For those of you using cleats what are you all using for shoes? I use SPDs as that suits me for touring.
Currently have an ancient pair of shimanos. Looking to replace them when something good is available- size 41 or 42, narrow feet. The availability seems to have come down post brexit (I guess it's no longer as easy to import or we used to merrily order from germany without really noticing).
Are unisex ones really unisex or does that just mean a mens foot design in a wider variety of lengths?
There are some nice colours around but pretty sure they might draw a bit of attention and look not nearly so sharp at the end of a muddy day plus do I really want my shoes to match my panniers???!
Women's SPD shoes
Re: Women's SPD shoes
There's no particular difference I'm aware of between the general layout of women's and men's feet. My wife used to work in anatomy and doesn't ever look for "women's shoes", just shoes that fit her particular feet. I somewhat accidentally bought a pair of women's running shoes in my preferred brand and can't tell any difference in the fit between those and my others at the same size in the same brand.
"Narrow" is always a tricky one as feet are a complex 3d shape and can be narrow/wide in different places. For example, I have a wide forefoot but really high arches, so at the instep down at the sole my notionally wide feet are actually quite narrow and I like a brand for walking/skiing that some like because they're "wide" and others complain are like razor blades...
In other words, you generally have to try stuff on to be sure. But brands tend to stick to the same lasts, so if Shimano worked for you before there's a good chance they still will.
Edit - addition.
Both my wife and I use Shimano SPuD sandals on tour. Socks (waterproof or otherwise) are an optional extra according to the weather. Sandals fit a bigger range of feet than shoes because you don't have much upper and what there is is highly adjustable, so though I find Shimano shoes far too narrow in the forefoot (I have to go up two sizes, so they're then too long) it's not a problem with the sandals.
Pete.
"Narrow" is always a tricky one as feet are a complex 3d shape and can be narrow/wide in different places. For example, I have a wide forefoot but really high arches, so at the instep down at the sole my notionally wide feet are actually quite narrow and I like a brand for walking/skiing that some like because they're "wide" and others complain are like razor blades...
In other words, you generally have to try stuff on to be sure. But brands tend to stick to the same lasts, so if Shimano worked for you before there's a good chance they still will.
Edit - addition.
Both my wife and I use Shimano SPuD sandals on tour. Socks (waterproof or otherwise) are an optional extra according to the weather. Sandals fit a bigger range of feet than shoes because you don't have much upper and what there is is highly adjustable, so though I find Shimano shoes far too narrow in the forefoot (I have to go up two sizes, so they're then too long) it's not a problem with the sandals.
Pete.
Last edited by pjclinch on 25 Jul 2022, 7:13am, edited 1 time in total.
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...
Re: Women's SPD shoes
In a chart at the bottom of the link below Shimano provide an indication of the relative differences in various dimensions of their different shoe lasts, including two lasts for their women's ranges. The baseline is the last used for most of the men's race shoes (road and off-road).
https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/technolo ... ology.html
However, it does not appear to be entirely comprehensive. For example the model below is not listed in the last chart, although I would guess from the similar model numbering that the last is the same as for the 'MT502 WOMEN' model.
https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/ ... WOMEN.html
Sport Pursuit* are currently selling that shoe for £29.99 plus delivery.
https://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/pr ... id/1852996
However, I find those trainer style cycling shoes absorb a lot of water when it rains and take a long time to dry, so they would not be my choice for a multi-day tour.
* Sport Pursuit are used by a number of brands as an outlet to sell surplus stock and end of ranges at a discount, and you have to sign up as a member (it's free) to get access/buy. Often Sport Pursuit take orders for a sale period, and only after the sale period is finished are the orders fulfilled, e.g. beginning of August is specified for those shoes, i.e. Sport Pursuit often don't hold the stock themselves.
https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/technolo ... ology.html
However, it does not appear to be entirely comprehensive. For example the model below is not listed in the last chart, although I would guess from the similar model numbering that the last is the same as for the 'MT502 WOMEN' model.
https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/ ... WOMEN.html
Sport Pursuit* are currently selling that shoe for £29.99 plus delivery.
https://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/pr ... id/1852996
However, I find those trainer style cycling shoes absorb a lot of water when it rains and take a long time to dry, so they would not be my choice for a multi-day tour.
* Sport Pursuit are used by a number of brands as an outlet to sell surplus stock and end of ranges at a discount, and you have to sign up as a member (it's free) to get access/buy. Often Sport Pursuit take orders for a sale period, and only after the sale period is finished are the orders fulfilled, e.g. beginning of August is specified for those shoes, i.e. Sport Pursuit often don't hold the stock themselves.