shoes!

[Adam]

Hi all,

Not Riv-specific, but I'm guessing folks here may have thoughts.

I've recently gotten obsessed with minimalist/barefoot style shoes and am loving the feel and what it does for my feet. Finding shoes that are good for cycling is a bit more elusive though. I wouldn't really care except that I end up wearing whatever I bike in most days just because that's how I get around.

What I'd love to find is something that has the soles of a FiveTen trailcross but without the midsole and a very wide toebox. Any suggestions?

I've tried Vivobarefoots, which are workable, but the sole feels like it will be destroyed by the pedal's pins. Also tried some Altras that have a more substantial sole (too thick) and are really slick when wet. Both work, but neither is ideal.

Ideas appreciated!

Thanks

Adam

[Patrick Moore]

Thinking out loud, but perhaps “barefoot” shoes would work best with rubber block pedals? In India many riders rode in “chappals,” thin-soled leather slip-on sandals, either with or without heel strap; in more modern China, in flip flops. And I’d guess that there’s no better pedal for riding in leather-soled street shoes.

https://simplybprints.com/pedal-blocks-for-bikes/

FWIW. No warranty either express or implied.

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[Victor Meng]

I discovered barefoot style shoes a few years ago, after suffering a few back-to-back running injuries.  (I've fairly wide feet and just can't fit into "normal" shoes - even the wide versions of Hokas and Brooks don't work for me.)  I now exclusively wear barefoot style shoes: Vivo, Xero, Lems, Splay, and Ohne.  These are all zero drop, with wide toe boxes, and no midsole.  I even take out the insoles for the best ground feel and flexibility.  I enjoy Splays for riding; they have a few models that have Vans-like waffle soles that grip my MKS Gamma pedals really well.  

[steven aussenberg]

Bedrock Sandals Mountain Clogs have been my go to riding and general purpose shoe for awhile. Highly recommended. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of completely barefoot style shoes, as I do like a bit more support in the outsole. These have a rugged Vibram rubber outsole and a minimalist, no drop mid sole that in my opinion is perfect. Their sandals are good, too. I recently contacted them to ask them to make Chelsea boots for colder/wetter weather, as I loved the practicality of my Blundstones, but the sole was not for me. They said they might consider it.

Cheers,

Steven in Arcata

[jaredwilson]

x2 Bedrock Mountain Clogs, wide toe box and solid Vibram sole works for me as well.

jared in Berkeley 

[Paul Lamontagne]

I use Xero Prio shoes. Their sole stands up very well to MKS Gamma pedals. 

Paul in Indiana

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[Brian Turner]

I mostly just ride in Vans and Blundstones. I used to love Five Tens, but they discontinued all the really good ones.

Brian
Lexington KY

[rlti...@gmail.com]

I have always worn shoes but recently decided it likely wasn’t good for my feet to be cooped up for 16 hours a day. I hate flip flops since I have a weird need to have my feet secure and I also hate having things between my toes.

After some research I ended up with a couple pairs of Bedrock Mountain clogs, some Bedrock Cairn EVO 3D sandals, and three pairs of Luna sandals. I’ve been living in these daily for a couple of years and rarely wear shoes anymore. Split toe socks are worn in the “winter” we have here and I have some fleece and waterproof split toe socks as well.

If I had to choose one I like the Luna sandals best. They are very secure on my feet and the between toe strap is not noticed at all. Strangely I like the very minimal Leadville model best but also like the thicker soles models.

All of these have Vibram soles and work very well on the bike. I have no issues with the pedal grip pins chewing up the soles on any of these. Here is one of the Luna models I use:

https://lunasandals.com/ja/products/middle-bear-winged-edition-desert-canyon

Robert Tilley

San Diego, CA

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 24, 2025, at 4:17 PM, Adam <adam....@gmail.com> wrote:



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[John Bokman]

I sometimes ride in the Luna Oso Flaco (Skinny Bear) which is a bit thinner still that the Robert's Middle Bear. I can attest to their excellent grip on my VP Vice or Pedaling Innovations pedals. Outstanding grip, and I have not come close to damaging the soles in a couple years of riding. Problem I have with them is that I want more foot support if I am to be out for more than just riding around. But, if one's feet are very strong and calves, achilles, and etc. are on board, I recommend them, absolutely. Bar far the best sandal experience I've ever had, and I previously had shied away from sandals with a toe thong. Turns out it was a complete non-issue. I can't recommend Lunas enough!

John

Oregon

[Ted Durant]

On Friday, October 24, 2025 at 4:17:34 PM UTC-7 Adam wrote:

What I'd love to find is something that has the soles of a FiveTen trailcross but without the midsole and a very wide toebox. Any suggestions?

I have almost fully converted my bikes to flat pedals, specifically the Clem Smith pedals from Riv, and my shoe of choice has been Lems. The soles of the Primal Zen, in particular , mate well with the Clem pedals. The pedals are plastic so not nearly as hard on shoes or shins as metal pins. The soles of the shoes I have been using the most show a bit of wear but that’s after many thousands of kilometers. 

Ted Durant

Milwaukee WI USA