I’m heading to the Alps in July to ride uplift trails with Trail Addiction.

Can I get away with normal cross country type cycling shoes, or is it worth getting something more downhill specific to protect my feet?

I’ll be using cleats if that’s helpful.

Your only cycling in the alps, not climbing the North Face of the Eiger. Stick with what you’ve got.

Depends on your cross country shoes.

I wouldn’t really want to wear my bonts in the alps, but that’s mainly because if I miss the cleat they can skid off the pedal quite easily, I wouldn’t want that on anything steep and technical, I would be happy enough with my spec rimes. I do go with flat pedals and 5 10s for downhill riding, I just feel a bit happier physiologically with them when it get really rough and steep.

I wore Salomon XA pro 3D running shoes on my last two trips to the alps, they were fine.

Wear what you’ve got and what you are used to.

The most important thing is to be confident on the bike. You’d be better served spending any money on knee/shin/elbow pads than new shoes in terms of protection. Of all the various crashes I’ve had my feet have never been in danger ! You might want to ease the tension off the cleats so you can twist out easily although not at the risk of becoming unclipped at the wrong moment.

For the record I ride flats/5-10’s as I like to be able to put my foot down on technical stuff if I need to but that just what I am used to.

Theyre just big hills, wear whatever you normally wear and enjoy it.
A mate of mine wears tennis shoes and old school 90s toe clips with straps in the Alps!

I went to Les Arcs last year, wearing my usual Five Ten Freeriders, and broke my toe on a big rock on La Varda. This year, I’ll be going to Les Arcs, wearing my usual Five Tens, and I’ll try and not kick any massive rocks. Sorted.

Personally I like riding clipped platforms (such as Shimano M424s) with flatter-soled shoes, such as Shimano AM45s, so you’re not totally screwed if you’re remounting on a steep descent and can’t clip in.

If you’re planning to go massively off-piste I’d look at some hiking crossover boots such as Shimano MT91s.

Wore my Sidi Dominators. They even worked ok for the totally crap new sport I invented called Biker-ski where you try to steer you bike through a foot and half of wet slush whilst trying to keep it vaguely pointed in the direction you want to go and trying not to fall off…. It even has its own theme tune which I won’t bore you with.

Occasional shouts of “Christohmyfuckinggoodggrifthatseffingcold” as your foot plunges into the worlds only naturally occurring slushy are, of course, entirely down to you

HTH

I tend to ride flats in the alps, but when I do ride spuds, I prefer something a bit sturdier than cross country space slippers, because it can bloomin hurt when rocks jump up and hit you in the toes.

Shimano AM45s are perfect

Dave

cross country space slippers

😆

Please.
I want to hear the theme tune.

Impressive filter avoidance up there!

Same stuff as you’d wear in Wales basically. There’s always a chance of a rock flying up so I’d have something sturdy anyway, and do wherever I go.

Also, like Wales… it does rain in the Alps, and rain, and rain, with lots and lots of mud. Take spare shoes so they can dry out while you ride, and something to walk around town rather than walking in muddy riding shoes. Though I’m hoping on glorious sun this year, but best to be prepared.

warns74, your mates not called Steve by any chance? I think i rode at Whiteroom with him last year rocking the wilson tennis shoe toe strap combo.
Just ride what your used to, i use spesh rimes and spd`s.

Stick with what you normally ride in. The same as stick with the bike you normally ride. It always amazes me that people leave their £4-5k All-mountain/Enduro bikes with decent suspension and parts at home and instead take an old crappy cheap DH bike with inferior parts

Wozza180. – yep that’s him! Best rider in tennis shoes I’ve seen to date! I was meant to be on that trip with the White Room but broke my collar bone a few weeks before…..still gutted about it!

Same here, wont be wearing or riding anything different than when I’m at home. Trusty Five Tens and faithful Enduro. Im taking a few spares out of the garage just in case as I dont like paying inflated prices. Slippers will be thrown in so it will just feel like home.

Ha ha thought so there can’t be many people tackling the downhills of Les Arc in tennis shoes and toe straps,just goes to prove what’s being said, just ride what you are used too. Proper funny seeing the confused look on the lifties faces as they took his bike off the chair.

When I was there in Morzine, there was a french girl shreding a Santa Cruz Nomad in white hot pants, a pink strappy top and white trainers, she was really quick , and was there every day

My first time in the alps I had SPD’s and shoes and had a nightmare clipping in when I really didn’t want to be clipped in and visa Versa.

Went for flats after that, everywhere, mates all eventually followed suit. Nobody has gone back to SPD’s.

As you are probably going in the next few weeks, I’d stick with what you have though, it’s a bit late to be changing to flats unless you think you can ride with them. If you change, Nukepfroof Electron and Shimano AM41’s (even if they look like they are made from penguins) work well or 5-10’s.

If you can ride clips then stick with them, no point in unsettling yourself. For shoes it may come down to how much wear you want your shoes to get, Do you want an excuse to get some new ones? I have used Spec BG shoes out there for years (comps, experts and s-works) with no issues. I’ve not got 5-10 minnars and Teva Pivots combined with CB MAllets for more options. So no real answer other that the alps is just a bigger version of the UK, go with that in mind not it’s a big scary world of much harder riding and you will be fine.

Cheers for all the responses.

Sounds like Alp specific footwear isn’t a must have.

My 12 year old Specialized comps are finally falling to pieces, so it’s time to invest in some new footwear. I can’t really afford some special shoes just for the Alps, so think I’ll look into getting some sturdy cross country replacements that I’ll be able to use once we get back.

The next challenge – finding some broad fitting size 12’s!!!!

When I was there in Morzine, there was a french girl shreding a Santa Cruz Nomad in white hot pants, a pink strappy top and white trainers, she was really quick , and was there every day

Regardless of clothing, I’d hazard a guess that there’s a correlation between “she was really quick” and “was there every day”.