Puma Palermo

[Bill Lindsay]

There are discussions about our go-to UnRacer cycling footwear.  Mine is the Puma Palermo.  Through the 1980s and 1990s I wore Vans as my casual every day sneakers, was raised to call them "tennies", and found they worked well in my toe clips and straps.  In my early Rivendell years I used a few pair of Adidas Sambas, which worked well and I liked them, and I still have a pair of Velo Sambas.  Still endorse.  The Puma Palermo is my current go-to in that it's got a little more structure than my Sambas, and in my opinion a little more style.  I use them mostly with flats but they also are narrow enough to work with toe clips and straps.  My main attraction though is they come in lots of colors and that there are almost always unconventional colors at 40% to 60% off on the Puma app.  I'm running three pairs of them now, and they serve as my cycling shoes for flats and my casual fashion sneakers.  What are your cycling tennies?

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA 

[Jay Lonner]

Chuck Taylor low tops.

Jay Lonner

Bellingham, WA

Sent from my Atari 400

On Jun 11, 2026, at 7:30 AM, Bill Lindsay <tape...@gmail.com> wrote:

There are discussions about our go-to UnRacer cycling footwear.  Mine is the Puma Palermo.  Through the 1980s and 1990s I wore Vans as my casual every day sneakers, was raised to call them "tennies", and found they worked well in my toe clips and straps.  In my early Rivendell years I used a few pair of Adidas Sambas, which worked well and I liked them, and I still have a pair of Velo Sambas.  Still endorse.  The Puma Palermo is my current go-to in that it's got a little more structure than my Sambas, and in my opinion a little more style.  I use them mostly with flats but they also are narrow enough to work with toe clips and straps.  My main attraction though is they come in lots of colors and that there are almost always unconventional colors at 40% to 60% off on the Puma app.  I'm running three pairs of them now, and they serve as my cycling shoes for flats and my casual fashion sneakers.  What are your cycling tennies?

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA 

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[Drew Fitchette]

Canvas Last Resort AB sneakers, or Bedrock sandals because Atlanta is a hellscape in the summer. Really like the flex and feel of a thin sole from my skateboarding days. 

Post ride/walking the dog I slip on some Birkenstocks for putzing around. 

[Mike Rossi]

Chuck Taylor high tops (wide) in the summer, but almost always ride Red Wing Iron Rangers the rest of the seasons. And occasionally my Lucchese boots.
Mike

[Edwin W]

Like Bill Lindsay in the 1980s and 1990s, I am a Vans guy.

I like to say it is the one part of California culture I kept when I moved back East, but of course Rivendell is another.

Checkered vans slip ons in Nashville,

Edwin

[Bill Lindsay]

Sweet.  Even in the 70s as a small child it was always Vans.  The Van Doren Rubber Company made tennies in Orange County throughout that time, along with operating their own stores.  Custom combos of color panels was a $1 upcharge.  We toured the Van Doren shoe factory in an elementary school field trip in something like 1978.  I definitely associate those thinner soles with a skater and BMX ethos.  

BL from Yorba Linda in EC

[Brian Forsee]

Vans for me as well. I've been digging their newer bmx specific lowtops for summer. I've also been running the skatehi MTE all weather deals for winter commuting for the past several years and have had great luck with them.

Brian

[Eamon Nordquist]

It used to be Chuck Taylors for me, but these days it's PF Flyers All Americans. They have a wider toebox than Chucks and a little better insole than the other PF Flyers I've tried. The Chucks just eventually seemed to pointy in the toe for me (like so many sneakers).

Eamon

Seattle

[Caroline Golum]

Just got my first pair of Reebok Club C85s and I gotta say, best cycling shoe I've ever owned

[James McGregor]

Not the best for hot weather, but I really dug riding this spring in Jim Green African Ranger boots.  They make a barefoot version too.  Great boots and a great value for the materials, construction, and quality.

I've also been wearing Vans a lot too - the "skate" version of the Sk-8 Hi is my current fav.

[Brian Turner]

The “Skate” versions of Vans models are a great recent addition for those of us with foot issues because the insoles can be removed and swapped out for the insoles of your choice. I mostly cycle in Vans, and often wear Blundstones in the cooler, wetter months.

Brian

Lexington KY

On Jun 11, 2026, at 3:00 PM, James McGregor <mcgr...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Patrick Moore]

I used to ride in these. I used steel rat trap pedals, without clips, I think. No sole support at all — probably contributed to my present metatarsal pain. OTOH, the soles were about 5 inches thick and provided a great deal of braking material when I rode my very first complete bike build, as it had a freewheel but no brakes (rode it on fast curvy hills and in downtown traffic). I braked by shoving the right Ked onto the 24” front wheel. (Rear was 700C.)

[Dan]

Great conversation!

My go-to are Nike Air Force One, in all black. 

They’re a nice boot-ish sneaker that doesn’t mind a bit of hike a bike and is water resistant-ish. 

