Cycling UK Forum

I'm new to clipless pedals. I had a Bianchi road bike (that lasted three days, but that's another story) with Look 206 pedals, and Evans sold me a pair of Specialized BG shoes to go with them.

As the cleats are thick and stick out way beyond the sole, they are lethal to walk in.

I'm about to buy an ICE Q recumbent and am after a combination of pedals and shoes that I can walk in for short distances. It's only going to be around a shopping centre, etc, but the existing shoes are stupidly slippery on a smooth surface so you can't even do that much.

If I understand correctly, there are two different cleat systems, SPD and Look, and SPD offers the wider choice - is that correct?

I also believe there are some shoes where the cleats are recessed, and that you can walk normally in these (well, given the stiff sole), and that the drawback is they are slightly harder to engage. As it's for a recumbent, slightly fiddly engaging and disengaging wouldn't be an issue, and I can get into the habit of testing the lock before setting off, but I do need to be sure they won't accidentally disengage due to the danger of 'leg suck' on a recumbent.

I've also been reading that systems with a reasonable degree of 'float' are recommended to avoid tiredness with the feet held in too rigid a position. If it makes a difference, I walk slightly toe-out.

Finally, I value comfort over ultimate performance, and I'm thinking that a wide platform might be more comfortable than a small pedal? Would something like this make sense? http://tinyurl.com/3xm9jc

All advice welcome!

Ben

(Oh, and if anyone is after a pair of Specialized BG shoes, size 44, barely worn, let me know. RRP is £90 and I got them on sale for £60, so offers welcome.)

My shoes have cleats that are large and stick out well below the sole, but my shoes also have a rubber lump on the heel, so they're not that slippy.

Also, size of pedal is unimportant. Cycling shoes have a very stiff sole that spreads the load over the whole foot. You wouldn't want it any other way. There's nothing worse than a pedal digging into the foot through a soft sole on a long ride.

Sorry, but I'm not the chap that can tell you much about recessed cleats. They're usually used for the tourist/shopper rather than me that hardly ever gets off!

If you want recessed cleats, you are better off going for the SPD system. There are loads of shoes around that will enable you to walk in them, either MTB style shoes, or trainer type shoes with a recess hole for the cleat. The trainer type ones are better for everyday commuting etc, but might not be so comfortable on a long run.

With modern shoes with stiff soles the pedal size is less of a factor interms of comfort as the soles are now rigid enough on many for this not to be an issue. Pedals with a cage around the outside are often used by atb riders who may disengage from the pedal when descending on a technical track where they may want to touch down often in tricky corners then place their foor back on the pedal without engaging fully.

Most Audax/touring riders will prefer the SPD styles with inverted cleat to enable off the bike walking. Training shoe styles are better for off the bike walking as the soles are not as rigid, which translates to not quite as good on the bike of course, as after a while some complain that with the softer sole they can feel the presure of the smaller pedals. Even these are not designed to be used as a shoe to walk in for any distances though, although some manufacturers have made a few models that do indeed have a softer sole for walking; they have not been a huge success though as far as we are concerned.

Many ATB shoes now have relatively conservative styling so have also become very popular as they generally have a stiffer sole than the training shoe styles, some even have the road bike shoe upper from their road bike range and have simply used an ATB sole (ATB specific shoes often have a more robust upper with protective toe box for protection) and some are more like road bike specific shoes, yet with a slimmer sole than the training and atb styles, so the cleat is still recessed; although only just.

Most allow for movement and you can angle the cleats as well to allow for toe-out and vice versa

Paul Smith
www.bikeplus.co.uk

Ben Lovejoy wrote:I'm new to clipless pedals. I had a Bianchi road bike (that lasted three days, but that's another story) with Look 206 pedals, and Evans sold me a pair of Specialized BG shoes to go with them.

As the cleats are thick and stick out way beyond the sole, they are lethal to walk in.

I'm about to buy an ICE Q recumbent and am after a combination of pedals and shoes that I can walk in for short distances. It's only going to be around a shopping centre, etc, but the existing shoes are stupidly slippery on a smooth surface so you can't even do that much.

If I understand correctly, there are two different cleat systems, SPD and Look, and SPD offers the wider choice - is that correct?

I also believe there are some shoes where the cleats are recessed, and that you can walk normally in these (well, given the stiff sole), and that the drawback is they are slightly harder to engage. As it's for a recumbent, slightly fiddly engaging and disengaging wouldn't be an issue, and I can get into the habit of testing the lock before setting off, but I do need to be sure they won't accidentally disengage due to the danger of 'leg suck' on a recumbent.

I've also been reading that systems with a reasonable degree of 'float' are recommended to avoid tiredness with the feet held in too rigid a position. If it makes a difference, I walk slightly toe-out.

Finally, I value comfort over ultimate performance, and I'm thinking that a wide platform might be more comfortable than a small pedal? Would something like this make sense? http://tinyurl.com/3xm9jc

All advice welcome!

Ben

(Oh, and if anyone is after a pair of Specialized BG shoes, size 44, barely worn, let me know. RRP is £90 and I got them on sale for £60, so offers welcome.)

