Trainer style cycling shoes

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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TrevA
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Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by TrevA »

I’m after a new pair of touring shoes. I ride with toe clips and straps due to knee problems, so don’t need the facility to fix a cleat on the bottom, but do need something with a bit of tread, so that the pedal can grip onto it. In the recent past I’ve ridden Specialized Tahoe and before that Specialized Sonoma, but they’ve stopped making both of them, so what do other people use? I need something that’s reasonably stiff, but you can still walk in them. I prefer lace ups, as I have a high instep, so struggle with Velcro or Boa’s.
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CyberKnight
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by CyberKnight »

John Wayne: "I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on... I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
rotavator
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by rotavator »

CyberKnight wrote: 15 May 2022, 1:04pm adidas five ten ?
https://www.adidas.co.uk/five-ten-sleut ... F7179.html
Seconded. I am very pleased with my Freeriders. They have flat, soft, rubber soles that grip pedals nicely. I bought an insulated version because I suffer from cold feet in winter and much to my surprise they did help although, to be fair, last winter was very mild. Other plus points are the wide fronts that do not nip my toes and that they actually look like shoes. The main downside was price, but I am happy to pay a bit extra for shoes that actually fit my feet and do the job well.
PH
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by PH »

If you like the Specialized BG fit, then there's a fair choice from them. I have some 2FO Roost which I like, there's others in the 2FO range if the style doesn't suit. Plenty of grip, equal to the Five Tens I've had, not the stiffest (Neither were the Five Tens) There seems to be a trend for less stiff shoes and bigger pedals, that suits me, though I don't use straps.
Nearholmer
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by Nearholmer »

Giro Rumble. They have vibram soles, so stiff enough to prevent tendon strain when cycling, but walkable too. You can fit SPD cleats, but you don’t have to, and even with cleats they remain walkable.
simonhill
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by simonhill »

I've used HiTec squash shoes for years. They are fairly light, flat smooth sole, fairly stiff and with leather toecap. I use toe clips and they slide in easily (and out).

Only about £20, so not a major investment. (Edit - cripes, now about £35.)

I always wear these when on my bikes and therefore I also take them touring. I find they are OK for off bike shoes and don't look too out of place with trousers if you need to smarten up eg Immigration Office, good hotel, etc.

https://hi-tec.co.uk/products/squash-classic
LollyKat
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by LollyKat »

I badly need new shoes to use with toeclips and eagerly followed your Hi-tec link - but white in the rainy west of Scotland is not an option. 🙁
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Paulatic
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by Paulatic »

simonhill wrote: 15 May 2022, 6:01pm I've used HiTec squash shoes for years. They are fairly light, flat smooth sole, fairly stiff and with leather toecap. I use toe clips and they slide in easily (and out).

Only about £20, so not a major investment. (Edit - cripes, now about £35.)

I always wear these when on my bikes and therefore I also take them touring. I find they are OK for off bike shoes and don't look too out of place with trousers if you need to smarten up eg Immigration Office, good hotel, etc.

https://hi-tec.co.uk/products/squash-classic
When I played squash I destroyed a pair of them in two months!
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simonhill
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by simonhill »

Paulatic wrote: 18 May 2022, 9:44am
simonhill wrote: 15 May 2022, 6:01pm I've used HiTec squash shoes for years. They are fairly light, flat smooth sole, fairly stiff and with leather toecap. I use toe clips and they slide in easily (and out).

Only about £20, so not a major investment. (Edit - cripes, now about £35.)

I always wear these when on my bikes and therefore I also take them touring. I find they are OK for off bike shoes and don't look too out of place with trousers if you need to smarten up eg Immigration Office, good hotel, etc.

https://hi-tec.co.uk/products/squash-classic
When I played squash I destroyed a pair of them in two months!
I suspect running round a squash court takes more out of a shoe than cycling. Mine last about 2 years with on average every other day cycling and a couple of long haul tours every year.

