Cycling shoes

[steveindenmark]

Im not a racer, I prefer to tour.

But for next year I may take in a couple of Audax rides. The shoes I wear at the moment are touring shoes with the SPD set in so I can walk around in them and the soles are not rock solid. I have a pair of "proper" road bike shoes somewhere, which I wore once, I think. I didnt like the Bambi feeling when walking in them.

Im 57, not super fit, but can ride a bike all day and am more interested in Audax rides to challenge myself, rather then other people.

My question is, after all that waffle.

Do rigid riding shoes make a significant difference in Audax rides?

 

[andytheflyer]

I have a couple of pairs Specialised SPD shoes. One pair looks almost like an ordinary suede sports shoe and I wear them when going shopping on the bike - they don't look like bike shoes. But, I found that over longer distances (I assumed that) they made my feet ache. Taking advice (maybe on here?) I concluded that the soles were not stiff enough. So, I bought some more clunky MTB SPD shoes. I wear those for longer rides and have not had any more foot issues over the past 5 years or more.

So, you may wish to think about sole stiffness for longer rides.

But, IME, lots of Audax riders wear 'normal' road bike shoes. Hate to think what happens if they have a mechanical and have to walk some distance. I believe that Audaxing is about getting yourself out of a hole that you would not have got into if you'd planned ahead for various unforeseen (if that's not oxymoronic) scenarios. Shoes you can walk in on an Audax without wrecking the cleats seem a good plan to me.

 

[steveindenmark]

I think I will stick with my touring shoes. If I break down I can always get on a train with them. Doing it in road bike shoes would be a nightmare.

 

[EltonFrog]

I have a couple of pairs Specialised SPD shoes. One pair looks almost like an ordinary suede sports shoe and I wear them when going shopping on the bike - they don't look like bike shoes. But, I found that over longer distances (I assumed that) they made my feet ache. Taking advice (maybe on here?) I concluded that the soles were not stiff enough. So, I bought some more clunky MTB SPD shoes. I wear those for longer rides and have not had any more foot issues over the past 5 years or more.

So, you may wish to think about sole stiffness for longer rides.

But, IME, lots of Audax riders wear 'normal' road bike shoes. Hate to think what happens if they have a mechanical and have to walk some distance. I believe that Audaxing is about getting yourself out of a hole that you would not have got into if you'd planned ahead for various unforeseen (if that's not oxymoronic) scenarios. Shoes you can walk in on an Audax without wrecking the cleats seem a good plan to me.

Do you know which model number / style they are?

 

[andytheflyer]

Do you know which model number / style they are?

Label's a bit faded but I think it says: 6127 1546 SONOMA - think SONOMA is the style. Had them maybe 10 years or more though!

 

[vickster]

I have the Sonoma shoes, I wouldn't want to do more than 50 miles, the sole isn't stiff enough as above, Great for pottering on the bike and then some shopping They've not made them for a couple of years now

Unless you have size 42 feet and don't mind the women's ones

http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/p/25807/S...&network=pla&gclid=CMnlteTVlMcCFeTMtAod6lwBfw

 

[ACS]

Being a 'full value' Audax rider who's firmly believes in the ''I've never met a hill I cannot walk up" mantra I would never dream of taking part in any event wearing anything other than SPD shoes with a recessed cleat.