Now, I am sure this question may have been asked in one form or another several times before, YES I searched and did not find what I wanted. Here goes, my father (old school roadie with several hand-built bikes including a falcon/merckx custom job) has two different pairs of what he calls "touring shoes" which are simply thick leather cycling shoes with slim profile and a steel or wood piece inside the sole at the balls of the feet. These shoes however are not clip shoes or clipless pedal system rigs, but have smooth or lightly treaded rubber soles. My question is, does anyone still make these shoes? Is there something similar available today? I think these would be nice for medium to long distance rides without going clipless, but avoiding soft soled sneakers. Any real help would be great, if youre just going to flame or tell me to search more, save it.

There are old style shoes with the stiff soles for cycling but no clips
on eBay. I looked for them once because I prefer clips over clipless
in some ways (no need for shoes for a store run)--but got bogged down
with Euro sizing/guessing + expense of said shoes. Regular shoes + clips
hurt my feet when riding rollers.

https://www.wallbike.com/specialpage.html

I've seen Carnac Carlit mentioned from time to time. This site only has very small sizes left.

Thanks, this is pretty much what I want but as you said too small Anyone else?

maybe call yellow jersey or some of the other retro-grouch shops? cyclists still use these in europe but i'm not sure how you'd get in touch with a LBS over there without a local connection.

ebay or custom or the new asics keirin

i rock these, they're super narrow. my 43.5's feel like 9.5 (i had to stretch em) so these probably equal 9's or less. super stiff, great for pedaling, not so great for skidding/skipping (always feel like i'm gonna slip out of the pedal/lacks pedal feel) and are hard to get into the pedal cages for some reason that i don't really understand.

https://tinyurl.com/yuetvz

10 and 1/2's!

https://tinyurl.com/39bk6a

thanks guys, I guess I'll keep searching ebay and what not. I need a US size 12 and it seems a little hard to come by.

Bookmark this page to end confusion about Euro sizing.

I have searched all over for the Carnac Carlits, and it seems all anyone has are the 37s and 38s. Too small for me, too. If you ever encounter a Euro 41, do let me know.

I always wanted a pair of these:

I just got a pair of Onitsuka Tiger Keirin 400.

https://www.asicsamerica.com/onitsuka...ctid=240008537

Gale

Those are nice. Wonder if I can find 'em...

Reynolds shoes in the UK still makes traditional cycling shoes. Are these what you are looking for?
https://reynoldsshoes.co.uk/

saw some NOS joints at trackstar (nyc) once I think


those asics look aight tho

I found an old pair of cycling shoes in the basement of the LBS I work at, my boss said he wore them in the Little 500 at IU when he raced back in the early 80s. They were essentially just canvas shoes with a piece of metal or plastic in the soles. Imagine a pair of Nike Frees with a board screwed to the sole, I can't imagine that they would have been comfortable at all.

Those Avocets are on the way to me. Woohoo!

A shot of the Avocet rubber sole:

The last time I remember putting on a pair of these I was in a floating Dutch hostel in 1985. My how time flies.

Jobst Brant would be proud of you.

That's right, Avocet published his wheel book didn't they? I never remember wearing Avocet shoes though. In most 1980's pictures he seems to have been in Specialized or Cannondale shoes.

didn't you get some E.M. adidas touring shoes awhile back too? which one do you like better?

The E.M. shoes are so sweat that I decided to get the Avocets so I can make sure the E.M.'s last a long time.

Oh, you're probably right. I just always associate Avocet with Brandt, perhaps where it's not warranted.