SPD is a wonderful choice for urban/commute riding. SPD-SL/look/speedplay are pretty much impractical for walking around, but SPD shoes typically have recesses for the cleats, so you can walk around in them. My SPD shoes have a hard footplate, which distributes the pressure evenly, and I do not feel a "pressure point" when I use them. That said, I have only had one pair of shoes (and I need to get another).

This.

ok now my question to SPD users would be: how does this system feel on longer road rides? can i ride a century with SPDs or is there some design flaw that makes SPD simply not a good choice for anything other that commuting. i should mention, Im not looking for PRO performance*, just something better than sneakers and toe clips. so if SPD can give me some of it PLUS walk-ability then im all for it.

*ok well i do want some security, i dont want to be unclipping mid sprint or while climbing, etc

or should i just get the Looks, stfu, and walk stupid.

you should not have a problem riding a century on spd's

/any mountain cleat system really.

or any decent shoes.

Bexley and Fez - it sounds to me like both of you would be fine on the highly standard Dominator x ATAC or SPD collabo. Just to reinforce my point, don't go low balling on the shoes your first time around thinking you'll just mess around with a cheap pair while you "decide" whether you like clipless or not; just jump immediately into a nice pair so that you don't end up paying twice, and make sure they fit well first and have a stiff sole second. I've not met a person who didn't like Sidis and I personally love both mine so I'll plug those (though after buying their top of the line road shoe, my Dom 5's don't feel as stiff no mo'), but Specialized apparently also makes a killer shoe at a better value.

+1

i've never met a person that hasn't liked Sidis either (with the exception of myself, i have no arch or instep) but i have Specialized Comp sports and Comp pros and they're are damn good for the money.

I like the A520s. If you have the right shoe and it makes contact with the pedal properly, it feels really nice. The Shimano RT-** shoes work best, but most MTB shoes will work, too.

How the hell would it not be? Of course it is.
I don't think I'll ever switch away from spd, really. Tried eggbeaters, they sucked. WTF else is out there with walkable recessed cleats?
For commuting and such, spd is probably the best unless you want lots of float.

Thanks, but my whole point is that I'd like some relatively walkable shoes, more than the Dominators, like the Bontrager Street and want to find a pedal that will give some added support with these.

One thing to remember with expensive shoes: walking in them wears away the tread. Sounds obvious, but I didn't think about it until I paid $200 for dominators. Then, all I would think about was how much money was coming off the bottom of my shoe every time I took a step. If you are primarily commuting, there is no need for a $200+ shoe. Even if you plan to do some long rides, a $100 to $150 shoe will work perfectly if fit correctly. And expensive shoes don't guarantee comfort. After three years and several cleat positions and insoles, my sidi's still give me hot spots. Mid-level shoes are generally pretty nice. It is the $60 bargains that you have to watch out for, though even then, they would be fine for commuting.

Instead of paying $250 for shoes, get one $125 mtb pair, one $125 road pair and the pedals to go with each. Use the mtb pedals/shoes 90% of the time and put the road stuff on for longer rides. You'll be happier. And, if you get one pair wet, you don't have to put on soggy shoes the next time you get on your bike.

again, my question was, are they suitable for road rides. Its been established that they're good for commuting.

jeez this shoe issue is driving me nuts. why are there no sexy road shoes?!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

sexy by measure of engineering, yes. By measure of aesthetics, NO.

sexy by sexy yes.

Didn't read back to previous posts... I guess they are fine unless you are racing or really serious about your look / obsessed with minute performance gains. I'd think most people would notice no meaningful difference in terms of performance or comfort.

did we go here yet?

I ride centuries in Sambas and have a good time doing it. Clipless might make you 5% faster but that's a difference of 15 minutes over five hours of riding, imo a price worth paying for not having to deal with fiddly, expensive, ugly shoes and pedals that make it impossible to roll over to the liquor store in flip flops. My opinion on this would probably be different if there were more non-hideous shoe options under $200, but there aren't, so...

Ever ridden in clipless shoes? They feel a hell of a lot better than platforms or clips and straps.

BTW I quite like the looks of some adidas and shimano shoes that are all around $100. Sadly mine are falling apart after 5 years or so, so I'll have to get something new. Don't think they make the same model anymore.

Of course I've ridden clipless, and it does feel a bit better and make me ride a bit faster. Just not hundreds of dollars (plus moderate pains in the ass) better and faster given my needs. The point just being that the performance gains really are minimal for non-competitive riders, so if the shoe issue is driving you nuts—and ugly/expensive shoes drive lots of people nuts—the thing to do may just be to say to hell with it. I mean I don't think I've ever been dropped because another rider had clipless shoes and I didn't.

It's not really about being faster. It's about efficiency and comfort as well. If you're truly comfortable on Sambas and flippy floppies, you're missing out.

you're a fucking idiot.

new guy.

I have some shitty casual MTB clipless shoes. They give you none of it. The best I've ridden in terms of comfort and walk-ability are the Shimano "RT" series which is a road shoe with recessed SPD and a smooth sole. I think I have the RT51. They're stiff enough to ride in and not hate life and surprisingly easy to walk in. I've some carbon-soled MTB shoes that are hella stiff, have toe spikes and are almost as bad as road shoes to walk in.

Yeah, I'm going to recommend the RT51 as a comfy, good riding SPD shoe.

