I'm TKR (total knee replacement) "survivor" and back into biking. But with one of my knees not being what I was born with, I'm not going back to clipless pedals and have been riding a platform pedal with mountain bike shoes.

I do have a pair of road shoes I could use here, but have questions about taking off the spd cleats and trying them instead. But I'm a little concerned about the road shoes slipping off the platforms.

Does anyone have any words of advice?

- scarver

Yes, but first, welcome.

Most road shoes have a smooth hard sole, not a good match with platform pedals. Toe clips, even without straps would help keep your foot in place a bit, but may not be worth the effort. Why not stick with the mt. bike shoes; is there a problem with them? It seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

MTB shoes and platform pedals are a very good combo since MTB shoes generally have a knobby-type sole for traction off the bike. I have MTB shoes with SPD cleats and Shimano pedals with an SPD clip on one side and plain platform on the other. In most cases, riding on the platform side makes almost no difference unless I actually try to pull up on the pedal; the shoes really grip the platform side as the teeth on the pedal engage the pattern on the shoe.

Me too.

I just bought some MTB sandals with grippy rubber soles. I've installed SPD cleats on them, but they would be fine with platforms if you don't mind looking dorky

I use BMX pedals exclusively. They have set-screw pins that really hold your feet on the pedal.
Easterns and Primo Tenderizers are the ones I like best. The Easterms can even take a strap and toe clip if you buy some longer hardware to secure them.

Hi scarver, I have been riding platforms and MTB shoes for years now. I needed the stiff sole of the bike shoe to avoid foot cramps. They work great and as others have noted, the treaded soles keep my foot from sliding off the pedal.

This coming late fall and winter, I'm contemplating moving to winter MTB shoes/cleats and pedals. I wonder how far into the traditional season I could wear them before getting regular season MTB shoes(even though I'm a roadie) so I can walk in the shoes and not slip/slide in road shoes.

Anyway, I think MTB shoes would be much better than road shoes on platforms.

If the road bike shoes work for you and are comfortable take them to a shoe repair shop and have a Vibram or other light cleated sole put on over the slick hard biking sole. I have "redesigned" several pairs of shoes to fit my needs and they always worked out perfectly.

I also have dual TKR which is why my doctor advised me to ride with good flat soled street shoes and platform pedals so that there is little danger of twisting my new knees for any reason.

A pretty quick fix for the road shoes is to get some bathtub non-skid from a hardware store or Home Depot and apply it on the area where the shoes will meet the pedals. I would sand the soles of the shoes first and use some rubbing alcohol to clean them before applying the non-skid. The only problem with this is that eventually, the non-skid will get torn up from walking on it. If that doesn't sound like something that you would like to do, then just keep riding with your MTB shoes since they are working fine for you.

This thread is interesting to me, because I would like to reproduce the most satisfactory cycling shoes I ever had, which were the Avocet Touring -- steel shank and rubber sole with 4 cleat-like cuts across it.

I was thinking of doing exactly that and giving it a shot.

That is interesting. I have a TKR and used to ride with sneakers and pedals that had the small pins and my feet did not move. Reluctantly I switched to SPD cleats for the other advantages and found with the float in the pedal my foot and knee go where they want and have no problems. In the end you will want to do what you feel comfortable with. Originally I was afraid of even riding for fear of falling and damaging knee. I know go about my life as if it were the original except for running.

Speedplay is the company that makes the widest float in pedals..
their FRog goes with SPuD recessed shoes.

I have 2 years using Ergon's contoured pedals, havent used what clipless pedals I bought, in a couple years..

more commuting than sport riding of late..

Scarver,
GeorgeMacB has this thread about the pedals and shoes that might work for you:https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-New-Pedals!!!

Great advice so far, the members here are the best source of help I know of, hope you can solve the problem with your knees.

Bill