clipless shoes on a fix.
 

edited for clarity

this has been discussed before.
but my reason for riding clips as opposed to clipless is not wanting to be forced to wear cycling shoes to the grocery store, or class, or whereever i may ride. i like the freedom that clips allow in that regard.
like i've said before, for me, clipless makes a lot more sense for racing than it does for commuting or recreational riding.

Then again, regular shoes dont tend to offer the stiffness and support of clipless shoes. Its a preference issue and for some a style issue, personally i like clipless shoes for the very reasons i mention above.

I've found clipless pretty essential for velodrome racing. I've also found clips essential for everyday street riding situations. It's good to own both.

Speaking as someone who is right now awkwardly walking around his office in cleated shoes, I would say that generally speaking it is really annoying and I wouldn't want to do it. However, I do own clipped pedals that I chose not to use. Honestly I would prefer the walking annoyance anytime I plan on riding more than just a couple miles. I think the trade off is worth it.

That said, anyone know any decent shoes that are not too annoying to walk in?

I ride clipless on my fixed. I tried clips but didn't like the feel of them and the lack of stifness in my shoes. I'm riding Axo Blackball mtb shoes where the cleats are recessed so I have no problems walking around if I need to.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=2120

Those are the shoes I ride. Very comfortable and easy to walk in. The cleat is set back so it doesnt strike the ground when walking.

or get mountain shoes...the clips are recessed in the treads

or get spinning shoes (specialized sanoma i think...very nice)

i use mountain shoes...nashar specials...awesome

where?? eBay?

...damn. I gotta look more often there.

i use these:

http://www.performancebike.com/produ...50/20_1675.jpg

they're comfortable enough that i don't mind going to work in them, or whatever.

Even better combo deals:

PricePoint Diadora Gecko Shoes w/ Time Atac Alium Pedals $94.98
PricePoint Sette Element Shoes w/ Time Atac Alium Pedals $99.98
PricePoint Sidi Rocket Mesh MTB Shoes w/ Time Atac Alium Pedals $169.98

sidi rampa's and eggbeaters for me. where I live (Japan) I have to change shoes for work anyway. and when I'm shopping people are usually busy staring at my big fat white head and not my tap shoes.

I just got a pair of Crank Bros Quattro pedals for this exact reason. Knew I was going to need clipless pedals, knew I didnt want to always be troubled by having to throw the cleats on, so I think they'll be a perfect fit. Enough of a platform on them so that you can ride without cleats and they have two/four sided entry. Check it out.
http://www.nashbar.com/profile_morei...527&brand=0350

those are pretty sweet.
but what i like about clips is the combination of freedom of shoe choice and the pedal/foot connection.
while the platform on those is pretty big, especially for clipless, riding those without cleats would require sacrificing the connection to the pedals.
but those are probably as close to the best of both worlds that exist, short of switching out pedals before rides.

How do you like those Quattro's? How's that funky-looking cleat work? I'm thinking of making the switch to Crank Bros. for its versatility. I picked up the Candy's for a good price on eBay, but I haven't taken the time to get used to them yet. They're languishing on my road bike, while my fixed gear is still running SPD's.

Adidas Minnret:

http://www.planocycling.com/merchant...rge/minret.jpg

Thanks to BlastRadius for showing me these shoes. They're nice on and off the bike, and have a nice hard sole.

Hehe, I better buy a couple of extra pairs before you all buy them up. :D

The worst thing about clipless shoes is the slipperyness. Last night I fell down two seprate staircases (before I started drinking, ha!), the first while carrying my bike over my shoulder. It was a mess. The worst ones are steep and narrow with linoleum steps and the aluminum edges. they are my enemy. I fell down the front stairs one morning before work, what a way to start the day. Before you start laughing, I've seen at least one other person crash down my front stairs in cycling shoes (although they were drunk). Also, it sucks to wear thouse things if you're going dancing. I always end up taking my shoes off at parties or keeping a pair of chucks in my messenger bag.

Well, many years ago I slipped on the marble stairs of my six floor walk-up while carrying my bike and just as I had reached the final set of steps. Fell backwards and down, and banged my right knee against one of the old metal railings on the side. It hurt real bad, but I was a tough guy so I went on my ride anyways. An hour or so later, had to head back home since the pain was too great. Turned out I severely sprained my ligaments making it very difficult to walk. Cost me 6 months off the bike, and about 1 year to full recovery.

Now, I carry my bike down the stairs with my bike shoes in hand, and while wearing my *bunny slippers* with rubber soles. I put on my bike shoes at the lobby and place my slippers in my mailbox.

I think that you can work around this problem by attaching cleats to your bunny slippers. That would be the most badassest thing EVAH.

Hey, those look pretty unsucky. Is there a local source for 'em?

Eden Bicycles in Hayward. That's where I got mine.

I ride clipless and use the same shoes as ink1373.
I could wear them all day, without discomfort.
That said, I don't consider them as good as conventional shoes for all-purpose wear, such as going up and down stairs and walking on a variety of surfaces.

My son has excellent clipless shoes and yet has chosen to put clips on his geared road bike.
He straps in tight and must reach down with his hand in order to get his feet out of the straps.
A serious runner, he likes to ride and run in the same shoes.

I have no experience with clips.
I have had a bad fall or two with clipless pedals and shoes.
Since I ride through the winter, I have special concerns about falling on rutted roads, and so I have pedals with platforms on one side and clipless spd hardware on the other.
When I get on a bad surface, I clip out and flip over to the platforms.
As a system, it doesn't really work as well as I'd like it to work because I sometimes inadvertently clip back in to the wrong side.

Recently, I have tried riding my son's bike with clips, and because of my unfamiliarity with them, find it difficult to get my feet in and out of them.
I consider myself still in search of the perfect system.