More advice needed; Pedals and shoes

hi all, i had such a good feed back about frame info/etc last time i posted-wondered if you could all advise again. i am about to own my first fixed wheel single speed-i am from a skateboard/snowboard/downhill bike background (always had normal pedals on bikes)-i an unsure about clipless pedals-i can see the benifits etc-esp on a fixed wheel-but do they do a skateboard style urban shoe(what do you all use-pics if poss) just that i don't want a road racer stiletto. been looking at the crank bro range/with (platforms to some degree).

any help/advice etc more than welcome!

cheers again for anyone who posts! :) steve

shimano do a 'dx' shoe that's skate (ish) i think vans might do one too.. well at least they used to but i don't know if they make it anymore..

ok cool-will have a look. cheers dude

You can get skate style SPD shoes: http://brandscycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?catalogId=39&id=5732 or make them like MA3K does by using sole from cycling shoe implanted into skate shoe. I find MTB SPD shoes to be the best for general knocking about in. I use these coz they're cheap..

shimano do some bmx/vans style shoes with the holes for spd cleats however they will not give you the support of a proper mtb race shoe on the top of the foot, i found with that kind of padded shoe i could feel my foot lifting at the top of the pedal stroke even if they were done up tight, if you are just pottering around town this may be o.k. personally it drove me nuts and after 1 ride using my trainer style mtb shoes on the fixed i went out and brought some 'race' style shoes.

i saw some quite nice brown adidas ones that sound like they might be what you are after

just had a look at both adidas -minrett and elmoro. liking them both-thanks :)

these look amazing

Personally I think the skate style spd shoes look crap and they sacrifice performance.

mbt style shoe for clipless, walk around fine (not road racing style shoe / stiletto) are good and comfy.

If you don't want to walk around in them, chuck some shoes in your bag or a locker a work / collage.

Otherwise go for clips and straps and wear the same shoe all the time but have less efficentcy.

Life is a about compromising I know but I see no point in having the worst of both worlds, skate shoe (nice looking but floppy) + clips and straps or mbt shoe (ugly but stiff) and clipless.

p.s there is no real point in a clipless pedal with a cage around it unless you plan on riding in trainer just on the flats, all it does is add weight to the pedal and make pedal strike more likely. If you are just riding a mile or so riding on clipless pedals with out platforms is not too bad any how.

661 freeride shoes look like old hightops and work like a big comfy dream.

Also I'd strongly recommend against crank brothers. Having used a pair of eggbeaters for a few weeks I was truely elated to swap back to some SPDs. The float is really strange and it feels like you're connected to the pedal via the medium of marshmallow.

i bought a pair of northwave celcius yesterday, and wore 'em in the rain, it got to the point whe i actually hit puddles for fun as my feet stayed absolutely dry and toasty, no sweat though they got gore-tex! ;P

TheBrick(Tommy) Personally I think the skate style spd shoes look crap and they sacrifice performance.

If you don't want to walk around in them, chuck some shoes in your bag or a locker a work / collage.

Otherwise go for clips and straps and wear the same shoe all the time but have less efficentcy.

I've always used 'leisure' style spd shoes around town (Shimano, Specialized, etc) because:

i) I don't want to/forget to carry round spare shoes if I'm in my 'competition' spds.
ii) I don't need 'competition' efficiency in town, and the 'leisure' shoes seem to hold up to short bursts of intensity.
iii) If I use clips+straps, I need to have them cinched down TIGHT, or I keep yanking my foot out during the back of the pedal stroke... but if they're tight, I can't get out of them in an emergency as quickly as I can panic-disengage from clipless.

Dya get me?

My only recommendation regarding 'leisure' shoes, is to get them as cheap as possible (with a reasonable fit), because once the rubber sole has worn down, there's no getting away from walking on/killing brass cleats, or damaging floors :(

Sorry I think a misunderstanding has taken place, I was not refuring to using racing duck shoes when I was talking about using clipless pedals, I was saying using mbt style shoes these are good but not stylsih and you can walk in them. The look like skate shoes are neither stylish or nice to use, I have a pair at the moment runish!:) but you are right they are cheap which is why I have a pair at them moment, need some new shoes when I had no money, but I hate every thing aboutthem.

eyebrows these look amazing

Will they take spd?
I'm pretty sure they will, i just don't want to make a mistake...

Those 2 screw holes on the sole look suspiciously like they're designed for a mtb-style cleat ;)

@Tommy - currently using these for 'proper' rides:

and these (£29.99) for civilian duties:

Seem okay so far (though style is subjective, obviously), but I have to shove a couple of extra insoles in each shoe to make up for my long narrow feet - apparently a Celtic trait :S

One day we will all have our feet surgically enhanced with spd-compatible metal plates...

Which sidis are thoes? I have been looking are sidis and specialized for for some nice new shoes to get me out of my current ones. Ii have narrow feet too.

those adidas ones look like golf shoes. dont like em. oh, they're right...bicycles are the new golf!

im with tommy here. just get mtb shoes. cheap, stiff soles and good enough to walk on. if you want the urban/downhiller look, then get strapped! tried a mate's 'leisure' spds ages ago. comfy yes, but it's no different to being on normal shoes+strap (what i had at the time).

tho bugs me why the no one's yet come up with a quick release cleats?

Just wear full on duck road shoes all the time and carry some crocs ;-)

fatboyralph comfy yes, but it's no different to being on normal shoes+strap (what i had at the time).

It's different in that you don't have to keep reaching down and trying to loosen the strap (on a moving pedal) every time something dubious happens on the road (if you're someone like me who needs them strapped tight).

@Tommy - they're Sidi Eagle 6 SRS. As usual I need a size 44 (am normally a 43) and 2 sets of extra insoles, though I can take the insoles out if I want to use very thick socks. Thought I'd get on with the new Heel Cup System (ie. bits of plastic screwed on that narrows the fit round the achilles), but in the end they made the shoes feel LESS secure, so I took them off.

Possibly find them on close-out at velouk.com or whatever they're called...

Cheap option - I bought a pair but not used them yet. Sole is a bit thick, but seems stiff. Fit is snug/bit narrow - I bought 47 and am a wide size 11/12uk.

http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZukbikesuk £15 posted