Shoes

[FitAlex]

I'm thinking about getting a new pair of bike shoes (road) to replace my SPDs (they're not so great for road riding). Since I'm new to this sport however, I don't know which brands are decent and which I should avoid. Are Trek shoes any good? What about pedals? I've heard good things about Look and Shimano, but I'm curious to know what you guys like and use. Any input will be appreciated. Thanks a lot.

[jmartinezdb]

im no pro but i currently ride on specialized pro shoes and they also have a very reasonably price carbon shoe i have had no problems with these shoes. As for pedals i ride speedplays zero the CSC editions in cro moly they are my first pair of clipless pedals and besides training and 2 triathlons and the MS 150 they work just fine. just jump and clip very little hot spots but putting some miles seems to take care of that.

[ThePrez]

it depends.  First off, do you like pedals with a lot of float, or not a lot.  If you dont like too much float, then looks or shimanos are good.  If you do like for you foot to move around, then look into the speed plays.  There are a lot of shoe options out there, and just like saddles they are all different to individuals.  I can give you some quality shoes companies such as Sidi (expensive, but very nice and most parts are usually replaceable), Specialized (great for the price, and usually take a good amount of abuse), Pearl Izumi (also great for the money. and Nike (kind of expensive)

[dannynguyen]

I can let you try out my speedplay X series.  These have a totally different feel to them so more than likely your initial opinion of them wont be high.  But feel free to give them a try, if not for the simple fact that it's one set of pedals you can cross off your list.

http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.x

As for shoes, let me know what size you wear.  I got a pair lying around thats new.

[ThePrez]

I also have a pair sitting around.  They are specialized and I think about a size 11ish.

[FitAlex]

Hey, thanks for all the feedback! In terms of pedals, I'm not sure how much float I want. What I'm concerned with is getting something with a large platform to distribute the force from pedalling over a larger area of my foot. I'm having a problem with my SPDs now where too much pressure is hitting a nerve on the bottom of my left foot, which is causing my toes to cramp. It's quite uncomfortable. A stiffer shoe would probably help with this problem too. That and more sesamoid bones.

Danny, if the pair of shoes you have lying around are 12.5, I'll take you up on your offer to try them out with your pedals. Otherwise, I think I need to make a trip to Bike Barn and try out a bunch of different combinations on my bike.

[ThePrez]

Optimised surface :
The new KéO system has a maximum support surface with minimum dimensions.
 
[image]http://www.lookcycle.com/v2/!_keo/graphismes/look_nouveau.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.lookcycle.com/v2/!_keo/graphismes/look_ancien.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.lookcycle.com/v2/!_keo/graphismes/speedplay_zero.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.lookcycle.com/v2/!_keo/graphismes/shimano_duracepd7800.jpg[/image]
[image]http://www.lookcycle.com/v2/!_keo/graphismes/time_ipact.jpg[/image]
 
see if my html skillz work.

[cyclingmo]

Hey guys,
I have the same problem as alex except my shoes are too big for me also  . My sneakers are 9.5 and I'm not sure what that translates to in terms of cycling shoes. If one of you guys has a size that fits me i'll buy it from you. Or do you think it's better for me to wait and order through trek in fall?

[FitAlex]

Mo, in terms of fit, bike shoes are just like sneakers; some brands run big, others run small. If you wear a 9.5 in street shoes, you'll wear a 9 or a 10 in bike shoes. Oftentimes, they don't make half sizes. Which brand you'll want will depend on how your foot is shaped. My feet are narrow, for instance, so SIDIs fit me pretty nicely (I tried several shoes on at Bike Barn today). Specialized fit my heel perfectly, but the forefoot is too wide. Nikes are even boxer, so I won't be choosing them.

What I would recommend is figure out how much you want to spend on shoes. Then, go to a bike store and try on the different brands in your price range. You'll be surprised how much variation there is in how they fit. Go with whatever brand is most comfortable. Comfort is the most important thing to consider when buying shoes. All other factors, like material and stiffness, should be secondary.

I'm probably going with SIDI. I don't know about pedals yet. I have to do more research. I'm leaning away from Speedplay however, because they're tiny, and I need a large surface area to alleviate my nerve problems. I'll share whatever new information I find.

[dannynguyen]

nah, it's an 8.5 or 9.  Let me know if you still wanna try the speedplays.  My choice of pedals?  Time RXS.  Blake whines whenever I say this, but the engagement for the Keos doesnt feel as nice as the Times.  Eric has these and he'll say the same thing.  He rode some Looks before and although they're not the keos, they use basically the same plastic cleat.  I did own Keos for a short time, but sold them so I could purchase the RXS after trying out Erics set.  And as a bonus, the Times have some nice cleats that you can walk in since they have rubberized ends or something.  Anyways, my opinion.  If you're not in a rush, I plan on purchasing a set of these when my financial aid comes in (few days after school starts).  You can try them out before I install my cleats an such. 

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=BUY_PRODUCT_STANDARD&PRODUCT.ID=1494&CATEGORY.ID=31&MODE=

In terms of the fit of those shoes, Im surprised that you found the nikes to be boxy.  I have a couple pairs that I found to be pretty slim up front and throughout.  But youre definitely right about the specialiezd though; good heel, wide toebox.  I was going to buy that carbonpro till I tried it on.

[FitAlex]

I think I've come to a decision about which shoes to get. After my workout today, I went to Bike Barn to try on my best picks when my feet were still swollen from exercise. The Specialized Pro Carbon shoe fit the best. At first, I was worried about the toe box being too wide, but after widening my current shoes and finding it alleviated some of my cramping, I decided that's what I need.

I plan on using these shoes for training as well as racing, and my question to you guys is will I have problem with the carbon sole wearing out from so much use? I want these shoes to last a couple of years, and I'm curious if a plastic sole will last longer than carbon, or are they the same?

Also, since I'm getting these a Bike Barn, can someone loan me their team discount card? I haven't received one yet, and usually whoever's at the register won't give me a discount without it.

Thanks again for all help.

[dannynguyen]

I'll try and get a hold of Hayley and make sure you get the discount.  I'm not sure whens the next time she'll be working, but I'll let you know when I've spoken to her.

[FitAlex]

Got my shoes and pedals today. Specialized Pro Carbon Road shoes and Shimano Ultegra SPD SL pedals. Let you know how they feel when I take them for a ride this week.

[ThePrez]

sounds like a good setup

[FitAlex]

So I've worn the shoes for two workouts now. Very nice. My foot problems are. My only complaint is the pedals are hard to clip out of, but I'm know I'll get better at it.