What cheap shoes for Flats?

swiftyx2

Folks,

Need to swap to flats due to wrist injury and fancy giving them a try anyway.
Been a ex roadie I am used to stff soles and been clipped in, so this is going to feel strange all-round,!!!!!!. Lol.

So my question is " does anyone use some of the skate type trainers" and are the soles stiff enough and sticky enough for flats?.
Been told Airwalk,Vans type things, please no multi coloured trendy types as I am wrong side of 40.

Thanks

steve

cavegiant

Stiff soles are unimportant with flats as the pedal supports your foot.
What you want are thin soles, and big thin pedals.

The thinner your soles, the thinner the pedals the closer you are to the centre of rotation.
This is very important for flats as it keeps your foot on the pedal.

A pair of superstar Nano pedals are 17mm thick (or thin I should say).
The shoes with the best traction are made by 5.10. Their cheapest (and gripiest) shoes is the basic.

Basics wear quite fast, so if you are hard on equipment you might want to pay a bit more for freerider. The impact is their DH shoe, avoid.

5.10 is not the cheapest, but they have special rubber (they are a climbing shoe manufacturer) that give you unending grip. Worth the investment (especially as your aim is to avoid further injury.

So Superstar nano, and 5.10 basic.

fuelex

Cheap skate shoes from t k maxx, about £15

Anonymous

Swiftyx2 wrote:

So my question is " does anyone use some of the skate type trainers" and are the soles stiff enough and sticky enough for flats?.
Been told Airwalk,Vans type things, please no multi coloured trendy types as I am wrong side of 40.

Yep, been using Vans for years, since I ditched SPDs. Recently bought a cheap pair of Airwalk, and they're not as good - sole is just too soft, causing some ache in the foot.
Just make sure they have the waffle tread pattern. Like these.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vans-weathrpack ... 4&sr=1-107

5:10s are the specialist shoe though, if you're looking for something single-purpose. I prefer just having a normal pair of shoes on. And besides, Vans are so tough that they never really die, I've just got a mountain of old smelly ones in the garage which are relegated to biking duty when they're to manky for anything else.

Muttly1981

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Swiftyx2 wrote:

So my question is " does anyone use some of the skate type trainers" and are the soles stiff enough and sticky enough for flats?.
Been told Airwalk,Vans type things, please no multi coloured trendy types as I am wrong side of 40.

Yep, been using Vans for years, since I ditched SPDs. Recently bought a cheap pair of Airwalk, and they're not as good - sole is just too soft, causing some ache in the foot.
Just make sure they have the waffle tread pattern. Like these.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vans-weathrpack ... 4&sr=1-107

5:10s are the specialist shoe though, if you're looking for something single-purpose. I prefer just having a normal pair of shoes on. And besides, Vans are so tough that they never really die, I've just got a mountain of old smelly ones in the garage which are relegated to biking duty when they're to manky for anything else.

I use Vans as day trainers aswell then move over to the bike once they start to get a little battered although it does help having a Vans outlet store a 30-40 minute drive from my home which is also on route to Llandegla.

Anonymous

Ah, Cheshire oaks by any chance? I get mine from town.

swiftyx2

Gents,

Thanks for the info, big help.
Going to track down some Vans then as they will do the job and are not going to brake the bank.
As this will be first time I have used flats especially with spike/studs sticking up!,
Have you got any tips for using them and set up ( pin height).
Are there any big changes I can expect from swapping from SPD apart from the obvious?.

Thanks again.
Steve.



Yeha, how's the "Marin"?, loving my new "Attack Trail" even after busting wrist on it!!,lol.

piker

http://www.tkmaxx.com/skate/chunky-whit ... /28080082/

I got these recently,mine are plain without the big lettering down the side.The difference between them and the walking shoes i was using before is like chalk and cheese.

The Rookie

My Daughter (who has had 2 foot operations involving pinning bones) swears by her Airwalks as giving good support with good feel (and no foot pain), both pairs costs sub £20 each from TK Maxx.

Simon

Anonymous

Swiftyx2 wrote:

Are there any big changes I can expect from swapping from SPD apart from the obvious?.

Yeha, how's the "Marin"?, loving my new "Attack Trail" even after busting wrist on it!!,lol.

No real changes as such. But of course, you're relying on your own technique to keep your feet on the pedals, rather than SPD cleats.
From a recent thread on this forum, it also appears that a lot of flat riders have their pedal centrally on their shoes for technical stuff. Although it's not "right", nor "wrong", it seems to be the common practice, either as a conscious decision, or without thinking about it.

