Best kind of shoe???

irvs

What's a better clip in shoe, skate board style shoe with the cleat in the sole or a road bike style shoe with thick treads like a football boot??? I've been looking to get a pair but don't know what's best to go for.

Thanks Neil

cooldad

Road shoes don't have thick studded soles, normally very thin hard soles with sticky out cleats.

cooldad

If you want to be able to walk - SPD's

mb london

5 10's are all the shoes you will ever need and they look much cooler than you clip in jobs

danlikesbikes

There is no right answer I'm afraid but 2 answers as each shoe has its plus points and its down sides and guess it depends on the type of riding you do, what you want from the shoes and the look your going for.

Skate shoes - most def a fashion statement, great to wear down the pub as easy to walk in due to cleat being below the base of the shoe, plus lots of riders like them as you can often still pedal easily if not properly clipped in.

Road shoes - due to the strength of the shoe and low flex of the base plate you get brilliant power transfer to the pedals, tend to last a lifetime (well maybe not that long) as tend to be made from leather, plastic, rubber and carbon fibre (unlike the skate shoe which typically have a canvas top and rubber sole so easily dirtied and will eventually wear out) parts are pretty easy to buy and replace such as the walking parts toe/heel grips. Downside is if you do walk in them you look like you just did a poo in your shorts and your cleats can wear out faster.

irvs

Down to personal Preferance then really! Cheers for the help.

Neil.

felix.london

Irvs wrote:

What's a better clip in shoe, skate board style shoe with the cleat in the sole or a road bike style shoe with thick treads like a football boot??? I've been looking to get a pair but don't know what's best to go for.

Thanks Neil

You what?? What about a mountain bike shoe?

irvs

Sorry I suck at explaining these things
I see the shoe designs "similar" to road bike shoes but have tread on the sole. And then there's the skate shoe design. I'm wondering which would be best and why???

Thanks Neil

stubs

Make sure whatever you buy fits properly. I tried to get used to a pair of Shimano shoes that were a touch too narrow because they were a bargain and what could go wrong anyway. Not nice taking your shoe off and seeing a bloody sock, especially when it was still about an hours ride to base.

felix.london

Irvs wrote:

Sorry I suck at explaining these things
I see the shoe designs "similar" to road bike shoes but have tread on the sole. And then there's the skate shoe design. I'm wondering which would be best and why???

Thanks Neil

Yeah but what I'm saying is something like this doesn't look like a skate shoe or a road shoe - and in my opinion is the best type of SPD mountain biking shoe;

felix.london

...btw - I don't have those shoes I have Specialized Tahoe's which are good too;

bails87

Felix....they look a bit...."special".

felix.london

f.off

irvs

Cheers for the info I kinda like the look of those specialised mtb shoes, would mtb shoes be hard wearing and be grippy enough for those times the hill is just too steep and you have to push the bike up???

Thanks neil

snoopsmydogg

if your looking for grip then mtb shoe is going to be better with the studs on the bottom.

I currently use shimano dx spd (similar to skate shoe) but if it gets slippy there are no studs to help you dig in. The same would go for a skate shoe.

njee20

Racey style shoes will fit better (generally have velcro or ratchets rather than laces), be lighter, stiffer and better for pedalling. They'll usually have toe studs for walking on soft ground and fairly aggressive and sparse tread. They also look like cycling shoes, so if you want to be able to work in them/walk to the shops/pub surreptitiously then they're not ideal.

Trainer style ones like the above are usually (but not necessarily) more flexy, heavier, but more like a casual shoe. Same goes for skate shoes really. Both will have more tread on the sole for 'normal' use off the bike.

Personally I buy cycling shoes to cycle in, so have more 'road' style ones. S-Works MTB for me.

felix.london

Irvs wrote:

Cheers for the info I kinda like the look of those specialised mtb shoes, would mtb shoes be hard wearing and be grippy enough for those times the hill is just too steep and you have to push the bike up???

Thanks neil

That my friend is what they are for...

Thewaylander

njee20 wrote:

Racey style shoes will fit better (generally have velcro or ratchets rather than laces), be lighter, stiffer and better for pedalling. They'll usually have toe studs for walking on soft ground and fairly aggressive and sparse tread. They also look like cycling shoes, so if you want to be able to work in them/walk to the shops/pub surreptitiously then they're not ideal.

Trainer style ones like the above are usually (but not necessarily) more flexy, heavier, but more like a casual shoe. Same goes for skate shoes really. Both will have more tread on the sole for 'normal' use off the bike.

Personally I buy cycling shoes to cycle in, so have more 'road' style ones. S-Works MTB for me.

I agree before anything else, except you left out one point...

Cycle shoes normally look damn silly lol, someone with a complete lack of taste designs a good 90% of them i swear! SO i would say depensd if your racing or just loving a good blast around the woods.

Rushmore

I prefer the look of the skate shoe style..

But the "road" style as you say is the style I use... As they just work better, are lighter, stiffer and fit better for more power. The studs/aggressive tread is much better for when your out on the clag and mud as you don't look like bambi on ice every time you step off the bike...

delcol

shoes are for pussies ride barefoot.... :roll:

have to agree with the above comments, i have several pairs from road shoes to skate style ones .

skate one look better yeah, but for performance and power you cant fault the road style shoe with the stiff sole.. as for fit it depends on manufacturer all my shoe ae the same size and some fit fine and others are a little on the tight side. diadora being the worse for tight fitting... lake being the best fitting shoes i got...

irvs

Thanks loads everyone for the spot on info really helped make my mind up.

Thanks Neil