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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.
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@skully - get oversocks, like these for £7.50;
Don't know how I missed this post. Cheers Andy. Champ stripes on socks! Word.
I've been wearing something like a ski/walking sock on top of my regular socks. Very long, so long shorts overlap. With overshoes, just about stopped cold feet syndrome these last few weeks.
Today I wore knee warmers for the first time. Have to say they're pretty useful*, never thought I'd ever wear nylon and all this spandex shit, or SPDs for that matter.
*gave myself the horn too, found it all a bit erotic. Mentioned this to my missus at breakfast, who said 'don't put THAT on your bloody cycle forum'...hehe
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they look good actually, I treated myself to a new pair of 661 SPD shoes for xmas as my old shimano ones were getting a bit battered, and wanted something with velcro and clips rather than laces. I failed to realise quite how cold the breathable mesh on top of them was going to be in 0 temps, and on first spin this morning arrived at work with ice cubes for feet. definitely oversock/shoe time!
Ditto that - I just got a new pair of road shoes and the ventilation will be excellent come the summer, but for now they are little ice boxes!
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My Northwave areators have front and side vents, to funnel air through the shoe. Very clever if you live in the Med I suppose. Not so clever if you live in Norway :S .I therefore use some SIDI oversocks, half the time I'm using them.
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Today I wore knee warmers for the first time. Have to say they're pretty useful*, never thought I'd ever wear nylon and all this spandex shit, or SPDs for that matter.
*gave myself the horn too, found it all a bit erotic. Mentioned this to my missus at breakfast, who said 'don't put THAT on your bloody cycle forum'...hehe
Tactical quote. Your Missus was right.
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Would it be possible to have one thread on this forum that does not have the word "missus" in it? You're all at it at the moment. Who started this? Awful, awful word.
1582, abbreviation of mistress, originally in all uses of that word. The pl. Mmes. is an abbreviation of Fr. mesdames, pl. of madame. Pronunciation "missis" was considered vulgar at least into 18c. The Mrs. "one's wife" is from 1920.
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life partner
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sounds shit
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I prefer soul mate
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who is she the cats mother?
Skülly
Shannonball
Smallfurry
bq
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Balki
Sparky
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TheBrick(Tommy)
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Is it worth buying specialist cycling shoes?
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they look good actually, I treated myself to a new pair of 661 SPD shoes for xmas as my old shimano ones were getting a bit battered, and wanted something with velcro and clips rather than laces. I failed to realise quite how cold the breathable mesh on top of them was going to be in 0 temps, and on first spin this morning arrived at work with ice cubes for feet. definitely oversock/shoe time!