Stopped in to B&H and got a bargain on some unwanted special order Pearl Izumi x-alp seeks hiding on the bottom shelf. Time will tell if they work for me.
FORC'n Newbie
Stopped in to B&H and got a bargain on some unwanted special order Pearl Izumi x-alp seeks hiding on the bottom shelf. Time will tell if they work for me.
I started with spd and was frustrated by not being able to clip in easily when the cleats got dirty. I switched to Crank Bros and have been very happy.
Supporting Member
bringing this thread back to life one more time.......
i decided on the shimano m161's and have had them for about half the year now. I HATE THEM, and am in search of yet another set of shoes. this is a pain in the arse when none of the local shops are stocking shoes other than shimano (basically), or have to order in your size. the problem here is that once you order a pair, most shops want a commital. im looking for a place that i can go to try on LAKE shoes. i have searched the lake sight and am having trouble finding a dealer nearby. the list one of the ia cty shops but after a phone call, they dont sell them. i thought i remembered someone earlier in this thread posting about one of the cedar rapids stores having them???
now for the shoe...... they are uncomfortable int the heel cup and just plain dont feel right on the feet. i have an existing injured ankle that makes adjusting the right cleat sometimes and with this shoe, its been nearly impossible. i have been all around the base of the shoe with the cleats, added shims, turned this way and that way and still not right. they have about 200 miles on them and just arent comfortable on long rides. i rode tomrov home in my old supergo phantoms and they did me justice. wish i could find another pair of those babies, they held their own for a $80 ratchet strapped shoe purchased about 5 years ago.
the wheels on my bike go round and round......
Supporting Member
After doing numerous endurances races, and seeing hundreds of others doing endurance races in them as well, that Sidi's are worth every penny. Pony up once, and you'll be set for years. You don't happen to use the SPD cleat system, do you? If so, the 15 to 20 degree float of crank bros may help with that injured ankle.
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Poser
Best way to alleviate your pain?
FLATS
"ya, well...that's like...your...opinion. man."
FORC'n Newbie
Im not going to recommend anything, because everyone's feet are different. But I will brag about my Specialized body geometry shoes. They fit my feet perfectly. I picked them up on sale for $80, and have been wearing them now going on my 7th year. They have outlasted any other shoe I have ever worn. They are beaten, worn, tattered, the velcro is less sticky, not much of the outer sole left, there are deep gouges in the plastic bottom, but they have held up to years of unkind abuse. They could possibly be the best value MTB item I have ever purchased, next to my 12 year old $20 bell helmet that I still wear :)
Supporting Member
dru_b,Originally Posted by dru_b
What pedals do you have?
The pedals sometimes make ALL the difference! I had a cheap pair of SPD's and they contributed to me not liking my shoes for awhile. Once I got a pair of XT pedals, my shoes felt great and I liked how both performed. I like my SPD pedals coupled with my Shimano M086 better than my Crank Brothers pedals. (review...http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/catego...shoes-10-39646 I agree w/ this review.)
I went through 2 sets of Crank Brothers (broke the weld on the beater) in two seasons and they pretty much ruined my old shoes b/c my fat butt put so much weight on the 2 "beater contact areas" causing grooves in the bottom of my shoes. Eventually, I couldn't stay clipped-in.
I bought the new Shimano's and cheap SPD pedals, discovered I needed XT pedals, and have been happy ever since.
My 2 cents.
Ya didn't see me do it. Ya can't prove it!
Supporting Member
They do tend to leave grooves, but if you use the shims and replace them before it gets to the sole they work fine. I just got sick of going for an attack on a hill, standing to hit it hard, and the damn SPD would pop out. That's a big deal breaker in a race. It's never happened with my eggbeaters which is reason enough for me to not ever use SPD's again. To each there own though. Never used Specialized or Shimano shoes. Seen a lot of racers with Specialized shoes though and they look like good quality shows. I had some Lake shoes. I loved how comfortable they where, but I broke the sole on them (guess I was too powerful for them). I broke the soles on a few other shows before I finally got frustrated and bought my Sidi's. After thousands of miles my Sidi's are still going strong, and are very comfortable as well.
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Poser
Flats info ---
http://www.bikejames.com/cardio-trai...foot-pedaling/
"ya, well...that's like...your...opinion. man."
I have the M087 shoes and love them. I only clip in on the road though. When I'm on trails I'm unclipped because I'm not very good yet. Thankfully the pedals I bought are both clipless and platforms (Shimano M424s)
The shoes have decent tread for walking, which I do a lot of and mostly uphill. They also dry pretty quickly, which is an added bonus.
Supporting Member
thanks for the good read. i ride flats on my jumper and have absolutely no issues with them. i have been riding clipless for so long now aside from the jumper, that its all i know. maybe a set of flats back on the xtc should be in the thought process. guess ill have to get to the trails with a set of each and see what happens....
the wheels on my bike go round and round......
FORC'n Newbie
I agree with what the author of the article says about that lack of pedaling efficiency gained by using clipless pedals. I ran flats for quite some time for XC riding (and still do on my road bike). I have since switched to clipless for XC riding and stayed with them more because I don't have to worry about slipping pedals (such as climbing out of creek crossings with wet shoes) than for any perceived efficiency gains.
One thing I like about clipless is I can adjust my pedaling to compensate when muscles get sore. If my quads get burned out on the road, I can give them a break by mostly pulling up to pedal.
Power goes to crap, but at least I'm still going forward, LOL!
Granted, I do purely recreational riding, I'm guessing you would get passed doing this in a real race.
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