They can look tatty but still OK for cycling. Biggest problem is if you don't walk much in them, the sole gets hard and shiny. Doesn't affect cycling, but not good on slippery floors.
slowster
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by slowster »

You might want to consider some traditional style touring shoes. Many toe clips will not accommodate a trainer style shoe or any other shoe with a high toe box, especially traditional metal toe clips.

William Lennon have a model with an 'indiana rubber forepart'. Although it does not have a tread, I expect the rubber would provide adequate grip with a traditional cage pedal. Dromarti have a similar shoe, which is much more expensive.

https://williamlennon.co.uk/shop/willia ... g-shoe-c2/

https://dromarti.com/products/classic-flat-sole
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TrevA
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by TrevA »

slowster wrote: 18 May 2022, 10:50am You might want to consider some traditional style touring shoes. Many toe clips will not accommodate a trainer style shoe or any other shoe with a high toe box, especially traditional metal toe clips.

William Lennon have a model with an 'indiana rubber forepart'. Although it does not have a tread, I expect the rubber would provide adequate grip with a traditional cage pedal. Dromarti have a similar shoe, which is much more expensive.

https://williamlennon.co.uk/shop/willia ... g-shoe-c2/

https://dromarti.com/products/classic-flat-sole
Thanks, but I use MTB style plastic toe clips, which have plenty of room for trainer style shoes. I’ll have a look at the Lennon ones.
Sherwood CC and Notts CTC.
A cart horse trapped in the body of a man.
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ratherbeintobago
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by ratherbeintobago »

TrevA wrote: 18 May 2022, 7:55pm
slowster wrote: 18 May 2022, 10:50am You might want to consider some traditional style touring shoes. Many toe clips will not accommodate a trainer style shoe or any other shoe with a high toe box, especially traditional metal toe clips.

William Lennon have a model with an 'indiana rubber forepart'. Although it does not have a tread, I expect the rubber would provide adequate grip with a traditional cage pedal. Dromarti have a similar shoe, which is much more expensive.

https://williamlennon.co.uk/shop/willia ... g-shoe-c2/

https://dromarti.com/products/classic-flat-sole
Thanks, but I use MTB style plastic toe clips, which have plenty of room for trainer style shoes. I’ll have a look at the Lennon ones.
Does anyone still use plastic toe clips for MTBing though? So how can they be MTB-style?

I've got a pair of Adidas Velosambas which I'm quite happy with for JRA duties, and which play well with TIME ATACs
slowster
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by slowster »

A disadvantage of traditional leather cycling shoes is that it is/was not uncommon for the leather used not to be particularly high quality and colour fast, with result that traditional white socks would be stained by the dye where the sock was in contact with the rough side of the leather inside the shoe. I would expect that not to happen with the Dromarti shoes given the high price and premium nature of the product, but I think it would be likely to happen with the William Lennon shoe.

Those Velosambas look good, although a downside in my experience is that trainer style shoes absorb a lot of water in the rain and take ages to dry out.

Yer pays yer money...
Last edited by slowster on 19 May 2022, 10:30am, edited 1 time in total.
ratherbeintobago
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by ratherbeintobago »

What about more 'bike' shoes? I like Specialized shoes for MTB use, and it looks like they have 2FOs with laces and with and without a cleat pocket - will probably be faster drying than the Adidas ones (as comfy as they are)?
PH
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Re: Trainer style cycling shoes

Post by PH »

ratherbeintobago wrote: 19 May 2022, 10:21am What about more 'bike' shoes? I like Specialized shoes for MTB use, and it looks like they have 2FOs with laces and with and without a cleat pocket - will probably be faster drying than the Adidas ones (as comfy as they are)?
The 2FO's come in several variations, I have the Roost are partly a suede type material, they do take ages to dry if they get a real soaking. I bought them at a good price but I would have preferred one of the other 2FO styles like the DH. If I see any those at a discount I'll buy them before I need them I like the fit enough to know they'll get used sooner or later.
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