Shoes for rambling.

[Leaf Slayer]

So for years my go to shoes for rambling around with platform pedals have been Vans or Sambas. I've used some other shoes from time to time--Five Ten Ascents and the Patagonia Bagley. The Ascents have been my favorite but they've gone out of production. I generally use the VP Thin Gripsters or whatever they're called that Riv sells. Looking for new shoes and just curious what others are using.

Thanks.

--mike

[Deacon Patrick]

VivoBarefoot Ra II. https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/mens/everyday/ra-ii-mens?colour=Black

With abandon,
Patrick

[John Phillips]

I've been wearing iterations of Five Ten's Guide Tennies since they came out in the 1980's.

John

[Surlyprof]

I use thin gripsters and really like Shimano’s GR-7 shoes. They have great grippy soles, an ankle collar that keeps dirt out and an elastic band across the tongue so you can secure your laces. That last feature was an unexpected delight since I’ve caught laces in pedals and chainrings before resulting in cut laces and abrupt stops.

John

[Tony DeFilippo]

I've been loving a pair of red wing weekender chukkas, the tread hooks up like Velcro on VP pedals. To be honest I've been wearing them for just about all occasions since October. Pricy but should last and they are re-soleable.

Tony

[Leaf Slayer]

On Saturday, January 12, 2019 at 8:45:15 AM UTC-8, John Phillips wrote:

I've been wearing iterations of Five Ten's Guide Tennies since they came out in the 1980's.

John

I just ordered a pair and wasn't too sure about them. REI has them on sale. Something isn't quite right but maybe I just need to give them a chance. They seem fairly clunky. Sounds like I should give them a shot. 

[Leaf Slayer]

I've seen those before. Hadn't thought about them for cycling. Hmmm..... 

[Deacon Patrick]

Mike,

I talk a fair bit about the Ra IIs here: https://thegrid.ai/withabandon/pedals-and-shoes-for-feet-shaped-feet-and-fixed-gear-riding

Since that post, I blew up my steel MKS cages and now using Hold Fast straps on MKS Allways pedals (except with Sorel boots, which requies a wider platform pedal). I love riding in the Ra’s.

With abandon,
Patrick

[William R.]

I’ve always found the traditional Vans bottoms to be great in dry conditions, but add a little water and they have been really bad in my experience. So I don’t wear them anymore. Lately my faves have been Addidas Stan Smiths. Previously, I liked the Sambas, but the Smiths are even better. I have a couple pairs that I got at an Addidas outlet store. From time to time my wife drags me to DSW. I always see if there are any crazy deals on similar Addidas with uniform, flat bottom treads. I’ve bought a couple Pairs of Sperry’s that way and they have been great too. I figure anything designed to be grippy on the deck of a boat will work well and they do! For winter I recently bought a pair of North Face boots that are water proof and insulated, but otherwise are designed more like a sneaker. They have a slightly lugged sole that is overall flat and uniform. Nice and warm and grippy on the pedals wet or dry. They are called Back-to-Berkeley Redux. These were not cheap though.

Bill in Westchester, NY

[Eric Floden]

For the past 18 months I have been using my Blundstones (510s) and quite like them for an afternoon of riding where I might walk for 30 minutes or more...

I just replaced mine, which lasted 1998 to 2018 (if my memory can be relied on)

EricF

Vancouver BC

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[MCT]

+1 on the Shimano GR-7. No problems walking in them. They have a nice and stiff sole for being on the pedals. After a long ride of pushing hard on the pedals, my feet don’t hurt. I have found regular shoes my feet will hurt after awhile because the sole is too thin.

[Adam in Indiana]

I use several, but one of my favorites to use are Saucony Bullets. They feel glovelike on my feet, but probably aren't for folk who prefer stiffer soles.

[Eric Myers]

I tend to wear barefoot shoe's off the bike, but always wanted some extra padding/stiffness on the bike, even with platform pedals.  I may give Patrick's extra inserts idea a try.

My current "biking shoe" is a pair of older Puma sneakers, with soles somewhere between the Sambas and *old school* volley ball shoes.  I wear Sambas for other sports, and would happily use them for biking as well.  I tend to buy shoes that are pretty roomy, and that can make a big difference.  I'd suggest going to a discount shoe outlet that sells fancy brands (in hopes of higher quality) and see what you can find.

If you are interested in other barefoot style shoes, also look at Merrell, they make ones with several different thicknesses of sole.

[Joe Bernard]

I started wearing Asics Gel-Nimbus running shoes a few years ago with no intention of riding with them..they look too bulky for that. Nope. I use flat step-on pedals and would hop on without bothering to change shoes, and after a while I realized they're so light, cool and comfortable that I didn't need to change out of them. They work well on spikey pedals on trails, too.

https://www.asics.com/us/en-us/gel-nimbus/c/gel-nimbus?gclid=Cj0KCQiAvebhBRD5ARIsAIQUmnknFfoyYPCGjyzwNsihb8P-p3Y_vzZyNCW-MUgj7m9DxlMXHtlCSlsaAqt_EALw_wcB

[Justin, Oakland]

I’m Very curious about the new ish Lems Trailhead shoe. 4mm heel toe drop with a stiff ish sole. Vegan too!

[Leaf Slayer]

Thanks. That's a nice looking shoe that may work perfectly for my needs.

[Drw]

My “bike” shoes are more often than not what I wore to work that day, but on overnights or long trips I have new balance trailbusters. Nothing special and sub 60$, but they stick to vp pedals, look good around town and are almost substantial feeling on hikes. (I’m not really into the barefoot thing)

[Christopher Cote]

I've been pretty happy with the 5.10 Freerider Pro. I don't have a lot of time or miles on them yet, so I can't speak to how they'll hold up. They are on the warm side, though, so if you're in a hot climate, you may want to take that into consideration.

