shoes for trail rides

core00

Haha I think this is my first question ever asking about shoes but what kind of shoes does everyone use when trail riding? Went for a ride yesterday with my Puma shoes which I also use for running because its light, but wanna know if anyone use a harder sole shoes to keep their feet pretty much flat on the pedal.

JBA

You're much better off with stiffer soled shoes for riding.

Have a look at the usual contenders: Five Ten, Shimano, Specialized, etc, but also look at the less 'trendy' makes such as Sombrio.

There is a short article about trail shoes HERE.

JGTR

To be honest it's whatever suits you. Many wear normal trainers, skate shoes work well or purpose made MTB shoes - I've recently moved from SPDs to FiveTen Impacts which are awesome, I loved SPDs but as I got faster found they held me back as I was worried about falling off, also far better than my skate shoes I was wearing and are extremely grippy and allow me to put a foot down if needed. SPDs are worth a look, they are good and a pair of pedals and shoes can be had for less than cost of a decent pair of MTB shoes which are quite expensive.

oxoman

Currently using some serfas mtb shoes without spd,s. Will be vetting some shimano am41,s or similar next as Fed up with small stones getting into shoe. Would also look at the above advice as well. Trainers are ok for a bit, but if putting a lot of pressure on the pedals the soles won't be stiff enough so you may end up with sore feet.

Crazyjenkins01

+1 for impacts. Got some at the same time as my nano-x pedals and haven't looked back

core00

Found myself slipping a little when pedalling uphill because of the pressure or just my placement is wrong as I tend to put the ball of my foot right on the axle (surely everyone know what I mean haha).

Yeah I think I need a harder sole to avoid bending my feet too much when pedalling. I still have my vans skate shoes haha maybe I should try that sole is harder than my Puma.

JGTR

Crazyjenkins01 wrote:

+1 for impacts. Got some at the same time as my nano-x pedals and haven't looked back

Same here, awesome combo

chrisdouglas

I use FiveTen Freeriders with DMR V12 pedals. I used to have V8 pedals and used some old Vans skate shoes which we're ok for about 4/5 rides then started to notice that I had little grip in the wet (feet always slipping and pebble-dashing my shins) and the soles of my feet were hurting with the sole being too soft.

Switched about 18 months 2 years ago and I've had no problems at all. Great grip and much much comfier!

Crazyjenkins01

They are great aren't they JG. The difference has been amazing. Although the impacts are kinda heavy but I like the feeling of support

core00

Crazyjenkins01 wrote:

They are great aren't they JG. The difference has been amazing. Although the impacts are kinda heavy but I like the feeling of support

went on my old flat vans feels much better than my Puma running shoes. Will probably visit Evans and Go Outdoors this weekend but really want to try the bike at Swinley Forest aha. Checked nano-x pedals on super.. something site and they're doing 25% off deals for this month.

Crazyjenkins01

Yeah so much better than the running shoes that i used before! Superstar components, and 25% off is a steal!

RichardSmart

Harder shoes not only keep your feet on the pedal - they are more efficient, too. If you really want the best, most efficient interface between you and your bike, I'd recommend maybe trying out SPD/clipless pedals. That way, more of your effort will be expended moving you forward, plus you have the added advantage of adding energy to your cranks on the upstroke as well as when you're pushing down on the pedals. They are very simple to fit and use, just as long as you don't forget you're wearing them and end up face-down in the bushes somewhere (I wouldn't worry about that too much, it soon becomes second nature to unclip whenever you come to a stop)...

RichardSmart

core00 wrote:

Crazyjenkins01 wrote:

They are great aren't they JG. The difference has been amazing. Although the impacts are kinda heavy but I like the feeling of support

went on my old flat vans feels much better than my Puma running shoes. Will probably visit Evans and Go Outdoors this weekend but really want to try the bike at Swinley Forest aha. Checked nano-x pedals on super.. something site and they're doing 25% off deals for this month.

I wouldn't really want to cycle in running shoes if I could help it - the shock absorbing nature of the soles means that they aren't terribly efficient - have you thought about maybe trying out clipless (SPD/Egg-Beater) pedals and shoes? Being able to pull up on the pedals as well as push down means that they are more efficient - if you don't like the idea of being physically attached to your bike, in case something goes wrong, you maybe won't be too keen to try them, but you do soon get used to clipping in and out without having to think about it at all...

kickaxe

Are you some kind of bad salesman?!

lostboysaint

JGTR wrote:

I loved SPDs but as I got faster found they held me back as I was worried about falling off,

It wasn't the SPDs that were holding you back, it was the worrying about falling off! Always good to have something to blame though.......

To the OP, most of what needs to be said has been covered. Bike shoes tend to have a stiffer sole and grippier rubber so well worth spending a little more than a skate shoe type solution. If you can find Shimano AM41 (flat pedal) or AM45 (clipless) in your size then buy them (no-one seems to know if the replacements are any good, but those two are simply excellent) as they have excellent weather protection, stiff sole, grip, comfort etc.

JGTR

It wasn't the SPDs that were holding you back, it was the worrying about falling off!

