Shoes for commuting?

[Will]

My nice blue Shimano SPD shoes are starting to fall apart, and I'm looking around for some replacements...

I use the shoes for commuting on my road bike, but also sometimes on my mountain bike (e.g. racing), so I'd need mountain bike shoes. Carbon is my sole of choice, as I can't bear to think of my valuable energy being wasted by a flexy sole

I'm quite into the idea of some pimpy shoes, and was thinking about Sidis. Are they any good? I remember being told my someone in Condor Cycles a few years ago that they came up a bit on the narrow side.

Apart from being pimpy with a carbon sole, the other key requirement is that they will cope with being used every (working) day for commuting over the course of several years, and so survive through bad weather, plus the odd session in the washing machine when they get a bit smelly.

I appreciate that most of you fellas (and gals) are roadie whizzes, so I guess I'm just looking for general recommendations of brands. Cheers.

[Dominic]

GB's are doing some carbon soled Nike MTB shoes for £45 reduced from £100. Silver Nike Alpin 2. I am hopefully getting some later in the month and will be using them for similar purposes. If you can wait for some feedback then I will let you know.

Sounds like you may need them quite soon though.

[Dr Frigo]

Sidis are narrow (i use a 42.5 wheras 41 normally) but best shoes I ever had. Shame it's the velcro flys that are giving up rather than anything else on an old pair i have. Get some with ratchet closures.


shoes in washing machine?! with my repuTATION?

[Dr Frigo]

Can you guess i've been on the beers with jason ratboy FG and joel? it's been too bloody long! We have to all get together for a xc/dh/allmountain/powerxc ride.

[Will]

i bet you'll have a sore head in the morning

[BrendanM]

If you intend to put them in the washing maching make sure the inner sole is not made of cardboard.

My otherwise well made Sidis have this drawback.

I'm not referring to the removable insole.

[Grahame]

I have broad feet and find the normal Sidis fit me well.

They never go near the washing machine because of the cardboard insole issue that Brendan mentioned, but they are made of a type of fake leather (lorica?) that doesn't seem to get smelly.

My pairs sem to last about 3 years each, Sylvain's velcro issue has effected one pair of mine, but the local shoe repair man fixed it.

If you are getting them from a big shop, there is a rumour of a "Mega" or wide width Sidi shoe available to order, but not stocked by the shops.

[Dr Frigo]

[quote]i bet you'll have a sore head in the morning

[Will]

Those Nike shoes look like a bargain. I'm not in that much of a rush, so would be interested to hear your thoughts. (That said, who knows what impulse decisions I will make next time I'm in a bike shop!)

Those D2 shoes sure do look pimpy, so they certainly meet that requirement! Not sure I'm prepared to fork out $600 for a pair

And I can't believe that Sidi use cardboard insoles! Does anyone have any idea why?!?!?

[Grahame]

They're Italian and can't find a way to make them rust? So they need another "shonky" solution?

[simonfrench]

Personally I'm loving my specialized MTB shoes for commuting - flat feet & knackered knees - and the wedge/instep support set up they use has sorted most of my knee pain.

No idea what they weigh but they've lasted 3 years commuting and fine so far.

[Dr Frigo]

[quote]And I can't believe that Sidi use cardboard insoles! Does anyone have any idea why?!?!?