Chris

[jamison brosseau]

Those Lens trailheads look dope!

[spencer robinson]

I think shoes and pedals deserve as much focus as saddle and bar selection.
Recently I discovered that I have broken and ruined a small bone in my right foot.
My foot Doctor is also a bike rider and distance runner says that most likely the left foot is also in the same shape. Years of riding and general abuse is the root cause.
These little bones will never heal, the doc made me some insoles and reccomends stiff soled shoes with platform pedals to spread the load.
I would think nothing of riding in chucks or sneakers, now gotta rethink my choices.
I am going with large platforms, pared with pearl izumi, X-Alp launch shoes. This combo has lessened the swelling and I am able to ride.
The VO thin gripstets, riv Clem, and I just got a pair of the big platforms from Pedaling Innovations.
I have not rode them yet but they look promising.

[Deacon Patrick]

Spencer, I am sorry to hear of your feet challenges. I don’t know if my experince may be helpful or not. But I have become highly doubtful of any doctor who tells me “x will never heal,” expecially when it is accompanied by “you need to use y to support proper body function.” At age 12, I was told my feet were weak and I “needed” orthotics for life. Using them, my feet became yet weaker, until 2009 when I decided to try going barefoot. My feet strengthened (nutrition is key to this as well as going barefoot, with bonebroth an essential element to building and strengthening), forefeet widened, and within months I was hiking (and eventually running) mountain trails barefoot or in minimalist shoes ... with no more sprained ankes (a common thing with supportive shoes). Feel free to write me off list if you have questions, and I pray your feet heal and you regain full function of them.

With abandon,
Patrick

[Nick Lindsey]

I too wear these daily.  7 years old and wear like steel/cro-mo. ;-).  So comfortable too.

The day I bought mine, a gentleman came into the shop wearing Blundstones, to p/u a new pair of the same.  The pair he was wearing had 10 years on them.  

Nick (n+2) Lindsey

Sent from my iPad

On Jan 12, 2019, at 10:01 AM, Eric Floden <eric....@gmail.com> wrote:

For the past 18 months I have been using my Blundstones (510s) and quite like them for an afternoon of riding where I might walk for 30 minutes or more...

I just replaced mine, which lasted 1998 to 2018 (if my memory can be relied on)

EricF

Vancouver BC

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[Surlyprof]

Spencer,

Sorry to hear of your foot issues. I can empathize since I’m nursing a foot injury myself right now. I’d love to hear how the Catalyst pedals work out for you. I asked my podiatrist about them and he was intrigued.

john

[Surlyprof]

+1 on the Blundstones. I wear my dressier 063s to work whenever possible. Comfortable right out of the box, nice looking and great on platform pedals. I also have a pair of Red Wing Postman Chukkas that are also great on the bike.

john

[cam starnes]

my go-to is birkenstock - good support, especially for my high arches, and the right amount of stiffness. the standard foam outsoles can get torn up by pedals relatively quickly (though they still function fine), but they grip pretty well. but if rain and/or walking/hiking are part of the outing in addition to the riding, i’m also in the blundstone camp. they’re great for about everything.

[Spencer]

Hi John,

I did install the Catalyst Pedals yesterday and went for an hour or so ride in the brisk north wind and temps in the mid twenty's (f). 

Here are my first impressions...

They are luxurious compared to anything else I have used, Larger than the VO - Clems or gripsters. The best analogy I can make is a classic touring pedal is to a motorcycle foot peg as the Catalyst pedal is to the floorboards on a Harley.

The Catalyst is very grippy due to so many studs, there is no way you are slipping on them.

I found that I wanted to slide my saddle forward a bit to accommodate for my foot being centered on the pedal (your heel and the ball of your foot are centered over the axel), I did not move the saddle as I need more miles.

I found that I could climb out of the saddle without my foot hurting and I felt like I could put the power down, I have been cautious since the foot flared up.

I got back home and my foot felt great for what that's worth.

I have never owned a pair of the Lambda pedals, so I am not sure how they compare.

I do ride the gripsters, I think they are great and the clem pedals are far and away the greatest value.

[Surlyprof]

Thanks for the follow up report, Spencer. I had wondered if you needed to shift the seat position. I was also wondering if it increased the potential for toe overlap. I may take the plunge. Saw that they had a 30-day guarantee which reduces any risk.

John

[fi...@gtel.net]

Hey,

as far as  toe over lap, it was a fear of mine but, really, it has not been a problem. I have not moved my saddle yet... I can say that the pedals look odd but feel great, really connected to the bike, I can push hard with no pain. It is a shame that they charge so much for them but if they allow me to keep on riding, it is money well spent

[Leaf Slayer]

Just adding an update to this thread. A couple of things. Through the spring I just continued to ramble in my Vans and 510 Aescents. Turns out 510 is making the Aescent again although I refrained from getting a pair. I was very curious about Bedrock Sandals and picked up a pair a while back at REI with my dividend. I didn't get around to using them until about 3 weeks ago. I gotta say, I absolutely love them! I used them the other day on a 44 mile ride in the heat and they were a pleasure. I'm using the Cairn 3D model. I've also put quite a bit of time in them walking. I may even try a pair of the basic Cairns as I think the thinner sole might be better for cycling. 

As for pedals. I've been using VP Thin Gripsters for years, since RBW first started selling them. I'm going to pick up a pair of Deity pedals, Black Kats I think, later today. I was reading about them on the Analog site and it makes sense that an even bigger pedal makes sense. We'll see.

--mike