Best Flats / Best Shoes

Kiwi John

I've got a pair of Crank Brothers 50/50's with extra long threaded pins, I think they are 'ok' but have nothing to compare them to...
What do you use and recommend, and what shoes do you use with them?
Cheers people.

Anonymous

What do you want to spend?

At the moment I'm a big fan of Vaults + Five Tens. Expensive combo, but nice.

Vaults - Big, great flat platform, huge pins and plenty of then, thin and lightweight, but sturdy.

Five Tens - Grippy as hell soles. Big pins + grippy soles = excellent.

There are plenty of 'copies' (mostly of DMR stuff) which do a good job too.

Mojo_666

I use MG1s and a pair of waffle soled vans, no probs for me and it's a pretty cheap combo.

nicklouse

Slim jim patten and 5:10s

Stevo_666

Wellgo MG-1's and Five Tens work very well for me.

Kiwi John

I thought as much with the shoes, rest assured a pair of FiveTens are on the very top of my Chrimbo list..

1mancity2

I used MG-1 but swapped to Nanos, larger platform, thinner so if you use 5:10 Karvers which are bulky they are a perfect combo.

DodgeT

Nano's and 5 10 freeriders, all the grip you need. Also got 5 10 chase which work great, just can't bear myself to get them filthy just yet

daverice

Fatties Flatties in Black with Gold Pins. Plus 2xpairs Duffs from TK Max. Go ride and forget about it for 12 months.

styxd

Plus 2xpairs Duffs from TK Max

Cheap skate shoes are most preferable I'd say. 5:10's are horrid, really thick, heavy and clumpy. Dificult to feel the pedal through them, plus they take an age to dry out and are really expensive.

Superstar Nano pedals are decent.

Long_Time_Lurker

styxd wrote:

Cheap skate shoes are most preferable I'd say. 5:10's are horrid, really thick, heavy and clumpy. Dificult to feel the pedal through them, plus they take an age to dry out and are really expensive.
Superstar Nano pedals are decent.

We will have to agree to disagree. Cheap skate shoes have too much flex in the sole and wear out quickly if you use large pins. Cycle-specific shoes (i use Shimnao AM40s), have a stiffer sole so that it is easier to get the power down.
I'm using Felt flats (can't remember the name), and they seem to have some of the largest pins known to man.
They destroyed my DCs and that was just on a few 10 minute rides to the local shops.

But granted - cycle-specific shoes are expensive. I bought 3 pairs of AM40s in the sales as they were being replaced by the AM41 model.

DodgeT

styxd wrote:

Cheap skate shoes are most preferable I'd say. 5:10's are horrid, really thick, heavy and clumpy. Dificult to feel the pedal through them, plus they take an age to dry out and are really expensive.

Superstar Nano pedals are decent.

There are different versions of 5 10's.

I started off with impacts, got rid of them as they were too bulky. The grip was great, perhaps not so much feel as softer shoes, but hey, with 10mm pins I don't want them too soft.
Then got some freeriders, same grip as impacts, bit more flexible, lighter, love them.
Also got some chase, nearly as grippy as the others - still very very good, and a lot smaller / lightweight shoe. All of them offer good protection to the toes, heels too.

As for drying out, from soaking wet to dry is usually 1 or 2 days, just stick some newspaper in for the first few hours, then hang above radiator, job done.

Raymondavalon

I like the simple things, DMR V8's with Shimano SH-MT91 shoes as I prefer a shoe that covers my ankles due to having a lot of scar tissue on my right ankle.

Anonymous

The bulky clumpy and not very stylish Five Ten Impact are just that if you're walking in them, but you're supposed to ride with them not walk

I don't notice when riding. Stiff rather than flexible sole helps give a solid position on a flat pedal and never had a problem feeling the pedal.

However the freeride version I heard has problems with the sole coming off or something like that.

Expensive? Can be had for £60 (for the standard Impact Low). Average price for decent shoes. Can pay twice that on fancy branded trainers that will fall apart within a few weeks.

They do take ages to dry if properly soaked though, but a number of tricks you can use to dry them out quicker. Can also avoid riding through deep pools as it's only a problem if water gets over the top. Normal wet & mud they're fine.

1mancity2

Like DeadKenny says, I bought my Karver for £70 nearly 2 years ago and they are only just starting to show signs of constant abuse, and the added protection you get from a shoe like the "Karver" is well worth the money, thick padding around the ankle, lots of side protection, toe and heel also, they may be bulky and take ages to dry but worth it imo.

Riding in normal trainers especially if your being aggressive is not a good idea (imo).

nwmlarge

i got some fila high tops from sport n soccer for a score and they are grippy as you like on my dmr v8's

1mancity2

nwmlarge wrote:

i got some fila high tops from sport n soccer for a score and they are grippy as you like on my dmr v8's

But will they look like this after nearly 2 years?

delcol

pedals is hard to say cause different ppl will have their own opinions.. i use superstar nanos they cheapish and decent. i got some tioga (cant remember the model) they have been amazing. amd some cheap £20 dmr one they to have been hammered and still going strong....
as for shoes i tried vans yeah they quite grippy but for me the soles are'nt stiff enough and you get to much feedback through your feet.... i prefare 5/10 i had my karver nearly 3 years and they still going strong..
yeah they soak up water like a sponge yeah they expensive... but imo they the best....
although i aint tried the shimano am ones i think i might give them a go next....

