First Road Shoes - Buying Advice!

Mr Plum

I will be buying a Specialized Secteur Sport soon and will be doing some serious miles and touring so will also be getting some 'good' road shoes - advice will be massively appreciated as I have no idea. These will be the first pair of cycling shoes I will have ever bought. What's the difference between SPD and clipless pedals? - What's better and why? What brands are worth looking at? I'm a UK10 in normal shoes/trainers - should I get the same size in cycling shoes? What else do I have to consider/think about?

Cheers in advance...

Roadracer123

Firstly, SPD's are clipless pedals there just a different type. SPD-SL's are the entry level road pedals but if you intend to do much walking you may be better opting for some SPD M250'S and some mountain bike shoes as they are more comfortable and are designed with use of the bike in mind. I personally prefer them as I find them more comfortable and easier to get on wih but your personal preference may be different. The last two pairs I've owned have been shimano, but specialized are supposed to be good as well. This is where my knowledgebecomes shady as my only experience with road shoes is shimano so it's probably best that someone else gives you advice in terms of a more varied selection of brands and how they hold up. Again with the sizing I usually go for a size smaller as that provides a tighter fit meaning your foot isnt slipping around inside the shoe defeating te object of clipless pedals. And the most important thing to think about is comfort. How do they feel when you put them on, are they the type of shoe you can feel happy in for long periods of time when on the bike? are they well ventalated? And do they appeal to you aesthetically?

Hope that was useful, but then again im 14 so what do I know. :?

Mr Plum

Good advice for a 14y/o :P

I hadn't thought about using mountain bike shoes with a road bike. I'll definitely look into that as I'm essentially a mountain bike rider who's dabbling/converting to road riding so it's be good to be able to use them for both bikes (pending pedal compatibility etc...).

Anyways, thanks for the advice.

chrishd883

As already mentioned there are a large number of clipless systems - Shimano produce several tyres itself, then there are Look Keo's, etc, etc.

Which system is best? Hard to say, but remember that you need to match the pedals & shoes / cleats. Have a look at the pedals / shoes on offer - this may point you in one direction or another!

/I personally ran Shimano SPD's (a MTB derived clipless system) for a number of years and these work great but I now have Look Keo pedals and cleats/shoes as well.
I moved my race bikes over to the Look Keo system last year - a decision based on price and weight - they score very highly here! Currently I still run SPD's on my winter hack / commuter bike.

If you are going ot be doing a lot of walking, then the SPD system with MTB shoes with recessed cleats may be the way to go. Just add a pair of double sided SPD pedals and you are away.

Check sites like Chain Reaction Cycles / Planet X, etc for shoes & pedals.

As regards size - it depends! Some shoes may need to be smaller or larger than your shoe size. Best to try some out at a local shop?!?! I have found that Shimano and Diadora shoes match my shoe size. Some webstes will guide you on this matter.

And last point - remember to replace your cleats periodically - you may regret if you don't!! I now replace exposed SPD's every 12 months. Plastic Keo cleats - just inspect and decide.

Mr Plum

Great advice, cheers. I'll go and have a look at a few in some LBCs and see what feel's most comfortable. I guess it's just a matter of eventually taking the plunge and learning what suits me best the expensive way.

woodywmb

Try Parker International for good prices on shoes at the moment. Check their website and phone for your size. Next choose your pedals so that the cleats match up. Some sites show you the soles of their shoes and these pictures will give you an idea of the SPD and SPD SL options. The latter is a step up from basic SPDs with bigger cleats.

sub55

white ones

Mr Plum

Woodywmb wrote:

Try Parker International for good prices on shoes at the moment. Check their website and phone for your size. Next choose your pedals so that the cleats match up. Some sites show you the soles of their shoes and these pictures will give you an idea of the SPD and SPD SL options. The latter is a step up from basic SPDs with bigger cleats.

That's great, cheers mate. Yeah I've used Parker International before for locks and stuff - great prices. I'll definitely check them out.

How will I know if some cleats won't fit on some shoes?

woodywmb

This is where phoning beats internet ordering. Let them tell you which shoes require which cleats - that's why you should pick your shoes first and the shop will advise you about the right pedals. This is the best course of action if as you say ..."These will be the first pair of cycling shoes I will have ever bought".

You can do it the other way round if you want top of the range pedals. But I would go this route on your next purchase. Get acquainted with the system then upgrade - by that time you'll have an idea of the shoes and cleats that match up. As I said earlier, website pictures (Wiggle etc) will give you a starting point by letting you see the options and the shop will advise you accordingly. Often shoes and pedals are discounted if bought together.

A month after starting to use them you'll be an expert - in buying the stuff and pedalling with it.

Mr Plum

I've narrowed it down to what I think is ideal for me - http://www.mavic.com/en/product/footwea ... Cyclo-Tour

Anyone have any experience of the Mavic Cyclo Tour shoes? - Some sizing advice would be great as none of my LBSs stock them...

Stuey01

Mr Plum wrote:

I've narrowed it down to what I think is ideal for me - http://www.mavic.com/en/product/footwea ... Cyclo-Tour

Anyone have any experience of the Mavic Cyclo Tour shoes? - Some sizing advice would be great as none of my LBSs stock them...

They didn't get a good review in Cycling plus. Never used them myself though. They said the soul was not stiff enough, great for walking about but led to sore feet when used for extended periods on the bike. Note this type of shoe takes a two bolt cleat, like a shimano SPD or a Crank Bros egg beater, NOT a road pedal/cleat with 3 bolts like a shimano SPD SL, or a Look Keo.

