SPD shoes for walking in

djcook1

I commute to work, and I leave 'work shoes' there for Mon-Thurs when the dress code is formal.

That's all well and good, but on Fridays the dress code is casual and my DHB M1's just aren't suitable for walking around the office, or outside at lunchtime (think Bambi on ice... a very noisy one)!

So I'm looking for a pair of SPD-compatible shoes that I can walk around in without the cleats scraping on the floor. I really like the look of the Northwave Drifter GTX (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/northwave-drift ... mtb-shoes/) because of the Goretex and Vibram sole.

I've seen a few threads on here with various recommendations for shoes, but so far I haven't found much info on these ones. Is anyone using them with SPD cleats, and if so what are they like for walking in?

Mr Plum

Touring shoes generally have a rubber sole. Have a look at a few of those.

RufusA

FWIW I have the Northwave Expedition GTX shoes with SPDs which look a very similar design, just different styling.

Off cycle / Walking:

Easy to walk in with a flexible sole and plenty of toe space.
Reasonable clearance between SPD and pavement - just the odd click/grind on textured surfaces.
Wouldn't risk on wood / laminate flooring though!
Quite grippy, so shouldn't go A over T on wet pavements.
Can just about get away with styling as a casual shoe.
Gore-text so can splash through puddles with impunity.
Though lining does make your feet sweatier!
Hard wearing lining a lot more durable than towling ones.
Not as heavy as some SPD shoes.


Cycling:

Flexible sole is less efficient.
Toe space seems to make it harder to pull on the up-stroke.
Low cut so in heavy rain, water seeps down the side of the socks.
Rear not as reflective as it could be.
Single pull laces don't seem that robust or easy to adjust IMHO!

On the whole I like it as a commuter shoe, it suits me well, but it is a compromise that suffers from it. If the main purpose is as a Friday shoe, you would be better buying a casual shoe and keeping it under your desk!

Rufus

Drysuitdiver

shimano MT42 ( grey ones )

mouth

If for instance you were to take another pair of casual shoes to work and do the novel thing of 'leaving them there' the problem would be solved. Unless this is just a guise for wanting new bike shoes.

RufusA

The MT42's are okay, but heavy, you tend to "clomp" in them due to lack of flex in the right places. They seem to sponge up water with the smallest of provocations.

In my pair the heel lining went within weeks of buying and the foam padding was destroyed a month or two after that.

Personally I don't recommend them unless they're on special offer!

Rufus.

shouldbeinbed

Specialized Sonoma

Drysuitdiver

RufusA wrote:

The MT42's are okay, but heavy, you tend to "clomp" in them due to lack of flex in the right places. They seem to sponge up water with the smallest of provocations.

In my pair the heel lining went within weeks of buying and the foam padding was destroyed a month or two after that.

Personally I don't recommend them unless they're on special offer!

Rufus.

I walked 2 miles a day in mine for over 6 months and never had a problem. no shoe is fully waterproof unless treated . grangers spray occasionally ( and especially after they get a proper winter soaking ) and nice dry feet.

bobbygloss

What Mouth said. A 2nd pair of shoes for casual days, if you don't want to wear your smart shoes with casual trousers.

I have MT42s, they are fine for cycling (6000 miles so far) but the cleat does grind a bit when walking.
Plus my feet get sweaty in warm weather and soaked if the roads are wet, so it's nice to have dry shoes to change into at work.

Nulli

Why dont you just buy a pair of nice looking casual shoes to wear at work on your dress down day and leave them at work?

djcook1

Mouth wrote:

If for instance you were to take another pair of casual shoes to work and do the novel thing of 'leaving them there' the problem would be solved. Unless this is just a guise for wanting new bike shoes.

Ok, I admit, I didn't even consider buying casual shoes just to leave at work - novel idea indeed! You've hit the nail on the head though: I think deep down I just wanted an excuse to buy new bike stuff.

Thank you everyone for all your input - great food for thought and very much appreciated.

rolf_f

Dress down Fridays? Is your company still living in the 90s?

CakeLovinBeast

Rolf F wrote:

Dress down Fridays? Is your company still living in the 90s?

Mine too, apparently!

nickel

Wore my shimano MT22s around uni lots last year when I couldn't be bothered to change pedals around, nice and comfy to walk around in and cleats only scrape the ground occasionally.

baronsouthside

mavic alpines.

If you shop around a bit online you can get 2010 models on sale.

No cleat click

Initialised

I have MT42 as my first SPD shoes and spend my work day in them.
I sometimes get achy feet i think its my 5th metatarsal where the pain is, but I usually get this or similar when breaking in new shoes. But it could be the switch to solid soles.
The MT42 does crunch a bit on tarmac.
Not sure I'd recommend it as an all day shoe.

I use overshoes when it's wet to keep them from getting soaked and a generic deodorant to keep them fresh and suede protector spray to keep the suede from rotting/shrinking if it gets wet.

I like the look of those Mavic Alpines. Probably my next SPD. Maybe I need to stop looking after my MT42s so well...

skdotcom

I have a pair of Specialized Tahoe which I find really comfy. Managed to pick up a pair from Evans for £36 when they were on sale.