A personal opinion: No clipless systems are that great for walking in. Yes, you can get to order at the caff and maybe a slow walk round a village church but that's yer lot, even with recessed SPDs.
I've used Look ( fave for long sporting style rides) and SPD (default for normal going) but if there's a chance of a steady tour with lots of nosying round bookshops and old town mooching a proper heeled traditional bike shoe and clips has a lot going for it.

SPD shoes are excessively rigid to make up for the small platform and if the cleats aren't well sunken it's like walking on marbles. Other people will disagree.

YMMV, but I can walk comfortably in carbon-soled MTB Specialized Comp shoes (with Time Atac cleats). Only last week I trudged 4 miles in them with nary a blister in the making.

Due to their clog-like sturdiness, I use them for commuting.

Definitely go for the SPDs. I've got a pair of the Specialized BG MTB type shoes that Paul linked to. Too stiff to really walk around shops with - can be done but not really comfortably. I also have a pair of Northwave Skywalkers which are stiff enough to cycle in (did the C2C in them) as well as great for wandering around town. Just the other weekend I went for a trip into the city, walked around the shops for a bit and then took in a couple of museums. Discontinued now, but the Wave style looks very comfy and even more like standard trainers than my shoes.

Specialized Tahos always get a few mentions when people ask about shoes suited for walking as well as cycling

As for SPDs with platforms, I'm happy with my M540s with no platform, but some people prefer more support. Shimano do a few different types. The M424/M545/M647 are double sided with a cage around them. They also do some lighter single sided touring pedals - the A520 is has a small platform around it, whilst the new A530 is similar but the other side has a platform that allows you to pedal with normal, uncleated shoes.

Paul Smith SRCC wrote:Most Audax/touring riders will prefer the SPD styles with inverted cleat to enable off the bike walking.

Many thanks for the detailed reply.

I won't need to walk far, just to be able to walk on flagstones or tiled shop floors without feeling like I'm on ice-skates, so I think the ideal would be a stiff-soled shoe with well-recessed cleats.

As I'm about to spend a frightening amount of money on the bike itself, I'm hoping to keep the shoe and pedal cost (the bike comes without pedals) to around the £150 mark in total if I can.

Do you have any recommendations given that spec and budget?

Ben

glueman wrote:maybe a slow walk round a village church but that's yer lot, even with recessed SPDs.

That's all I need. Even being able to pick up a pint of milk in my local Tesco Express without ending up on my butt would be a welcome improvement!

Ben

Velo wrote:YMMV, but I can walk comfortably in carbon-soled MTB Specialized Comp shoes (with Time Atac cleats).

Sounds good, but I suspect expensive?

Ben

itsaghostcar wrote:Definitely go for the SPDs.

Thanks. All of the shoes you pointed to looked fine to me. The main thing is to get the stiffest sole I can walk in for short distances, and the most recessed cleat.

Ben

£150.00 is actually high. You will get many recommendations from riders I am sure as there is a huge variety of very suitable options available.

My personal choice for the summer is the ATB shoes Specialized shoes that I linked to above (and can be seen in the Corsica write up below), they have an RRP of £60.00 and I use them with the popular Shimano PD-M520 Pedals, which have an RRP of £29.99. I chose them because I liked the styling, although I have to say the main reason was that I slipped on some decking in Paris pushing my bike down a footbridge in a storm while wearing my old Sidi shoes, the Speciliazed have quite a soft rubber compound grippy sole and made me feel a bit more secure

I use something warner for winter use as like many shoes those above offer quite good ventilation so you will normally need overshoes to keep you warm in the winter.

Paul Smith
www.bikeplus.co.uk

Ben Lovejoy wrote:

Paul Smith SRCC wrote:Most Audax/touring riders will prefer the SPD styles with inverted cleat to enable off the bike walking.

Many thanks for the detailed reply.

I won't need to walk far, just to be able to walk on flagstones or tiled shop floors without feeling like I'm on ice-skates, so I think the ideal would be a stiff-soled shoe with well-recessed cleats.

As I'm about to spend a frightening amount of money on the bike itself, I'm hoping to keep the shoe and pedal cost (the bike comes without pedals) to around the £150 mark in total if I can.

Do you have any recommendations given that spec and budget?

Ben

The main thing is to get the stiffest sole I can walk in for short distances, and the most recessed cleat.

Then I'd recommend the Specialized MTB BGs. I've got carbon soled one too (bought on sale at a good discount). However they have other models that look very similar. I think the Sport model is the cheapest, and probably just as stiff. You'll easily find something within your budget. Main thing is to try them out in a store to make sure they fit

Thanks, all, that's a great help.

Shame your shop is so far away from me, Paul, otherwise I'd come see you.

Ben

Always a good idea to try them on really, would only suggest mail order if know what you are buying.

Paul Smith
www.bikeplus.co.uk

Ben Lovejoy wrote:Thanks, all, that's a great help.

Shame your shop is so far away from me, Paul, otherwise I'd come see you.

Ben