I’m a recent convert to flat pedals after an amazing trip to the French Alps and am thinking about buying flat pedal shoes, I was just wondering if anyone could recommended any shoes, I’m size 8-9. Thanks if you could help!

Some variation of 5:10 Impact or freerider, they’re light years ahead of the competition grip wise.

Yep, Freeriders are my pick. So grippy, and dry faster than the Impacts.

I have the Five Ten Freerider VXi and they work well for me. Comfortable, plenty of support and the sole is as grippy as a very grippy thing. Use them on good pedals and they feel as if they’re glued down.

How much are you looking to spend?

At the other end of the price spectrum I purchased some cheap airwalk skate shoes that have done a surprisingly good job.

Shimano AM41, or something cheap from sports direct.

The sports direct pap is better than you’d think because the soles aren’t as supple as decent skate shoes, and with decent pedals (nanos for me) the grip is more than enough for general riding.

Vision Street Wear BMX shoes at Sports Direct are currently £15 and are as good as the classic Vans. Similar sole, very grippy.

Vans Gravel. IMHO better than the 5:10 Freeriders they replaced.

Ok Thanks, I’m just looking at all the shoes!

I have the old Shimano AM40s, Teva links & Sombrio Shazams (I think!) all are good. Shimano edge it for ‘favourites’.

After seeing a mate’s fall apart after 3 months, not Vans Gravel.

Five Tens are the grippiest but there’s tons of shoes that are grippier than they need to be, so it’s not really an issue IMO. I like my Freeriders and I tend to pick them for longer or more testing days (the sort of days when you’re more likely to **** up, which is when that extra grip can be useful) but my Sombrios are better in most other ways so they’re the ones that get worn the most (X-Floats for summer, Freerider-ish, and X-Shazams for winter, superb)

@getonyourbike Thanks for the advice and great video, your jumping was really good!

@northwind Ok, by the way are freeriders easy enough to walk around in, just wondering but thanks.

Freeriders are fine for walking round in and for uphill pushing/portage especially on rockier stuff.

A mate has Freerides and I have sombrios which seem fairly much on a par for grip but I recently was seduced by a half price offer on Teva Links and they are not in the same league. Robust and comfy but very poor levels of stickiness

Vans Gravel. IMHO better than the 5:10 Freeriders they replaced.

have your three week old pair starting falling apart like mine. 😥

I have been using teva links for the past 2 months since converting to flats, seem pretty bombproof, have a water resistant outer and are really comfy, they are not as grippy as the 5:10’s i tried, but i like to move my feet a bit on the pedals to readjust sometimes so they are good for that.
i gave them a clean at the weekend and they still look like new, the sole is really good for muddy climbs as well i find and comfortable enough and looks like a trainer so you can wear it casually.

For general trail riding shimano’s all the way. The big winner is the lace cover that stop all the water pouring in your shoe but They are also very grippy and firm but not to firm for pedalling all day.5’10’s are just big sponges

I’ve gone to flats after 20 years on spd’s and am very happy with the AM41’s, good level of grip and comfortable for long rides. They coped very well with a particularly wet and muddy winter of off road commuting.

@ieu99- 🙂