Road Shoe Advice

NWLondoner
NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
edited February 2008 in Workshop
I read somewhere that it is better to have harder sole shoe's when cycling, is this correct?


I have no interest in having shoes with clips etc. as i prefer flat pedals (yes some of us do exist)

Any other flat pedal riders here who can recommend any good road shoes???

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Do you mean stiffer? In that case, you're probably best served with a pair of MTB type shoes, which have a rubber tread for walking around in, but are stiffer than normal shoes so it takes pressure off your arches. However, you are putting yourself at a big disadvantage not having clips and straps as it means you are unable to pull-up on the backstroke, therefore losing about 50% of your potential power for each stroke.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Hudster
    Hudster Posts: 142
    It's better to have a stiff shoe when using clipless pedals systems (the shoes with clips in which you talk about). However, if using normal flat pedals (I guess with a toe strap?), then you can have shoes which are too stiff in my experience. Such a shoes fails to grip the pedal properly meaning you will need the toe straps done up tightly. Some of the lower end mountain bike shoes have a bit of give in them to allow walking and these would be best.
  • wildmoustache
    wildmoustache Posts: 4,010
    Monty Dog wrote:
    Do you mean stiffer? In that case, you're probably best served with a pair of MTB type shoes, which have a rubber tread for walking around in, but are stiffer than normal shoes so it takes pressure off your arches. However, you are putting yourself at a big disadvantage not having clips and straps as it means you are unable to pull-up on the backstroke, therefore losing about 50% of your potential power for each stroke.


    monty, i agree on the big disadvantage but my understanding (and common sense suggests) that the backstroke generates far, far less power than the downstroke which utilitises the big muscle groups plus bodweight/gravity
  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    It's worse than that - studies have shown that the upstroke generates no power at all in normal pedalling for pro riders - they simply remove the weight of the leg from the pedal.

    The issue is more that some effort will be wasted maintaining optimum foot position on the pedal whilst putting power in.
  • wildmoustache
    wildmoustache Posts: 4,010
    aracer wrote:
    It's worse than that - studies have shown that the upstroke generates no power at all in normal pedalling for pro riders - they simply remove the weight of the leg from the pedal.

    The issue is more that some effort will be wasted maintaining optimum foot position on the pedal whilst putting power in.

    Isn't removing the weight a form of generating power though ... i.e. you're going from a weight that is pushing the pedal in the wrong direction to removing the weight, meaning your total power output is higher. in anycase the essential point we all agree on ... clips give you a connection to the pedal that is an advantage!
  • aya604
    aya604 Posts: 67
    NWLondoner wrote:
    I read somewhere that it is better to have harder sole shoe's when cycling, is this correct?


    I have no interest in having shoes with clips etc. as i prefer flat pedals (yes some of us do exist)

    Any other flat pedal riders here who can recommend any good road shoes???

    Adidas Cyclone are excellent

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... ne%20Shoes

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