MTB Shoes which is the best & essential equipment

mgfredy10

Hi everyone
This is my first post having just joined the forum I am awaiting delivery of my new bike which is going to take 7 weeks so whilst i wait i need to get some equipment:-

1. I just purchased a pair of Time TIME ATAC CARBON XS PEDALS and am trying to match up some suitable mtb shoes. I was tempted to buy a pair for winter and one for summer however I think I am in between seasons now. I do not want to pay for winter ones which I will need to be changing in a couple of weeks. Budget not so important as I want to buy good quality preferably water proof shoes with velcro not laces. I do a mixture of trail and single track. I also have very small feet i.e. 6.5 so difficult to find anything that small thanks in advance for your help.

2. Also what equipment do you guys think is essential when on a trail - and advise on what to get

Thanks in advance for all your help

J

chrisw333

Theres' a few threads about essential trail equipment, for me it would be the following

c 10-12 litre rucksack - eg Camelback mule
Water cage and bottle (or bladder in rucksack)
spare tube
puncture repair kit (eg parks glueless patches)
small pump (eg top peak mountain morph)
tyre leavers
multi tool (with chain break tool or seperate chain break tool)
quick link (a spare quick release link to repair a broken chain - you don't realise you need this until you break your chain in the middle of nowhere)

for longer trips I also like to carry a spare mech hanger just in case, spare break pads and a mini set of pliers.

Some emergency food - museli bars / energy gels etc.

chrisw333

oh, and if you mean essential in terms of clothing

Helmet
Padded shorts (wear under baggies) - Endura Humvees are great - baggy shorts with padded liner
Gloves (I like Endura full monty)
Woolly Boolies (ok, so I get cold feet!)

the rest depends on budget - the Aldi range is good at the budget end (as is Decathlon), Endura and Gore at the premium end.

njee20

S-Works shoes are fantastic. Not waterproof, but you don't really want that in summer - you'll get very sweaty feet.

mgfredy10

thanks for these replies when i mentioned budget was not a problem i think the s works may be a bit out of my price range the bikes cost me enough!! Your input and advise very much appreciated

coulddobetter

Have used both shimano and mavic shoes . Really like the mavic . Good fit and excellent grip for those get off and push moments. Mavic use velcro fastening and a ratchet buckle.

In addition to above a basic first aid kit is a good idea. Also a light . Always carry phone just in case .

AlShack

Seal Skinz waterproof socks in this weather!

The Rookie

Yup, one pair of shoes and appropriate socks for the weather, Army surplus waterproof socks aren't quite as good as sealskinz but much cheaper!

My first shoes were Spesh tahoe, very nice, I now have Shimano (sale at Decathlon), just as good, chunkier but less waterproof.

The secret rider

Ihear the best mtb shoes for flat are 5,10's ?

KevChallis

The secret rider wrote:

Ihear the best mtb shoes for flat are 5,10's ?

damned right!!!! I love my 5,10s, the stealth rubber is brilliant!!

Angus Young

KevChallis wrote:

The secret rider wrote:

Ihear the best mtb shoes for flat are 5,10's ?

damned right!!!! I love my 5,10s, the stealth rubber is brilliant!!

Such a shame they have such godawful styling.

ej2320

Angus Young wrote:

KevChallis wrote:

The secret rider wrote:

Ihear the best mtb shoes for flat are 5,10's ?

damned right!!!! I love my 5,10s, the stealth rubber is brilliant!!

Such a shame they have such godawful styling.

Got some teva links for £38
I think they're pretty good and are more waterproof and stylish than the 5.10, and ridiculously comfy

mgfredy10

Thanks everyone for their time in replying plenty of room for thought any suggestions on a decent helmet

jimothy78

ej2320 wrote:

Angus Young wrote:

KevChallis wrote:

I love my 5,10s...

Such a shame they have such godawful styling.

Got some teva links for £38
I think they're pretty good and are more waterproof and stylish than the 5.10, and ridiculously comfy

Still too "wanabe skaterboy" for me. I wish someone would make a mountainbike shoe that looks like something you should actually be wearing in the woods/hills/mountains....

Angus Young

jimothy78 wrote:

a mountainbike shoe that looks like something you should actually be wearing in the woods/hills/mountains....

Thais it, right there. That's the issue.

KevChallis

Angus Young wrote:

jimothy78 wrote:

a mountainbike shoe that looks like something you should actually be wearing in the woods/hills/mountains....

Thais it, right there. That's the issue.

