Shoes for flat pedals

[PaulK]

Hi all

I prefer to ride flats tried clipless and never got on with them.
Any recommendations for a good shoe best suited to road cycling.

Something with a stiff(ish) sole and a low profile (not a really thick + chunky sole).
was looking at the below anyone used them or similar.

https://www.velozone.co.uk/products/shi ... MxEALw_wcB

https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/five- ... e=02046603

P

[rotavator]

I have a pair of 5-10s and I am pleased with them. They make lots of different versions but mine have some insulation to help keep my feet warm in winter and they lack the fittings for cleats. The dimpled rubber soles give a good grip on the pedals. Mine have brown leather outers so look like normal sensible shoes rather than cycling kit. The soles are stiff enough to prevent foot ache but are not so stiff that they would be difficult to walk in.

[Eyebrox]

I have various cycling shoes in an assortment of styles, ranging in price from £35 to £100. However I keep going to these walking shoes which I bought from Sports Direct. Never expected much at the price and not confident of anything I buy from this retailer. The shoes are great for cycling on flat pedals, narrow and stiff construction and claims that they are waterproof (although I haven't put that to any significant test). Not so good for anything resembling serious mountain biking but ideal for road, cycle route and hard path riding.

[MartinC]

I have a pair of 5-10s and I am pleased with them.......

They work for me too. As above they would meet the requirements you have.

[MarcusT]

5-10s work great. Just be careful which model. I have the Freeriders and they absorb water like a sponge

[simonhill]

Hi Tec squash trainers. Used them exclusively for over 25 years.

Lightweight, stiffish flat soles, cheap, very durable.

Look OK off bike for social and travel.

[Paulatic]

I’m still wearing these viewtopic.php?t=136886 admittedly my milage/ use of them has plummeted the last 12 months. Still in good order though

[deeferdonk]

Another reccomendation for 5 10's.
I wear these - Sleuth DLX - that look like black leather trainers. They seemed to be sized a bit small for me, so i returned the ones i originally bought online and went up half a size - so worth buying from somewhere with free returns if buying online.

[pjclinch]

I prefer to ride flats tried clipless and never got on with them.
Any recommendations for a good shoe best suited to road cycling.

Ones that fit your feet, e.g. that lots of folk like Shimano shoes is no use to me because they're the wrong shape for my feet and I have to go two sizes up to get them wide enough, which is far too long.
So whatever you get recommended, if you can't try them on in advance be prepared to send them back and try again.

5-10s work great. Just be careful which model. I have the Freeriders and they absorb water like a sponge

I have a pair of Trailcross (mine are clip-in but there's a flat version too) and they're roughly on a par with teabags for water resistance, but this is a two-edged sword: they're a lot cooler in summer thanks to that trainer-like upper. A pair of overshoes for deluge days makes a lot of difference.

Pete.

[Vorpal]

I don't find that many brands fit me well, so I am maybe not the best person to answer this.

But among the shoes that I've worn that work well for flat pedals are Timberland lightweight walking / trail running shoes, and Decathlon MTB shoes.

Decathlon's shoes have generally been good value for money for me. They have a couple of MTB shoes made for flats. Giro do some, too, though I haven't tried them.

[JohnR]

I've always been comfortable with normal walking footwear (Clarks) with thick grippy soles but last year I tried, out of curiosity, a pair of Endura MTB shoes. They felt like bits of wood fixed under my feet. My feet told me that one ride was enough and those shoes went to a charity shop.

Choice of pedals helps avoid any slipping. My favourites are the MKS MT-FT and MKS G6000 which have small plastic teeth.

[Jdsk]

I was also wondering about that need for special shoes... but the thread has now handled the issue.

Jonathan

PS: For people new to cycling or who don't want to change shoes I recommend plastic strapless toe shovels on the pedals. They add a bit more location with little downside, apart from needing to flip upside

[Nicholas]

Vans Old Skool Shoes are great for flat pedals and good value at around £65.

[mjr]

Vans Old Skool Shoes are great for flat pedals and good value at around £65.

Sneakers / skaters in general are great.

You don't need stiff soles if you fit big enough pedals. Stiff soles are more to distribute pressure for those tiny clip pedals.

Pedals with teeth or pins on are sole-destroying! I like pedals with rubber grips. They're excellent on sneakers: rubber-to-rubber contact. OK, they won't perfectly grip totally smooth office shoe soles, but those won't survive long with teeth stabbing them.

[Nearholmer]

For dry/hot weather, have a look at Giro ‘Rumble’. You can fit clips to them, but they work perfectly well without (iirc they came with a removable bit of sole that I eventually removed to fit clips). The initial design had a dreadful sole, like a lump of 20mm marine ply, horrible to walk in, but the current version is very good, nicely shaped and fine to walk as well as cycle.

No good in the wet though! I use them when my normal cycling shoes are too warm for the weather.

I’m not in the 5-10 fan club, finding the soles needlessly thick and ‘clumpy’. Gave mine away after a few weeks!