Is it worth buying specialist cycling shoes?

I did go back. I got the extra power bit but they're simply not necessary to ride around town. like a lot of people i know on here i ride everywhere and I got bored of either carrying normal shoes everywhere to change into or being a cycling geek everywhere i was. i learned very quickly that there were no benefits weather-wise in their construction (the shoes and my feet still got soaked in rain) and i can only think of national health calliper shoes that look more unsexy than 95% of the cycling shoes on the market. the examples given above are typical.

in terms of power - i seem to have kept up with everyone on group rides since going back to clips and straps and i can still zoom around town if i want to. i'm not ruling out getting clipless again but i'd have to be doing 100 miles every weekend and be a proper roadie, which at the moment isn't where it is for me. none of my riding since i've been on here has needed them in my opinion.

to the OP i'd recommend you spend £35 on a new pair of vans rather than the £80 it'll cost you to go clipless. you'll feel the benefits of a new sole and you'll be good for 75 mile rides. Save your beat up old converse for rainy days.

Good post pajamas, most of that is very true for me too, I dig clips and straps still, and would prefer them especially for non-commute rides where I want to be able to lock up the bike and not hobble around or wear remedial-looking shimanos.

I've really enjoyed using SPDs this winter (it's all new to me ... did stall, fail to unclip and fall off in the snow pissed as hell before christmas... ow), but I'll still be using clips and straps esp when the weather improves (this winter I've found overshoes on my Sidis DO help water keep out more than when I wear trainers, and since my commute's got longer I've been happy to keep my fresh new Puma States at work and change when I get in).

Not sure about Vans though, for me personally I prefer my old faithfuls Nike ACG Okwahn, got stiff soles and are narrow at the toe. But then some pedals work a lot better with less stiff shoes, like those MKS platform ones.

Good to see *some *support for clips.