[DJC]

I transitioned to no-rise, minimalist footwear 5 years ago and it has made a world of difference in my foot / lower limb health and strength. My preferred cycling sneakers are the Xero Prio when the weather gets cooler, otherwise it's Xero sandals with big, grippy flats.

[George Schick]

About three years ago I went Riv for some reason and transitioned from clipless SPD to platform pedals - VP Thin Gripsters.  I wear New Balance running shoes.  But the last pair I bought have very thick springy soles and they're not as much to my liking as older ones.  I may have to look into some of the footwear used by commenters on this thread.

[John Bokman]

Brian do you notice the "Skate" versions being any stiffer underfoot than the regular shoes? Some of them have what they call a "waffle cup" sole, which is supposedly more protective (I assume stiffer) underfoot? Not sure theese are what you wear?

https://www.vans.com/en-us/p/shoes/icons/era-5320/skate-era-wafflecup-VN000EF0BA2

John

[Johnny Alien]

I find that skate specific shoes have a grippier bottom. I prefer them as well

[John Bokman]

I am also wondering if there is any actual difference between the BMX shoes and their Skate shoes? Anyone tried both?

Thanks!

John

[Brian Forsee]

I've only ever used 'skate' or 'bmx' designated Vans. I do believe they are slightly stiffer than say the slip-ons, but I wouldn't necessarily call them a stiff shoe. 

I'm on my first pair of 'BMX' vans. They do have a different waffle sole pattern than other Vans. There is an area under the pedal zone that seems to be a little harder. I've had these since Feb and they are holding up a little better to spikey mtb pedals than other Vans I've had. But overall I'd say they're pretty similar. I do like ones with the slightly thicker 'PROCUSH' insole. 

[derek zeitel]

Drew,

I've been eyeing the canvas low tops from Last Resort for  some time. Do you think they would accommodate mid-wide foot?

All,

After riding in Vans canvas Authentincs for decades, my 53 year old feet have requested something with more support and a bit more structure. I'm currently riding in New Balance 440 V2 (a model from their skateboarding line) in a wide width and they have been great. The sole is surprisingly firm/rigid for a skate shoe but that has been a pleasant surprise for pedaling. They are a touch on the warm side, would love to see them make an all canvas option.

Best,

Derek Z

Buchanan, NY

[Bill Lindsay]

Those New Balance 440's are sharp.  They look good.  

BL in EC

[Chris Halasz]

Nobody - nobody in Tiger Mexico 66s? 

[rlti...@gmail.com]

Those Prio’s look interesting. I’ve basically spent my 

whole life in shoes. I decided that was likely not great for my feet so I went on an alternative footwear search.

I hate flip flops or any other shoe that is loose on my feet. And I can’t stand anything that puts a strap between my toes. But, oddly enough, I settled on some minimalist sandals and clogs. I like the Bedrock Cairn EVO Pro sandals and their Mountain Clogs. But even better I think are the Luna sandals I have. My favorites are also the most minimalist. The Leadville Trail sandal.

All of these work well with the flat pedals with pins I have on all of my main rides. In what passes as winter here I wear socks with both the sandals and clogs. I even have some split toe waterproof liners to wear with the sandals when needed.

Robert Tilley

San Diego, CA

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 12, 2026, at 4:19 AM, DJC <djcav...@gmail.com> wrote:

I transitioned to no-rise, minimalist footwear 5 years ago and it has made a world of difference in my foot / lower limb health and strength. My preferred cycling sneakers are the Xero Prio when the weather gets cooler, otherwise it's Xero sandals with big, grippy flats.

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[john Bokman]

Robert, as someone who also loves his Lunas (Oso Flaco for me), and has some Bedrocks incoming (Cairn Evo 3D Pro), I’d love to know where you source your split-toe waterproof liners.

John

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[rlti...@gmail.com]

Luna sells them. They are an “oversock” rather than an inner liner. They are described as water resistant rather than waterproof but I have not had issues in the rain we get here. They may wet through in long exposure to heavy rain though. This is the link:

Robert Tilley

San Diego, CA

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 12, 2026, at 9:54 PM, john Bokman <jpbc...@gmail.com> wrote:

Robert, as someone who also loves his Lunas (Oso Flaco for me), and has some Bedrocks incoming (Cairn Evo 3D Pro), I’d love to know where you source your split-toe waterproof liners.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/739C8A1D-CC36-4A43-9516-9D7B7869E289%40gmail.com.

[john Bokman]

Thanks for the link Robert.

John

On Jun 13, 2026, at 9:24 AM, rlti...@gmail.com wrote:

Luna sells them. They are an “oversock” rather than an inner liner. They are described as water resistant rather than waterproof but I have not had issues in the rain we get here. They may wet through in long exposure to heavy rain though. This is the link:

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/EB50EFD1-42FE-4192-B4B6-BB7A8D45FC2A%40gmail.com.