Treker

Now that my inexperienced girls (15 & 12) have new road bikes with toe clips (but w/o straps), I'd like to get them into some hard sole bike shoes but forego the cleats for now. Maybe move to clipless next year. Problem is, my wife who is not currently a cyclist, thinks that's excessive at this point. Our (my) intention is to work the kids up to regular 30, 50 even 80km rides.

Question: In that age group, at easy to moderate cruising speeds, over those distances do hard sole bike shoes add efficiency or contribute to less fatigue in their cycling experience? For a modest cost, I think it would.

Psimet2001 

It would, but at what cost. $ is one thing, but taking an opposite position of your spouse when it comes to kid's involvement in cycling.....that's another.

Try the family forum for more people with experience in this age category, but personally I would take them on a few longer rides and ask them how their feet feel at the end of the ride (in fornt of your spouse). Let them complain and consequently ask for the shoes. If they don't complain on their own just happen to take them by the shoe display in the LBS and see if they're interested.

I know they're bike shoes, but what set of teenage girls would turn down an opportunity to try on new shoes. Once they are on their feet they will swing your way. Then you can look at your spouse and go...."it's not me. They want them!"

Jakedatc

If their feet are still growing why not wait at least that year when you can buy the right size shoe.. and let them go on the rides this year with normal shoes to see if they will even keep riding enough to warrant clipless

merlinextraligh

A hard sole bike shoe that's designed to work with a cleat is going to be worse with Toe clips, than a tennis or running shoe.

With the rubber soled shoe, there's enough grip you can tighten the toe strip down, and pedal cirlces to a degree. But a typical cylcing shoe with no cleat will slip straight out.

You could go with a touring style cycling shoe designed for use with toe clips, however, that won't work with cleats if you step up to clipless in the future.

kudude

Just don't start injecting them with steroids. You can't make someone love cycling and trying will end badly.

canthidefromme

+1

bward1028

according to the single speed/fixed gear guys, adidas sambas (indoor soccer shoes) are the way to go. i've actually found that all of their low-cut trainers work great with clips and straps. very stiff soles, nice round toe that fits in well. easy to cinch the straps down.

GlassWolf

I'd look at some cleatable shoes, but forego the cleats. get them used to the feel of them, and get them broken in. look at Nashbar for the strapless toe clips they sell (cheap upgrade) so no straps are neccessary. Then when you move to some affordable clipless pedals, it's just a pedal swap, and bolting up some cleats to existing shoes.
hard shoes transfer energy much better than sneakers, and clips or clipless allow better efficiency allowing you to pull up on the back stroke of the rotation, as you know.. so it's worthwhile in my opinion.
I went to hard shoes when I was about 16, with my Nashbar bike, then to clipless LOOK P56s about a year or two after that. the difference was night and day

deanp

I was toying with the idea of track shoes and leave the spikes out. They're cheap, light weight and have a stiff forward section.

Beaker

+1 for my bay area colleague.

KRhea

In 1972 my father started me riding in slick soled relatively stiff bowling shoes to facilitate ehtry/exit from toe clips...

In 1983 I started my wife cycling in slick soled bowling shoes...

In 1991 I started my girlfriend cycling in slick soled bowling shoes...

In 1998 I suggested to a buddy that he start his 7yr old son in slick soled bowling shoes...

In 2000 we started our all the kids in our community cycling program in slick soled bowling shoes...

In 2005 I started my second wife cycling in bowling shoes and in 2012 I'll start our daughter cycling in bowling shoes and toe clips until she graduates to clipless.

Beaker

^ Gotta ask.....do you go bowling in Sidi's?

DieselDan

Try using a stiff soled cross training or skateboard shoe. Those can even be stylish, which is important to girls that age.

SHOwned

i'm looking at getting a pair of those, or something similar to the adidas and puma driving shoes, to make it easier to slip into my toe clips and straps. i couldn't spend the money yet to get the clipless pedals i wanted, so i went with a $20 set of track pedals. of course these are on a $1300 bike. wtf

Adgooroo

OP - I'd suggest you consider mountain bike shoes - relatively stiff soles, can have cleats applied, in case you want to take that step w/the girls, are quite 'walkable' off the bike - and are a little less severe in styling than road shoes.

john bono

I think at this point, you are better off removing the clips and just letting them ride in regular shoes. If the 15yo likes riding, since her feet are probably almost already at their adult size, get her a pair of MTB shoes and a low end spd pedal. Frankly, I'd rather use clipless or platform pedals to toe clips any day of the week.

Jakedatc

I don't know who told you that Adidas Sambas are stiff soled.. but... you can fold the things in half.. they are not stiff at all.

The skate shoes i could see.. like Airwalks or similar.. they tend to be pretty heavy tho.

i don't understand the "wait one year" what is your reasoning? If they like riding long enough that would warrant clipless pedals then get them into clipless pedals and used to them. No use getting into bad habits of pulling their foot back to get out and then try to teach them to twist out

Erik B

flat flat rubber sole, spd compatible

https://campusbicycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?id=1434