insulated.

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.

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.