I'm not trying to convert anyone or knocking clipless. I know that the vast, vast majority of semi-serious riders prefer clipless pedals, and if you find them more comfortable that's good enough reason right there. They really aren't that much more efficient, though—they feel like they are but the math just doesn't work—and they really do have some drawbacks like costing money and being annoying. Just pointing out that not using them isn't going to keep you from doing anything at all that you otherwise would have been able to do provided you're not racing, which is obvious.

Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

I see what your saying altoid and ive actually had a similar experience. I tried my friends sidis, it was not the incredible difference reps and retailers lead you to believe. yes, technically, clipless is more efficient, but is it is hardly perceivable to the non-racer. Furthermore, im honest with myself, im looking for the most appropriate option for my type riding and it just very well may be that sambas and toe clips are sufficient for me.

RT51's sound like a nice compromise though, i will definitely look into these. sir heath how do shimano shoes run? i have kind of a wide foot.

hahahahaha

i could totally hear the dudes voice when i read that

Since i ride my geared bike lycra'd out 90% of the time i use clipless. Cuz quite frankly i think it looks dumb with regular sneakers.

Shimanos are a bit wide compared to Sidis.

http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/product...

I normally wear a US10.5 or maybe US11 and wear 44.5-45 in Shimano.

I really don't understand how anyone could say this; it was immediately perceivable to me.

and for the non racer, it's not that it makes you 5% faster, it's that you're expending that much less energy, so you have more for hills/distance/etc.

I got these for cheap from a coworker sometime ago for my first foray into clipless and while I'm not winning any style points, I must confess - Im pretty into em.

They give me a lot of it for the riding I use them for and because of the completely recessed cleat, are really nice off the bike. I've gotten stuck working 8+ hours in a busy cafe in these and my feet never complained. I've used them for 80+ mi rides and they were fine. Hot spots now and then but I'm pretty confident they were cleat placement related. IMO, perfect for commuting, rides around town, centuries, and any situations when you might be on and off the bike a lot. Think there might be a few versions like these available too.

Just a note, I've read of people taking worn down Sidis to a cobbler and had new tread put on. If I'm remembering right In one case the person had an awesome Vibram sole added that seemed much better than the original.

Visiting Dromarti in a couple of weeks! If they are as comfy as they look, Imma get me some.

Also, clipless noobs: Get ATAC Aliums, they are cheap, give you a little float, double-sided, durable and only one person in the history of the internets has disliked them (CKD). Some folk whinge about them being heavy but we're talking, like, 100g or something.

And go to a few LBSs and try on a heap of shoes. Buy something comfortable and stiff that looks good. Much, much better to try on shoes than guess size/foot shape compatability over the internet. I like Specialized, you may prefer something else.

Are the RT51's good for walking around in? More specifically, walking for most of the day and then riding home?

I personally think so. A friend of mine has a pair and would wear them at work all day long while brewing, which involves being on his feet and walking around on wet tile floors.

They're not the most awesome shoes by any stretch, but they are surprisingly good and cheap.

want dromartis

The difference between clip and strap and clipless is fucking enormous as soon as the road turns up at all. It may seem small for short, flat commutes and flatter centuries, but I would never consider sneakers for the long rides I do.

I have definately done it both ways. On one long ride, about 55 miles, I rode in sneakers with GR9's one time, so I wouldn't have to carry shoes. I was going to visit my dad for the day. The next time, a few months later, I used shitty mtb shoes and cheap pedals. There was a world of difference at the end. I was less tired and I had done the ride 30 min faster. After that, I started commuting clipless and had a ball.

Now I have two clipless bikes and a fixie with clip and strap. In all honesty, it is best to have both. But whenever I have one bike that gets ridden every day, it is clipless.

just got home from the bike shop. tried on the shimano M086L, felt awsome. tried others, not so awesome. anyone have some first hand experience with the M086L?

also, how much of a faux pas is it to wear mountain shoes on the road? i thought the "teeth" on the sole would look pretty gnar but the shoes actually looked nice once on the feet and of course they were very walkable.

it's not a faux pas to wear the shoes that are comfortable for you.

Not really a faux pas, but dumb people might make fun of you.

I wear Mavic mountain shoes everywhere, road ride, commute, mountain, bar...

Not a faux pas at all. It's a widely accepted practice.

hello clipless thread.

friend has a pair of old and lightly used SPD pedals for me. heavy, red, but we'll see how i like them! i dont know the model number what whatever.

and considering these things (lake mx85s):

i'll try on a shitload asap to see what's comfortable, but at $80 and great reviews, they look solid to me.

M-540 x Bontrager Street collabo working out very nicely. I don't think I've worn my regular shoes outside in a few days. The cleat isn't recessed very deep and it does grind on gravel or uneven paved surfaces, so I guess I'll have to watch it a little.

Kind of wish I had tried one of the less ubiquitous systems first, like Speedplays, since it'll be a while before I need to replace the SPD's.

I tried Deore XT SPD's for a day last week and just weren't into them. Didn't like the engagement or float feeling. Went back to ATACs shortly thereafter.

so cross guys running atacs, what's your luck with mud?

I bought these on Nashbar for $75. They are pretty awesome because they lace up and are constructed with gore-tex stuff so they're weather proof. However, they are a little bit narrow in the toe / ball of foot area, so don't buy them if your feet are super wide.

bebops: questionable with mud, at best

(in case y'all were wondering)

How are laces a good thing?