There will be a slightly more "squidgy" feel between the pedal and the shoe, since they're just normal soles. You can use the squidginess to slightly curl your foot around the pedal to pick up the back end for bunnyhops, or to save a jump that's going pear-shaped!

I'm still loving the Marin. It's evolved into that year's Attack trail, basically, with the addition of the 36s on the front (although the Attack Trail had a tapered head tube in 2009, I think). Great bike. Climbs well, but descends like an absolute demon, and eats rough terrain for breakfast.

R0B75

I bought some of these last week. The specific sole pattern is perfect for flats and after using them this week in the wet they were great. The pins stick in the holes in the tread pattern = no slippage.

Northwind

Trouble with skate shoes is, you can't really tell what they'll feel like on the bike til you try... My old Vans are great but they're very, very flexible and thin, which I like but some folks would hate- I can feel the shape of the pedal through the soles and with the wrong pedal they're not nice at all. Some shoes that look grippy turn out to be useless, and sometimes the other way round too.

If you go with Vans, get one with as much waffle as possible where the pedal goes. This'll make more sense once you've seen the shoes, some have big flat areas or moulded logos right where you'll stand which will affect the grip. The absolute best Vans sole is the old dot sole but they don't make those any more I think

swiftyx2

Folks,
One more question?????.
Don't you feel the pins through the soles of the skate shoes if they are that " Thin "?.
The pedals I will be using will be mg-1s.

Steve

R0B75

No, they aren't thin as such so you won't feel the pins, at least I don't with mine and the pins are nasty on my pedals! Cuts my shins to peices last night falling off on a failed jump.

Northwind

I can feel where the pins are on some of my pedals with my Vans... But not as a spike, just as a vague high point. But like I say, they're exceptionally flexy.

Northwind

I can feel where the pins are on some of my pedals with my Vans... But not as a spike, just as a vague high point. But like I say, they're exceptionally flexy.

Sikora

piker wrote:

http://www.tkmaxx.com/skate/chunky-white-trainers/invt/28080082/

I got these recently,mine are plain without the big lettering down the side.The difference between them and the walking shoes i was using before is like chalk and cheese.

Interesting. I currently use Vans for riding in but obviously they offer absolutely no protection from puddles. One splash early on and its wet feet for the entire ride.

Had thought about picking up a cheap pair of waterproof Karrimor walking shoes from sports direct to try

Northwind

Vans come in all different sorts remember, mine are about as weather resistant as my 5 10s. OK, that's not saying a lot! But there are other Vans that are really heavily vented, like the older cabs, which had big mesh panels and would be grim on a bike in anything but a desert I reckon.

Walking shoes are often just useless, the soles can be designed to dig in so you end up with pretty small contact areas with the pedals, mine are just awful.

piker

Sikora wrote:

piker wrote:

http://www.tkmaxx.com/skate/chunky-white-trainers/invt/28080082/

I got these recently,mine are plain without the big lettering down the side.The difference between them and the walking shoes i was using before is like chalk and cheese.

Interesting. I currently use Vans for riding in but obviously they offer absolutely no protection from puddles. One splash early on and its wet feet for the entire ride.

Had thought about picking up a cheap pair of waterproof Karrimor walking shoes from sports direct to try

Just imagine the water/weather resistance of a walking boot with a 5:10 type sole,best of both worlds.I can see a gap in the market.

Northwind

Aye, definately... The Shimanos have pretty decent bad weather manners but still not a patch on a proper winter shoe. And 5 10 seem to be one of those bike companies that doesn't really believe in all weather riding... But they'd be the ones to do it I reckon since they do some great bad-conditions shoes for other sports.

Anonymous

you know, my snowboarding boots have fairly flat-ish soft soles. I wonder if they'd work for extreme conditions mtbing

Northwind

Maybe I can get my wellies Stealth'd.

drummondjhn

sports direct air walk £12

DodgeT

I recently bought some of these http://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-mount-low-mens-183299?colcode=18329990 as I wanted something grippy when off the bike too (for pushing up the hills....)
They are pretty good on the pedal, although a flatter sole would be better, but then i'd lose the grip on the pushing..
Those £12 airwalks seem like a good "summer" option, then back to the karrimors for the wet (that'll be all year then )

Anonymous

Don't bother with the airwalks. I bought a cheap pair and the soles are way too soft. My feet are killing me within 20 minutes of setting off. Not a problem on the stiffer vans.

Cferg

I use this DC trainer when I'm not using SPD's and I have to say it sticks to the pedal very well, often on previous pedals and shoes I could 'manoeuvre' my foot while my weight was on the pedal but with these the soles just seem to stick to the pins.

DodgeT

Off to TK maxx and Sports direct in a bit, so will have a scout about..