Shoes for flats

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Decided to fit flats to my off-road touring bike (Is it an adventure bike? Not when it's gathering dust in the garage) and now need to decide on suitable footwear. I have an old pair of Five:Tens's that I must have bought when pissed as they are by far the ugliest thing I posses. They make my Lauf look gorgeous. And they absorb water like a sponge, take ages to dry and weigh a ton...

Last time this was raised here, the majority of Boners appeared to be using fell-running type shoes. Is there a particular model that is best suited, or have things moved on?

[Steezysix]

The new Specialized shoes look pretty good, particularly the 2fo 1.0 which is lighter than the more DH models. Not sure when they'll be released here though, I'm either going to get them or some Adidas Trailcross to replace my Shimanos in the near future.

[Moder-dye]

Sadly Salomon's suit my foot size (12.5-13uk) and type. Sadly cos they're sooo pricey, so I generally buy whatever I can find in a sale; currently speed cross vario for no other reason than a bargain price and quick drying.

Not a gortex lined one as they are heavy when they get soaked and take an age to dry when camping.

I combine them with seal skin socks. I often just use them and the socks with gaiters for hiking boggy ground here too instead of boots.

Just have nice dry comfy pair of sock for in the tent/bag.

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Agree GTX shoes are lunacy, yet the market is flooded with them. I like Salamons, but they wear-out too quick, and I'd prefer a stiffer sole for riding.

Adidas Terex look interesting, and they used to produce a great fell shoe that I still own (just not great for riding in).

[atk]

I brought a pair of Terrex Solos with me as my main pair of shoes. Did some riding in them before leaving and they seemed pretty comfortable. Done a bunch of walking/running in them while we've been here, again pretty comfortable and reasonable grip until it gets muddy.

Seem good practicing tracksstands in the garage while I figure out how to get a cracked seat tube repaired...

[benp1]

The model I'd go for at the moment is something from the adidas terrex range, they look great

[jam bo]

https://www.bananafingers.co.uk/five-te ... -4965.html

[Moder-dye]

Terrex solos look interesting but only go up to a uk 12

[Alpinum]

Adidas Terrex Trail Cross.
I wear them with a thinner inner sole. Absolutely love them. Super balance of sole stiffness.
In my world (rocks flying around, hours of HAB, aggressive pedals) trail running shoes firstly don't hold up, secondly don't protect my feet enough and thirdly, whilst I love them for hiking, the sole is too soft for long days on/off the bike. I tend to get cramped feet. This doesn't happen with a slightly stiffer sole. The more rugged construction protects the toes much better then say Inov-8 Roclites or Terrocs. Also the Adidas is the right mix of being rugged/light, fast drying/protective.

The rubber is from another world too. Just as is with 5.10. It's the Stealth rubber too. Utter grip on pedals. No Vibram or other rubber comes close to it. And it get's even better, the tread is much grippier for hiking then many of the 5.10 (all I ever used, FR style sole).

[BreninBeener]

Im pretty sure that Adidas now own 5.10 and as such have used their rubber compound in the Terrex range.

[ianfitz]

The fell running type shoe would most likely be an inov 8.

Many different types on offer from the thin soled x-talon up to the far more cushioned roclight or trail-roc. None are a classical Mtb shoe. But they work ok with a flat pedal.

Most are good at the hike part of hikeabike though

[Bearbonesnorm]

Ooh, as a long time 5:10 user who got sick of paying £80 every 9 months for shoe shaped sponges, I started wearing Teva shoes which while still not brilliant, could be picked up cheaply. Now stocks appear to have dried up and I'm down to my last reserve pair, I'm liking the look of the Addidas Terrex Trail Cross Protect - could be just the ticket for winter.

[benp1]

I wear Teva Links, and have a spare pair for when these die as they've been discontinued

But my next walking/knocking about shoes will be the from Terrex range, I like the bike ones but it'll be a while before I need a pair. My original Tevas are lasting very well

The terrex range have continental soles in their walking range, and 5:10 soles in their bike range (from the ones I've seen anyway)

[whitestone]

I've a pair of Five Tens (or however they write out their name) and I think they are poorer than a simple pair of walking shoes/boots. I'd echo the comments about them getting wet - obviously designed in "why would anyone go out when it rains?" California.

If going the running shoe route then look at "trail" shoes rather than "fell" shoes as they've a much less aggressive tread and should mate up with the pins better.

[Mariner]

One to avoid.
Karrimor Tempo 3 Trail.
Look the part, tick all the right boxes for fit, sole pattern and stiffness etc.
Slippery as an eel in the wet even slide off my Saints with all the grippy studs.

Have to disagree with the GTex avoidance.
If you are not wading then GTex boots do keep the wet out on rainy days.

[ZeroDarkBivi]

GTX boots can be good, and I have a few pairs. Twice the freeboard of a shoe, so much better chance of staying dry.

[Moder-dye]

I chose to wear some gtx trail shoes (not boots) with flats recently on a small Orkney road tour with my wife as I knew we'd only be pootling on the bike and walking about a fair bit being tourists.

Out of habit I wore seal skins anyway and I'm glad I did as a day of heavy rain on road on day one left the shoes soaked through and slow and smelly to dry for the next few days...

[ianpv]

Addidas terrex trail cross are great - it's what I wore for the Lakeland 200 and HT550, great combination of walkability, rideability and dryability.

I've got a pair of INOV8 roclites but I don't like them on the bike, they don't grip well and aren't stiff enough.

Teva links are ok to ride in but heavy, 5 10s are great to ride in but useless in the wet, shimano AM44s are good but sole isn't great for HAB.

[gairym]

I'm on my 6th pair of Innov8's and I love 'em!

I hate shoes with stiff soles, especially with how much HAB there is around here, but even for peddling I prefer to feel the pedal.