Russ-Tyson

I have used 5 10's and dmr v8's for the last 18 months,no problems with the shoes very grippy but the pedals have needed servicing a few times.

Anonymous

1mancity2 wrote:

Riding in normal trainers especially if your being aggressive is not a good idea (imo).

After a trip to A&E with a mashed up toe, the trainers went in the bin and Five Tens replaced them.

styxd

I don't notice when riding. Stiff rather than flexible sole helps give a solid position on a flat pedal and never had a problem feeling the pedal.

I guess if they work for you then they'd be awesome. They are really grippy.

I started off riding bmx before mtb, and Im used to having a bit of flex in the shoes and being able to reposition my foot easily if needs be. If you want to move your foot with 5Tens, you have to actually lift it off the pedal. Shite IMO, if I wanted to be that attached to my bike then I'd just use my SPD's

Northwind

Best flat shoe I've used was the AM40... Tunable sole stiffness, well judged levels of grip, reasonably water resistant, and hard wearing. But the AM41 doesn't have the relpacable sole insert, and looks bloody stupid, so not quite as good an option

Anyone tried the Teva Links? I was going to get a set but found another pair of AM40s first. It'd be pretty hard to go back to Five Tens after having the Shimanos.

andymc06

+1 for the Superstar Nano's with Five Tens (Impact Lows in my case). They did weigh an extra couple of pounds after a wet day round Afan however the grip, solid platform and protection are well worth it. As mentioned you don't notice you've got them on whilst riding. Just upgraded from DMR V8's to the Nanos. No hesitation in recommending them.

delcol

northwind
i got a pair of teva links... i never rode in them though.. got them free when i was in whistler off a friend.. (he had 3 pairs he got free off teva at crankworks..

word on the street (well trails) in whistler was the teva links are good but no were near as grippy as 5/10s..

Northwind

Aye, I've heard that but tbh I don't really understand why anyone wants a shoe as grippy as a Five Ten, as far as I was concerned it was never an advantage but sometimes a hindrance. Mileage may vary o'course

1mancity2

When I did my course up at Gizzy, The Bearded one (Ed Oxley) had some teva's on, it pi**ed down the first day, so he said they dry pretty quick, sole was a bit stiff at first but good after a few rides and the grip was sufficient and they feel comfy.

delcol

from wearing them out and about (walking) they are very comfy they kinda water resistant they repel the water to an extent(it beads like on goretex ect)
the lads at bearback jamie toby and paul and a fellow guest wes who were riding in them did rate them. but the most common comment was not as gripy as 5/10.... i guess pedal and shoe grip is a personal thing.. i am happy with the amount of grip on 5/10 ... sometimes if it is a little to much ie when you need to do a minor foot adjustment.. if i can bring myself to dirty my nice new shiney tevas i will try riding in them... :oops:

andermt

Pedals, I have a set of Truvative Hasselsomething or other (can't remember the name).

Shoes I used to wear a pair of Vans XLT something, quite stiff on the sole (much more than std vans) and very grippy, and although not water resistant they did pretty well.
Replaced them with a set of Vans Gravel which are apparantly their proper mountain bike shoes. I don't think they are quite as grippy as the XLT's but very close and are stiff soled and waterproof, and cheaper then 510's.

1340jas

I was set to buy a pair of Shimano AM41s. However on forced shopping trip with the wife, I managed to slip into Gooutdoors for a few minutes. They were selling Karrimor Bodmin II boots for £24. As they are waterproof, have a good sole and footbed I thought I'd get them for the winter. I used them on Sunday at Cwmcarn and a few local trails. They were great. They gripped my Kona WahWahs really well and kept my feet warm and dry.
I don't see too many people wearing boots but I'm well set for the winter.

hotnajers

Just come back from my first ride with flats went out with an open mind and it it turned out brilliant went up a steep fire road and the more I dug in the more they gripped was surprised after being clipped in for years.
they are Wellgo B18 the shoes are dhb with the cleats removed.

P-Jay

Anyone tried Teva shoes?

I've had a couple of pairs of 5.10's now, they're great and that, but they have two 'failings' I don't like, they're really wide, so coupled with wide feet means that even if I've got my feet flush with the pedal arm they start 'rolling' off the side of the pedal once the soles are less than boxfresh and once that happened I end up tearing the soles - because instead of a normal dap they're made up of a sheet of supersoft rubber streched over a foam base rather than a sole made up of the stuff.

Looking at Leva Links (from Santa) for a change, not seen many about (not that I spend much time looking at peoples feet) but they were really popular in Can.