If you are set on a MTB style two bolt cleat pedal and a touring shoe then I recommend (IF they fit your feet!) some of the Shimano RT series shoes, I got these a while ago for commuting. They are a touring shoe and take a two bolt recessed cleat. I like them. The ones I have look like a "proper" roadie shoe, silver, three straps etc.

Mr Plum

Stuey01 wrote:

They didn't get a good review in Cycling plus. Never used them myself though. They said the soul was not stiff enough, great for walking about but led to sore feet when used for extended periods on the bike. Note this type of shoe takes a two bolt cleat, like a shimano SPD or a Crank Bros egg beater, NOT a road pedal/cleat with 3 bolts like a shimano SPD SL, or a Look Keo.

If you are set on a MTB style two bolt cleat pedal and a touring shoe then I recommend (IF they fit your feet!) some of the Shimano RT series shoes, I got these a while ago for commuting. They are a touring shoe and take a two bolt recessed cleat. I like them. The ones I have look like a "proper" roadie shoe, silver, three straps etc.

I've had a look at the RT51 shoes and they look good - are Shimano releasing a 2011 version soon? It's just that a lot of places seem to be running stock down with discounts...

Stuey01

Mr Plum wrote:

Stuey01 wrote:

They didn't get a good review in Cycling plus. Never used them myself though. They said the soul was not stiff enough, great for walking about but led to sore feet when used for extended periods on the bike. Note this type of shoe takes a two bolt cleat, like a shimano SPD or a Crank Bros egg beater, NOT a road pedal/cleat with 3 bolts like a shimano SPD SL, or a Look Keo.

If you are set on a MTB style two bolt cleat pedal and a touring shoe then I recommend (IF they fit your feet!) some of the Shimano RT series shoes, I got these a while ago for commuting. They are a touring shoe and take a two bolt recessed cleat. I like them. The ones I have look like a "proper" roadie shoe, silver, three straps etc.

I've had a look at the RT51 shoes and they look good - are Shimano releasing a 2011 version soon? It's just that a lot of places seem to be running stock down with discounts...

Yeah, they have a new range for 2011, it was announced on here with preview pictures of the shoes, I tried to find the article to post a link here for you but no joy.
Anyway, if you can get your size then I'd grab a bargain with the reduced 2010 stock.
I've got the RT81s, I had to go up a size than usual (eu44 instead of eu43).

Remember with these shoes you need MTB style pedals, Shimano M520's or crank bros egg beaters or something.

garrynolan

I went clipless a while ago and got these... Shimano M086 shoes - nice colour and good fit and easy to walk in. Pedals are Shimano M540 Clipless SPD's, double sided and very reliable. Got mine from CRC and not expensive. I'm sure others would have them. One thing though, I've small feet (38/39) but had to go to a 40 - big boys size - in these. Good luck.

Dunkeldog

Earlier this year I splashed out £200 on a pair of Specialized S-Works shoes. Lovely they were and light as a feather. Trouble was my feet still ached and toes went numb on rides longer than an hour and a half. I had a bike fit early August and as part I was fitted for new custom made foot beds. Out went the Specialized footbeds - which had promised all manner of scientifically proven magic - and in went the customs. Rode a 100km route last Sunday and, without exaggerating too much, it was like riding in slippers. The difference for me is in the footbeds, not the shoe as a whole. I'll never buy a pair from the shelf again without chucking out the footbeds and putting my own in. Magic.

furrag

Where did you get the custom footbeds and how much did they cost?

ride_whenever

No issues with my sidi's, the adjustment on the heel makes a huge difference.

Modular soles are incredibly useful too.

SteK

+1 for Sidis

I've had my cheap (for Sidis) pair for around 4 years and they're still looking, smelling and feeling great. They've been through icy winter cold, french summer heat and a couple of crashes. I get the impression they're designed around our continental cousins with their narrow feet though, so might be worth a trip to Clarks and a go on one of their magic foot measuring devices before you commit

Sidis (mine at least) are cut to take either 2-bolt or 3-bolt cleats so you could, (like I did), start with some double sided Shimano pedals then, if you ever fancy it, move onto something like the guys here have mentioned, Look Keos for example.

The size of the Keo cleat is substantially bigger than the cleat (and therefore contact surface area) of a double sided mtb/road type pedal - I prefer the way that feels, maybe a personal choice thing but seems to work for a lot of people.

Good luck. I love my road shoes, I'd wear them everywhere if I didn't think I'll fall over all the time

dombo6

Dunkeldog wrote:

Earlier this year I splashed out £200 on a pair of Specialized S-Works shoes. Lovely they were and light as a feather. Trouble was my feet still ached and toes went numb on rides longer than an hour and a half. I had a bike fit early August and as part I was fitted for new custom made foot beds. Out went the Specialized footbeds - which had promised all manner of scientifically proven magic - and in went the customs. Rode a 100km route last Sunday and, without exaggerating too much, it was like riding in slippers. The difference for me is in the footbeds, not the shoe as a whole. I'll never buy a pair from the shelf again without chucking out the footbeds and putting my own in. Magic.

Strange, as I found the complete opposite. Went for a bikefit and was persuaded to get custom footbeds to replace the Specialized BG ones (I had the blue Medium ones). These had given me no troube on Dragon Rides, Etape etc. Custom ones gave me horrendous hotfoot. So much so that I could only complete longer rides with copious quantities of paracetomol and ibuprofen. Needless to say I have gone back to the BGs