Skate shoes for mountain biking?

BD1993

Hi guys, I'm not overly fussed about buying specific mountain biking shoes and I have heard that skate shoes can make for a really good alternative. What brand/type/model would people recommend?

Cheers!

rockmonkeysc

They're not as good as proper flat sole mountain bike shoes. Skate shoe soles are too flexible and they're not really built to survive wet, muddy conditions.
Shimano AM45 shoes are around the same price and much better.

Danieljephcott

I bought these. Cheap as chips and really easy to clean off. Seem really hard wearing and I've had plenty of grips on trails

http://www.sportsdirect.com/airwalk-car ... e=24262402

ilovedirt

Get proper MTB shoes, you'll be glad you did. Skate shoes are terrible for mtb. They're thin and they don't grip. People that claim that skate shoes are great usually haven't ridden in proper mtb shoes...

JBA

That ^^^^

A decent pair of MTB shoes can be bought for about £50 and will not only feel better but last a heck of a lot longer than skate shoes.

neilus

I used a pair of these (or something similar) for years and i loved em;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-Shoes-Pure ... whtE6skIJQ
Got about 5 years out of them before the soles finally crapped out on me. Obviously the slip on Vans type is gonna be pants but theres plenty out there with chunkier soles.

rockmonkeysc

neilus wrote:

I used a pair of these (or something similar) for years and i loved em;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-Shoes-Pure ... whtE6skIJQ
Got about 5 years out of them before the soles finally crapped out on me. Obviously the slip on Vans type is gonna be pants but theres plenty out there with chunkier soles.

I've got a pair of them in black. Nowhere near as good as proper mtb shoes. The soles flex far too much compared to a proper shoe. That flex just wastes energy.

JGTR

Had skate shoes, now using 5:10s.....difference is like night and day, 5:10s are far superior

Danieljephcott

I'm a noob at this so I wouldn't take my advice but the shoes that I have selected have given me plenty of grip when at Cannock. The sole doesn't flex and they are quite chunky with thick soles so I can imagine them lasting a while.

LimitedGarry

Reason why skate shoes are often recommended is that if you have flat spike pedals, you don't want a deep complicated sole, you want a flat one. So while skate shoes may not be as comfortable as hiking shoes, they'll have a better grip on those pedals. Another thing is that the spikes will damage the sole over time, though I found it's not nearly as drastic as some people make it out to be.

To sum it up, you want shoes with a hard flat sole.

cooldad

Nope you want shoes with a soft, stiff sole.

rockmonkeysc

cooldad wrote:

Nope you want shoes with a soft, stiff sole.

This old bastard is correct.

JBA

Shimano MT44 for £45 or an even better deal, MT54 for £50 are great buys.
For the price of 3 pairs of cheap, soft skate shoes you can get decent MTB shoes that will last more than 3 times as long. You'll probably get bored of them before they wear out.

rockmonkeysc

I've got a set of seven year old Shimano AM45's which have still got a few years in them.
People who say skate shoes are as good as proper flat mountain bike shoes have usually never owned a proper pair.

neilus

JBA wrote:

Shimano MT44 for £45 or an even better deal, MT54 for £50 are great buys.
For the price of 3 pairs of cheap, soft skate shoes you can get decent MTB shoes that will last more than 3 times as long. You'll probably get bored of them before they wear out.

Are they for flats?

JBA

Not specifically, but they can be used with flats if you don't fit cleats.
The MT54 have a blanking section that has to be removed from the sole to fit cleats. Leave it in place and you're good to go with flats.

JGTR

neilus wrote:

JBA wrote:

Shimano MT44 for £45 or an even better deal, MT54 for £50 are great buys.
For the price of 3 pairs of cheap, soft skate shoes you can get decent MTB shoes that will last more than 3 times as long. You'll probably get bored of them before they wear out.

Are they for flats?

I would say no, I have these (well the next version down), they are not ideal for flats as they do not have flat soles.

Baron Greenback

Are there any mtb shoes suitable for flat pedals?

rockmonkeysc

Yes, loads.
Five Ten make several different pairs. Shimano AM41 and AM5. Specialized 2FO. Sombrio make a few pairs.