I'm only 28, I like the look of my five tens lol, I like the. Anyway, I have five ten climbing shoes too Lol

Kowalski675

ej2320 wrote:

Angus Young wrote:

KevChallis wrote:

The secret rider wrote:

Ihear the best mtb shoes for flat are 5,10's ?

damned right!!!! I love my 5,10s, the stealth rubber is brilliant!!

Such a shame they have such godawful styling.

Got some teva links for £38
I think they're pretty good and are more waterproof and stylish than the 5.10, and ridiculously comfy

I got Teva Links Mids in black half price for £45 - bargain.

mgfredy10

hi everyone heres my list so far
shoes - shimano mo88 (not expensive but seems to be a good beginner shoe) i have wide feet so seem ideal
Time atac carbo xc carbon pedals
Shorts - Endura humvees - i have short legs so not sure how long these are any pointers would be appreciated
Endua gloves full monty - any suggestions on a pair of summer gloves

Any other suggestions or advise on the above?

apart from maintenance bits I guess I need helmet - I have a big head and sweat quite a bit so need a lot of ventilation any suggestions?

Also any advise on good internet shops as I do not have a decent shops near by

If I have missed anything of let me know

Thank you in advance for your help

cheers

njee20

Spesh BG Gel or BG Ridge long finger are nice summer gloves. Not too hot.

Angus Young

mgfredy10 wrote:

apart from maintenance bits I guess I need helmet - I have a big head and sweat quite a bit so need a lot of ventilation any suggestions?

This...

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -12-45821/

Bought one for my other half and, despite it being half the price of my 661 Recon lid, it's the one I reach for every time if she's not riding with me. Very comfortable and very well ventilated. And you can find it for much chapter than the price stated there if you root around on ebay.

DirtyHand

I got a pair of teva links lunar for the ridiculous sum of £28!! Comfy, just a shame teva have stopped making the mountain bike shoes...

mgfredy10

Thanks for the advise on the helmet can get this for £35.00 on ebay bargain but do I want to buy a helmet that is so cheap when its job is to protect your head why is so cheap compared to others. Do other helmets offer better protection?

Angus Young

mgfredy10 wrote:

Thanks for the advise on the helmet can get this for £35.00 on ebay bargain but do I want to buy a helmet that is so cheap when its job is to protect your head why is so cheap compared to others. Do other helmets offer better protection?

They all have to pass a standards test and it looks no less protective than my double the cost 661 helmet. As I said, with both to choose from, this is the one I pick up every time I ride.

mgfredy10

I have ordered one thanks for the advise lets hope it fits!!!

ej2320

DirtyHand wrote:

I got a pair of teva links lunar for the ridiculous sum of £28!! Comfy, just a shame teva have stopped making the mountain bike shoes...

Was it the one on ebay?

I was gonna buy it but it wasn't my size

mgfredy10

Ok based on u guys advise have purchased helmet gloves shoes tools and essentials as recommended. Only problem is shorts the endura humvee great shorts everything in needed but four inches too long came way over knees so totally impracticable damm my shor legs.

Love the idea of the shorts pockets great with removalable inners does anyone know of similar design but shorter can't be the only short mountain bike rider

Any suggestions and thanks for everyone's help so far

trigger118

In terms of shorts I have some Altura Mayhems (couple of years old, haven't seen the newer models) and they come with a padded undershort and aren't particularly long. IIRC then you could get them in a couple of different lengths too (shorts and 3/4 lengths).

Might be worth a look anyway!

mgfredy10

Thanks for that looked at these Altura Ascent Baggy MTB Shorts they seem to be shorter any one used these and or any alternative need to be short but baggy. Helmet arrived today value for money spot on (thanks for recommendation) last time I wore one they had foam pads velcroed in how things have changed

DirtyHand

ej2320 wrote:

DirtyHand wrote:

I got a pair of teva links lunar for the ridiculous sum of £28!! Comfy, just a shame teva have stopped making the mountain bike shoes...

Was it the one on ebay?

I was gonna buy it but it wasn't my size

yes they were!! Thinking I should have bought a few now though!! :roll:

rockmonkeysc

Angus Young wrote:

KevChallis wrote:

The secret rider wrote:

Ihear the best mtb shoes for flat are 5,10's ?

damned right!!!! I love my 5,10s, the stealth rubber is brilliant!!

Such a shame they have such godawful styling.

The styling isn't their worst feature. I have never had another shoe that's as absorbant as 5.10's. I wouldn't have another pair. They could get wet in Death Valley.

Angus Young

RockmonkeySC wrote:

They could get wet in Death Valley.

Lol! Yes, that seems to be a theme that runs through most reviews.