Yes that was the point that I was making. Being able to put my foot down and avoid crashes gives me more confidence. Don't get me wrong, SPDs are great and I've used them right from the beginning as I was originally a roadie, but the MTB specific flat shoes and pedals that are available now are extremely good for trail riding and preferable to SPDs for me.....I tried skate shoes but no where as good as proper MTB shoes.

lostboysaint

SPDs or, even better, Crank Brothers Mallets have such an easy release that it isn't a problem anyway. And if you're dabbing that often to avoid crashes it's got nothing to do with pedals and everything to do with technique.

JGTR

Yes my technique is shite - I'm not a great rider.......don't really care as I enjoy myself loads!

RockmonkeySC

I wouldn't use five tens again. They're hopeless in British (wet) weather. They're like sponges and take forever to dry.
Shimano AM41'S are the only flat shoe I'd use unless I moved to Arizona.
Well worth changing to SPD's though. So much better for technical riding. Your feet are always in the right place on the pedal. You can pedal over rougher ground. Crashing in them isn't a problem, you'll just come out of the clips instantly, you won't stay attached. If you need to put a foot down, it's no problem, after a couple rides it will just happen without even thinking about it.

Ross Gardner

RockmonkeySC wrote:

I wouldn't use five tens again. They're hopeless in British (wet) weather. They're like sponges and take forever to dry.
Shimano AM41'S are the only flat shoe I'd use unless I moved to Arizona.
Well worth changing to SPD's though. So much better for technical riding. Your feet are always in the right place on the pedal. You can pedal over rougher ground. Crashing in them isn't a problem, you'll just come out of the clips instantly, you won't stay attached. If you need to put a foot down, it's no problem, after a couple rides it will just happen without even thinking about it.

+1 on the Five Ten Freerider Contacts so far (for dry weather I guess).

I got these based on reviews online, and no one posted anything else in the topic I made (except a very similar shoe by Adidas). So I got these shoes.

Had a look around, and apparently Sombrio Shazam FS Shoes are a decent wet weather shoe.

Gibbo3771

Crazyjenkins01 wrote:

+1 for impacts. Got some at the same time as my nano-x pedals and haven't looked back

+1 for Impacts, a bit pricey but do pretty well. I use mine with DMR Vaults though, not that it matters.

If you don't feel like paying over the censored for shoes, take your pedal off and go down to your local TK-Max type store and seek out discounted DC/Vans trainers and try them on and press your pedal into them and try to twist the pedal. I ran with a £20 pair of vans that had a soft sole, which was good for grip but only lasted a few months from the pins destroying the sole lol.

ArniSig

I'm really happy with my Shimano AM41.. Bought them after reading a lot of comments about 510's taking forever to dry.

Rookie1986

I got a pair of 661 filter shoes at the start of this year and can't fault them, they've been a huge upgrade over the cheap alternative I was wearing previously. Although be warned they are not entirely water tight (I doubt any shoes is) so in very wet weather you might get damp feet but the shoes dry out quickly (I've road back-2-back wet days with no problems). The bonus to the Filters is they can be used with SPD or as standard flat shoes and if you shop around you will get them fairly cheap, I only paid £32 for mine which isn't bad when they rrp for £79.99.

If you have the money to spend though the I would also advise the 5:10's, everyone I know who rides them loves them and their unique grip texture soles.

RenneStone

I have been practicing hiking for almost 5 years, I have like 3 or 4 months with my new bike, and to be honest I like ride with my mountain shoes, the ones that I use for hiking, these are a Comfort High GTX. But for the comments here, I think I'll start to save money to buy me some specific kinds of shoes

core00

RenneStone wrote:

I have been practicing hiking for almost 5 years, I have like 3 or 4 months with my new bike, and to be honest I like ride with my mountain shoes, the ones that I use for hiking, these are a Comfort High GTX. But for the comments here, I think I'll start to save money to buy me some specific kinds of shoes

Yeah been saving for shimano am flats or five tens impact, they're too pricey hope some deals will come soon haha. Still using my vans which is okay it grips fine but its falling apart now haha.

cooldad

If you have tiny feet, and don't mind censored colours, these are a bargain.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/somb ... ear?f=2247

I have Floats in black, and Shazam in electrocuted lemon. On par with 5 10s IMHO. BUt only if you have tiny feet.

Ross Gardner

ArniSig wrote:

I'm really happy with my Shimano AM41.. Bought them after reading a lot of comments about 510's taking forever to dry.

Yeah I got a pair too: for really wet days, when my 5:10s are going to turn into sponges.

elliot.baker

I wear some really old Vans that used to be in my "nice shoes for going out" category, but I find the waffle tread is perfect for gripping the studs on my pedals. They never slip off and if they get soaked I just put them through the washing machine...

RockmonkeySC

Just do the sensible thing and go SPD.

scoi

IMO pedals are more important than shoes but purpose designed mountain bike shoes are big improvement over generic trainers. It depends what type of trail you'll be riding.

figbat

I use SPDs - specifically the Shimano MT51 shoe (slightly high-ankle style) and PD-M505 pedals. These are double-sided but I have the PD22 reflector/platform clipped in on one side, so I can use clips or not, depending on the situation.

This means that:

(1) I can ride my MTB in normal shoes if I want to (nipping to the shops, out with the kids etc)
(2) I can unclip and ride through gnarly roots and deep mud etc with the confidence of knowing I can easily dab a foot.

The shoes are very solid and comfortable - they've done a lot of miles in all sorts of conditions and not only work well on the bike, but also off the bike when forced to walk through clag.