Mountain Bike Shoes

robjames92

hi ive just got into mountain biking in a big way. As im wearing just trainers at the moment just wonderin is it worth buying some mountain bike shoes and new pedals for the cleats etc. im hoping to go more off road though i.e dalby forest!! hope u can help.

Thanks robjames92

mugs

Shhh...what's that sound? do you hear it? a can of worms just got opened.

Seriously, it's a matter of taste. Most people who try them like clipped in pedals, others abhor them. I'd say stick with flat pedals and trainers until you think they *may* be holding you back in your riding, and then try clips - if you get on with them then great, if not then no biggie. A lot of people on here seem to start with cheapo Aldi/Lidl clips and shoes just to try it out without committing large amounts of dosh and then go on to make informed decisions.

Beyond that I can't really give much advice. I prefer flats, but then I don't really push it all that much at the moment. Things may change but for now flats are doing enough for me. One thing to say about flats though is that a decent pair of riding shoes or vans with waffle soles will help grip levels immensely, so if you do struggle with flats and try clips but don't like them, it's not over - try a pair of 5-10s or vans.

gk141054

I just got myself some Lidl shoes the other week - bargain @ £16.99.

Then got some Shimano 520's from Merlin (although if you can get them for the same price elsewhere, I would go elsewhere as Merlin and me have fallen out). The pedals were £20.

So for £37 I am now trialling spuds... not been out a great deal on them yet, stil getting used to them

However first impressions is that they are very good. I think it will save my shins my old cheese grater pedals...

JamJarST

Another fan of the Lidl shoes. Bought mine over a year ago and got a free set of Shimano M520's with a magazine subscription so only cost me £16 for spuds Can't ride with flats anymore :shock:

I was so impressed with the Lidl shoues that I bought a spare pair a few weeks back when Lidl were doing them again.

robjames92

thanks for advice much appreciated!!! i will just continue at the mo wi the trainers then if i feel they r holdin me back i shall buy some mountain bike shoes thanks again

Robjames92

damo2576

Can you get this Lidl stuff on line?

JamJarST

No online store for Lidl or Aldi. They only sell the stuff as weekly specials so it is a good idea to register for their newsletters.

merlie

Just go for it ... I was lucky enough to get some Spesh BG shoes in the sale as well as some shimano 540 spds on sale ... took me a while after i got them to actually use them ...still getting those SPD incidents - ie falling off at 0 mph !

I would advise on getting the shoes that fit. The spesh BG is a good shoe - I got one slighty bigger than normal for my feet as the normal shoes size was very snug. They dont do half sizes. But the shoe does feel a lil loose.

I do find SPD's good for producing output around the pedal motion and its great for climbing.

Just go for it !

Also - your not going to buy shoes and pedals often - so dont skimp

Anonymous

I like the freedom that trainers give you, especially going fast down rocky sections, however the downside it sometimes when it's real wet and muddy they can slip off depending on what trainers you've got, Vans with waffle soles are one of the best ever.

a mate of mine has those clip in shoes and all the 4X guys appear to wear them,,, it's a matter of taste I guess. for me it's trainers, other is clips....try both?

the bonus with clips of trainers is you can change gears on tricky sections with more confidence.

janwal

Try these power grips straps as an alternative http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 1&f%5Fbct=
I hated spds (kept falling off/nearly castrating myself!!)and bought these instead.HAd them a year now and they have been excellent.You have the same feel as being clipped in but can get out much easier.They give you the extra power up hills as do spds.Another advantage is you can use any shoe and a quick adjuct with an allen key to set the strap and away you go.I think they originate in USA and there are reviews if you need them.If you don't like them they have only cost you £20 but once you try them you will like them I'm sure.

Foxglove

I have just bought myself some Five Ten Impact Karver Ladies shoes. they have added ankle protection and are very grippy on the bottom which makes them hold onto the flat pedal very well. i also have clip ins but prefer flats on some off road stuff just in case lol.

Flenser

All about the £20 Karrimors from Sports Direct.

BeardedDave

Never understood the 'flat pedals hold you back' logic. Yes, you may not be able to pedal as efficiently uphill on flat pedals, but how much difference does it really make? Are any of us XC champions, where that time difference is really going to count?

I ride with a fairly big collection of riders, some of whom are pretty damn fast and skillful. There's probably about an even split between flat and clips users. I don't really think the pedals anyone uses has all that much effect on how they ride. Over time, you just develop the right technique to suit your pedal type.

hoolio

I started using clipless about two years ago. They take a good while to really get used to, but after a while you find yourself putting power through the upstroke without thinking about it (you notice this when you try and ride flats again!) and when you're clipped in you feel much more solidly connected to the bike. Felt like I had more control.
Some people may hate em, but I love em.

I started with a pair of shimano shoes on sale from wiggle for £20, and a pair of wellglo pedals for just under £20.
You will fall over a couple times, it's part of the learning curve.

Agent57

I fell off at least twice last night just because my feet were clipped in and I couldn't get them unclipped in time. I also found I was even more wary of going down stony or rocky inclines, because I knew I wouldn't be able to easily put a foot down if I lost my balance.

It was pretty much my first attempt at riding off-road though. I was using MTN SPDs as they came fitted to the bike, and I'm used to road SPDs on my road bike.

I also found that having to clip in made it a lot harder to set off up-hill, even if the gradient was quite shallow. I think I'm going to get some flat pedals and give them a go. Maybe I'll go back to clipless off-road once I've better bike-handling skills and more confidence.

Zeroman_IR

Agent57 wrote:

I fell off at least twice last night just because my feet were clipped in and I couldn't get them unclipped in time. I also found I was even more wary of going down stony or rocky inclines, because I knew I wouldn't be able to easily put a foot down if I lost my balance.

It was pretty much my first attempt at riding off-road though. I was using MTN SPDs as they came fitted to the bike, and I'm used to road SPDs on my road bike.

I also found that having to clip in made it a lot harder to set off up-hill, even if the gradient was quite shallow. I think I'm going to get some flat pedals and give them a go. Maybe I'll go back to clipless off-road once I've better bike-handling skills and more confidence.

I wouldn't give up on clipless just yet. I'm using them with about 3 months now and I can remember having the same experience starting out. Very wary on any sort of technical section at all with the result that I crashed a lot more because I was going too slow to clear obstacles. Stupid pratfalls when stopping (still have a few of those from time to time :oops: ) The good news is that this nasty spell only lasted about 2 weeks and I'm now much happier on clipless than flats. Much more control and easier to put the power down.

If you really feel yu would be happier with flats, that's your choice to make but don't give up on clipless after only one or two rides, it does get better.