I want a lightweight, easy walking road shoe & pedal system!

[Globalti]

If you read my other post on here you'll see that I'm trying a Sidi shoe with Keos. Walking is a nightmare (I really fear I might break an ankle) and now after trying them I realise that the Sidis are slightly too big.

My good old SPD MTB shoes are super-comfy all day but HEAVY! The SPD setup weighs 480gms more than the Sidi/Keo setup. Can anybody recommend a lightweight, easy-walking, stiffish shoe/cleat pedal combination? I am a "sport" rider doing 3-4 hour rides with the odd bit of sightseeing or coffee stops thrown in.

 

[gavintc]

Have a look at the competitive end of the MTB shoe market. I got a Specialized BG pair last year and they look from the top side like roadie shoes, but have a recessed SPD fitment on the bottom. I use them for my commute and for winter training with the club.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products...oogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle

Quite happy with them - not as light as my top end roadie shoes but not bad.

 

[HLaB]

+1 I use a pair of them (spesh BG mtb) with light single sided spds (A520) on my winter/ training bike too.

 

[Globalti]

Thanks for the advice. I went to Ribble Cycles to try on some shoes and ended up buying a pair of Shimano R076, which are described as an entry level road shoe. They feel very comfortable and the best thing is that they will take off road or road SPDs or Look cleats so I can mess around with cleats and pedals and even wear them on the MTB if I want. The price was just a few pence over the value of a cheque I received this morning from Ethiopian Airways for a missed flight!

Here: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shimano_R076_Road_Shoes/5360040183/

 

[Redvers]

I’ve been trying to solve the same problem for some time now with limited success and I know from other forums that a lot of people are starting to get hot under the collar about this issue.
Cyclists want to use SPDs so that they can walk in them but they don’t want clumpy, overweight MTB shoes.

The so called ‘Touring Shoe’ is the answer but they are few and far between. The best compromise I have come up with so far is the Exustar SRT 707 weighing in at approx 655gms.

Vittoria are advertising the’1976s’ shoes on their website but so far nobody seems to sell them.

Dromarti are offering the Sortivo SPD shoe, good looking but expensive and not particularly light.

There are SPD Sandals of course but not always practical.

The situation with pedals is a little better , check out the Shimano PD-A530. I have been using these for 18 months now and they are light, reliable and look great on the bike.

 

[Globalti]

This Shimano touring/sport shoe looks good except that thanks to the recessed cleat you are limited to SPD pedals: http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/52/brt51/shimano-rt51-touring-shoe.html

It looks like a slimmed down version of one of their standard MTB shoes - no bad thing as they're comfortable but I'd want to try it in action with their one-sided road SPD pedal, the PD-A530 you mention above or PD-A520.

 

[Redvers]

Those Shimano shoes look like a good deal, personally I seem to have problems getting Shimano shoes to fit well, they seem to be either too narrow or too long, but that’s probably just my odd feet.

The PD-A530 pedal has been great for lightweight touring, commuting etc but perhaps for more serious sport riding a double sided pedal like the A520 would be better although there’s little to choose weight wise.

 

[andrew_s]

If you want lightweight SPD (speaking generically), try Eggbeaters. They are very little heavier than your Keos.
They aren't any good with soft-soled shoes, but there are plenty of stiff MTB shoes around - just go for the ones that are likje road shoes with stuck on walking tread.

 

[bonj2]

If you read my other post on here you'll see that I'm trying a Sidi shoe with Keos. Walking is a nightmare (I really fear I might break an ankle) and now after trying them I realise that the Sidis are slightly too big.

My good old SPD MTB shoes are super-comfy all day but HEAVY! The SPD setup weighs 480gms more than the Sidi/Keo setup. Can anybody recommend a lightweight, easy-walking, stiffish shoe/cleat pedal combination? I am a "sport" rider doing 3-4 hour rides with the odd bit of sightseeing or coffee stops thrown in.

* is there anything wrong with the SIDI shoes other than the fact they are too big - if they're my size i may be interested in taking them off your hands

* speedplay cleats are quite easy to walk in, esp. with the coffee shop covers on. You do obviously have the fact that your feet are tilted back so you have to sort of waddle, but they don't slip - is this why the keo cleats are hard to walk in, because they don't grip - or do you just find walking with your feet tilted back hard?

* with the speeplays, you may or may not want to take into account the weight of the coffee shop covers - you are still carrying them, but in your pocket - so it's not rotating weight!

* you don't mention what sort of keos you've got - there are lots of different ones - the most expensive are the carbon ones for example, which will obviously be lighter than the base model. This is the case with most pedals.

*specialized shoes are quite good

 

[Globalti]

There's nothing wrong with the Sidis, they are almost completely unworn. They're on Fleabay now, see the classifieds section. £20 + p&p.

The problem is not grip, I got Keo Classic pedals and grey cleats, which do have small soft rubber bits at the three points of ground contact. If truth be told the Shimano shoes I bought yesterday have a more stable heel than the Sidis, which makes walking feel a good deal less hazardous.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

as i always say, in the saddle for 50 miles, 100 metres max pottering around in the café. i choose what's best for the former, shoe/pedal wise, and have learned how to walk around in cleats without going arse over tit.

i'd just persevere with them rr.

edit: my road shoes are shimano (but with look delta cleats), and they are easy enough to walk in, although it doesn't do cleat wear any favours.

 

[Globalti]

Went out for a quick evening blast yesterday with the new Shimano shoes and they feel pretty good except for a pressure point on the outside of one foot. I will fiddle with insoles and padding to try to get that sorted.

The Keo cleats are much more stable with the Shimano shoe, they feel fine for short walks.