MTB or Road Shoes...

FOAD

I am awaiting delivery of a road bike purchased on the Cycle to Work Scheme.

Until now I have been using a MTB to cycle to work and just use normal shoes/trainers on pedals with a toe cage at the front.

I can't decide whether to go for MTB (with SPD pedals/cleats) or road shoes (with SPD-SL/ Look etc.).

I have narrowed my choices down to Specialized MTB Comps or Northwave Lizzard SBS in MTB shoes, or Specialized Elite or Northwave Typhoon SBS in road shoes (purely because they are the only two makes I can get a good fit in).

As about 90 percent of my weekly mileage (75 miles ish) will be on the road bike, I am tempted to get road shoes, but as I want to do some off road stuff, I am torn between off roading in my trainers still and just having road shoes, or having a pair that covers both (am I making sense).

Is there much difference between road and MTB shoes for road use and are there any benefits of a three bolt cleat system over two bolt (SPD) etc.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

downfader

Personally I would use a cage for a bit on a normal shoe until you get more used to the bike as riding drops is diiferent to flat bars (which I presume you mean)

The specialized's got good marks in this months C+, also the Mavics if you can find a fit.

careful

I would go for a road style spd (recessed 2 bolt shoe). Shimano RT 51 is excellent. I have road shoes as well but IMO the spd are just as good for road riding and you can walk in them. Lots of shoes have the two bolt fitting but without recesses for the cleats. Thes are ok if you never walk in them!

maddog 2

I'd go with the mtb option, and spesh shoes are good. You can walk around in them, you can jump between bikes, two-sided pedals etc.

No real downsides for what you're doing. Roadie shoes are a tad lighter but in use there's very little between a good mtb shoe+spd and a road shoe+spd-sl, IMO (and I've run both).

I'd look at spesh, shimano and sidi. My preference is for spesh.

dombo6

Get the mtb shoes. The Spesh Comps are great, and as others have said you can walk in them. Plus you only need one pair of shoes with the same, eg spd, pedals on each bike. Double sided spd pedals are also ideal for stop/start commuting and also fine for long sportive type rides. The cleats last longer too.
I did my first two 100-mile sportives on spd pedals and they were fine.

FOAD

Thanks for all the advice. Having borrowed a pair of MTB shoes today (Specialized) to ride my MTB, I defo think I will use them on both bikes so that decision is made - MTB shoes.

Next question - I have found the Specilized's in shops quite difficult to locate the threaded strip into the buckle on the shoes with the ratchet system on the thrid strap (I have a pretty broad and high instep), however my LBS guys all said they would never have velcro for the third strap if they had a choice, as it doesn't last too well over time. However the shoes I wore today are about 3 years old and the velcro was still immaculate.

Views on velcro vs buckle on the top strap please.

maddog 2

I've got both versions and would go for the buckle design. Once you've set the ratchet it stays put, whereas the velcro does creep a tad and requires more adjustment.

As far as longevity, the velcro does eventually lose some of its grabbiness, which leads to more creep, but it does last a good while before this happens, if you look after it.

I think the two spesh BG mtb shoes with the buckle (comp and pro) takes some beating. I've been using my pros for over two years, on and off road and commuting and they're still going strong.

FOAD

Thanks mate.

My budget only stretches to the Comp at the moment, though I may well drop into the Specialized shop at Fort Dunlop tomorrow, they tend to have the Pro's in the larger sizes for £80 from time to time, and I like the adjustment on them on the inside edge ( x-link™ closure system I think it is called).

billy whippet

would recommend the sidi mtb shoes - chain reaction have some good deals

Anonymous

I have some Sidi road shoes and Specialized MTB shoes.

From my experiences with both, if I had my time again I would get Sidi MTB shoes...
The Specialized ones aren't bad (they are the top of the range jobbies with the carbon sole etc) but Sidi are just so damn good!

DomPro

Go straight for road shoes and pedals like SPD-SL. Don't faff around with anything but dedicated road cycling gear. Otherwise you'll end up upgrading in a couple months because the MTB stuff isn't up to the job.

CTML

downfader wrote:

Personally I would use a cage for a bit on a normal shoe until you get more used to the bike as riding drops is diiferent to flat bars (which I presume you mean)

Agreed! You won't appreciate or notice the increases in performance if you plunge straight for both bike and shoe change when i changed my road bike i purposely waited a good 2-3 months before going clipless and when i did i was already flying!