Touring Shoes
- Thread starter tucano
- Start date
Yes, My Shimanos, I removed the cleats and replaced them with the original sole plates: http://www.cyclingforums.com/t271258-fs-felt-trevisa-trekking-touring-bike.html
But the question is why wouldn't you use cleats?? They make going up hills so much easier. It makes it 15 to 30% easier to get up up hills.
Imagine how much work it takes to get 15 to 30% fitterer!!!. They are quicker to get out of at lights than toeclips. All it needs is a little bit of practice somewhere grassy , just in case.
They are cheap if you dont buy the top of the line models.
If you dont even use toe clips you most probably dont have your feet in the correct position over the pedal spindle and are risking knee damage/ strain.
Again why would you willingly do this to yourself??
Cheers
Geoff
Imagine how much work it takes to get 15 to 30% fitterer!!!. They are quicker to get out of at lights than toeclips. All it needs is a little bit of practice somewhere grassy , just in case.
They are cheap if you dont buy the top of the line models.
If you dont even use toe clips you most probably dont have your feet in the correct position over the pedal spindle and are risking knee damage/ strain.
Again why would you willingly do this to yourself??
Cheers
Geoff
Toe clips provide an entirely, and extremely, different feel to cycling. You can be very securely connected to the pedal by pulling the straps tight. And you can pull the straps loose tight, snug tight, very tight, extra tight or bear trap tight, however you like depending on your mood, location and terrain. You can nuance your ride in ways that cleats prevent.
When I used cleats, I lost the best of what clips provide. When I rode in cleats, I got bored and missed the process of pedaling. I missed choosing and feeling how the toe clips held my feet and I missed choosing and feeling the give or rigidity of the hold while pulling back or up and while pushing forward depending on where my foot was in the rotation. Yes, in toe clips you can indeed muscle 360 degrees of the rotation. I do not think I loose 15 percent because I can use all my strength at any point in the rotation. Maybe a very small percent of energy is lost to the flexibility of clips, even when they are very tight, but I am happy to give up a tiny bit of efficiency to have the comfort and adaptability of clips.
In a way, clips are like an equalizer on a stereo. In both cases, you can make severe, moderate or slight adjustments so the feel is just perfect and then adjust again later for a different perfection. Another analogy is that using clips is like being embraced while using cleats is like being grabbed. It is important, though, to use steel clips and leather straps. Nashbar had them cheap a while ago. Maybe they and others still do. I use them. Plastic clips and or straps have no capacity for subtle and supple adjustment.
For shoes, I use road shoes with hard plastic soles with nearly no flexibility. That stiffness is great so I just took off the cleats so the bottom is flat. There is a very small plastic tap on the sole at the toe. It is like a very mini cleat that catches the front of the pedal so, when my clips are tight, I do not slip out. When the clips are loose, I can still pull up and, even, up and back at the same time so I don’t slip out. Such nuance. I like that aspect of cycling. Another option would be to have a cobbler glue a thin, flat, not treaded, piece of rubber on the ball of the sole for traction on the pedal.
To fit into the clips, I cut off one of the Velcro straps of the shoe so the shoe slides unobstructed into the clip. Tri shoes with only one strap would not interfere with the toe clip at all.
I wish they made road shoes for toe clips, but I can live with making my own modifications. What I really wish is that they made shoes wider. Is it really necessary for shoes to be so narrow, especially for us tourers? Do other people find them so uncomfortable? Has anyone found wide road shoes?
When I used cleats, I lost the best of what clips provide. When I rode in cleats, I got bored and missed the process of pedaling. I missed choosing and feeling how the toe clips held my feet and I missed choosing and feeling the give or rigidity of the hold while pulling back or up and while pushing forward depending on where my foot was in the rotation. Yes, in toe clips you can indeed muscle 360 degrees of the rotation. I do not think I loose 15 percent because I can use all my strength at any point in the rotation. Maybe a very small percent of energy is lost to the flexibility of clips, even when they are very tight, but I am happy to give up a tiny bit of efficiency to have the comfort and adaptability of clips.
In a way, clips are like an equalizer on a stereo. In both cases, you can make severe, moderate or slight adjustments so the feel is just perfect and then adjust again later for a different perfection. Another analogy is that using clips is like being embraced while using cleats is like being grabbed. It is important, though, to use steel clips and leather straps. Nashbar had them cheap a while ago. Maybe they and others still do. I use them. Plastic clips and or straps have no capacity for subtle and supple adjustment.
For shoes, I use road shoes with hard plastic soles with nearly no flexibility. That stiffness is great so I just took off the cleats so the bottom is flat. There is a very small plastic tap on the sole at the toe. It is like a very mini cleat that catches the front of the pedal so, when my clips are tight, I do not slip out. When the clips are loose, I can still pull up and, even, up and back at the same time so I don’t slip out. Such nuance. I like that aspect of cycling. Another option would be to have a cobbler glue a thin, flat, not treaded, piece of rubber on the ball of the sole for traction on the pedal.
To fit into the clips, I cut off one of the Velcro straps of the shoe so the shoe slides unobstructed into the clip. Tri shoes with only one strap would not interfere with the toe clip at all.
I wish they made road shoes for toe clips, but I can live with making my own modifications. What I really wish is that they made shoes wider. Is it really necessary for shoes to be so narrow, especially for us tourers? Do other people find them so uncomfortable? Has anyone found wide road shoes?
i've been riding with toe clips for about 34 years and, like they say: if it works, don't fix it.as lugger says, you can adjust them loose or tight. cinched tightly, you can power through the full circle but, who does? personally, in a year's worth of riding i might pull up on the clips through 2 or 3 short, exceptionally steep sections if i have a particulary heavy load. legs are made fpr pushing, not pulling.
also, i have ones with leather sewn on the front part: comfortable and classy looking.
for shoes, i've always just worn running shoes. i've never had any foot/comfort problems except once long ago riding long days in an exceptionally cheap, thin soled pair. i tried on and walked around the store in a pair of riding shoes once. i couldn't see walking around in them and i wasn't about to bring two pairs of shoes when touring.
if you're guffawing, get ready to split your sides. i often put in long days or do 1 - 2 night trips on my mountain bike. what do i wear: sport sandals.
well, they have a firm but comfortable footbed and are very breezy. the fact is, i hate having to wear shoes of any sort. i'm in sandals well into late fall/early winter, until i notice my toes are blue or i can't feel them.
also, i have ones with leather sewn on the front part: comfortable and classy looking.
for shoes, i've always just worn running shoes. i've never had any foot/comfort problems except once long ago riding long days in an exceptionally cheap, thin soled pair. i tried on and walked around the store in a pair of riding shoes once. i couldn't see walking around in them and i wasn't about to bring two pairs of shoes when touring.
if you're guffawing, get ready to split your sides. i often put in long days or do 1 - 2 night trips on my mountain bike. what do i wear: sport sandals.
well, they have a firm but comfortable footbed and are very breezy. the fact is, i hate having to wear shoes of any sort. i'm in sandals well into late fall/early winter, until i notice my toes are blue or i can't feel them.
