Need advice on cycling shoes.

[adamburns944]

Any non-cycling shoes for cycling? Considering Vivobarefoot trainers as an alternative option. Has anyone tried them out for cycling, and if so, how did they perform?
https://www.legendfootwear.co.uk/collec ... vobarefoot

[Jdsk]

Welcome

Recent discussion: "Shoes for flat pedals":
viewtopic.php?t=160545&start=15

Jonathan

[pjclinch]

Any non-cycling shoes for cycling? Considering Vivobarefoot trainers as an alternative option. Has anyone tried them out for cycling, and if so, how did they perform?

Not tried them, but no heel drop is an irrelevance on pedals and the relatively thin and flexible sole may come back to haunt you on some designs of pedal that put pressure on limited areas. Neither of those are deal breakers (you're no worse off at the heels and just don't use pedals like that), but if this is a shoe primarily to ride a bike it's not an obvious choice. If, on the other hand, it's a shoe you're wearing and liking anyway and might happen to ride a bike occasionally with that's less of an issue.

Pete.

[Nearholmer]

Go carefully to avoid using too-flexibly-soled shoes for any sort of strenuous cycling, even on quite broad, flat pedals, because it’s surprisingly easy to over-strain the tendons on the base of the foot, causing what I think is called plantar fasciitis.

I’m not sure where the boundary between ‘strenuous’ and ‘not strenuous’ sits, probably in a different place for each person, and I suspect it changes with age, but I do know from experience that straining those tendons, by cycling in the wrong shoes, ruddy well hurts, and takes weeks to heal!

[Nicholas]

Vans Old Skool shoes are great for cycling with flat pedals. I wear them for the Brompton.

[gbnz]

Go carefully to avoid using too-flexibly-soled shoes for any sort of strenuous cycling, even on quite broad, flat pedals, because it’s surprisingly easy to over-strain the tendons on the base of the foot, causing what I think is called plantar fasciitis.

I’m not sure where the boundary between ‘strenuous’ and ‘not strenuous’ sits, probably in a different place for each person, and I suspect it changes with age, but I do know from experience that straining those tendons, by cycling in the wrong shoes, ruddy well hurts, and takes weeks to heal!

+ 1. Apologies, this'll have been covered before. Whereas I wore "proper" cycling shoes, c/w solid sole, for 5yr's, have worn run of the mill "suede" type, light weight hiking boots ever since. But an ultra cheap pair of Karrimor boots I bought in '21 were absolutely hopeless - wore them for 500' of walking & a mile (?) cycling. Sole was so flexible, base of the sole was agony after that sort of distance.

Was absolutely broke at the time, but probably will have given food a miss for a couple of weeks, to replace them

[Jupestar]

Others have mentioned possible injuries which i've definately suffered from with softer sole trainers before.

But any sort of grip pins on the flat pedal, are going to wreck those soles very quickly.

[LittleGreyCat]

I mainly use New Balance trainers for cycling because I have them and they fit my feet.
There are only a very limited number of lasts which are broad enough.

So any trainers for running (with good support) should do.

I use flat pedals with plastic toe clips (no straps) which do seem to help with the up stroke.

In the winter I wear waterproof socks so not issues with wet trainers.

[Audax67]

I use flat pedals with plastic toe clips (no straps) which do seem to help with the up stroke.

+1 for toe hooks. I use them on the shopping bike. They cure the instep habit, too.

[Rob D]

I tend to use Merrell Moabs/Ventilators. Great shoes, grippy for off road walks etc. Sometimes take Goretex ones as well, to wear in rain. V happy with both. The non-Goretex ones are quite cool to wear, breathing well.