Slippery shoes
01-12-23, 04:31 PM
#51
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Fair enough Terry. Do you happen to own the shoes or the same brand/ model the OP has or are you just speculating? I don't have his model but I do have Sidi mega road shoes and the wear pads that are replaceable are of a rubber composition that would benefit from siping. There is a principal in gunsmithing that seems reasonable here to always file on the cheaper part. Majmt's solution is surely less destructive than yours. What's the harm in trying rather than just outright rejecting the idea because you have a sincere doubt?
I believe the OP's shoes are Sidi Eagle 7, with a nylon sole and non-replaceable polyurethane lugs. If they are like similar Sidi shoes I have owned, the lugs have a very high durometer to make them stiff and resistant to wear. Along with stiffness and wear resistance comes a low coefficient of friction, making them slippery on smooth, hard surfaces. Especially wet surfaces (think of skateboard wheels on wet asphalt). Since this is a mountain bike shoe, it's intended to be used on soft and rough surfaces (not so much on hard and smooth surfaces).
Now roughing up the polyurethane surface will make them a bit stickier, if the surface has some roughness (broom-swept concrete, asphalt). Smooth tile or wooden floors will be just as slippery.
Siping is another matter. It is used on pneumatic car tires to improve wet traction, but siping only works when the siped material is able to bend and flex under load. I doubt these hard polyurethane lugs are able to bend enough (there's a reason nobody adds sipes to solid tires).
A detail of the bottom of Sidi Eagle 7 shoe (which I believe is the OP's shoe model) after some wear:
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Last edited by terrymorse; 01-12-23 at 08:13 PM.
01-12-23, 05:10 PM
#52
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Honestly don't care about the material.
I no longer slip.
and the pics above are similar.... and I have no insight to the construction.
Slippy shoes.
add spikes for cheap
no longer slippy.
I no longer slip.
and the pics above are similar.... and I have no insight to the construction.
Slippy shoes.
add spikes for cheap
no longer slippy.
01-12-23, 05:25 PM
#53
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The main reason why Sidi shoes are slippery for riding a bike is that the company uses a synthetic material called Lorica for the outsoles of their shoes. This material is very smooth and does not have much grip, which can cause your feet to slip when pedaling. Sidi does not use any tread patterns or other means of increasing traction on their shoes, further contributing to their slipperiness. They use a synthetic material for their shoe uppers which can also add to the feeling of slipperiness. However, this material is actually quite durable and will help to keep your feet dry and comfortable during long rides. Overall, Sidi's shoes may initially feel slippery. The soles of the shoes are designed to be very stiff. This stiffness makes it difficult for the shoes to grip the pedals, which can make it feel like you're slipping.
If you are looking for shoes that will provide better traction while riding, you may want to consider another brand.
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If you are looking for shoes that will provide better traction while riding, you may want to consider another brand.
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01-12-23, 07:48 PM
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Yeah, looking at the close-ups, it does look like those orange pads are hard material so siping may not be very effective. Sure, those fat spikes should work but I would be concerned about the damage they could do to wooden stairs or walkways. The OP may have already considered that and maybe it’s no big deal. FWIW, if it was my problem and I was compelled to ride on rainy or wet days, I’d just adjust my route to avoid the need to carry my bike over stairs but maybe that’s unavoidable. Or, get some cheapie foul weather shoes better suited for wet conditions and save the Sidi’s for bluebird days or tap dancing. Seriously, good luck and be well.
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Last edited by majmt; 01-12-23 at 07:56 PM.
01-13-23, 07:05 AM
#55
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Yeah, looking at the close-ups, it does look like those orange pads are hard material so siping may not be very effective. Sure, those fat spikes should work but I would be concerned about the damage they could do to wooden stairs or walkways. The OP may have already considered that and maybe it’s no big deal. FWIW, if it was my problem and I was compelled to ride on rainy or wet days, I’d just adjust my route to avoid the need to carry my bike over stairs but maybe that’s unavoidable. Or, get some cheapie foul weather shoes better suited for wet conditions and save the Sidi’s for bluebird days or tap dancing. Seriously, good luck and be well.
01-13-23, 09:29 PM
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Spikes are easy enough to install and remove that wearing or not wearing them is easy enough to do based on the ride or the weather. I doubt most folks would want to remove them just to go into a store, but it would be possible. The short spikes the OP is using could probably be used indoors with some care to keep the heels down and not let the toes dig in.
