Ok I know these are supposed to be the Daddy of all clipless shoes for flats but are they really that good?
I ride clipped and clipless and have been making do with some Vans hightops with waffle soles for clipless riding. These are ok, but they are very soft and have canvas uppers, not good in the cold.
I switch between the two alot, so I'd like a resonably priced shoe I can use for flats most of the year with a bit more stiffness and longevity than my Vans.
Fiveten or just get down to Allsports or Sports dircet?
Thanks
TK Maxx is always full of cheap skate shoes.
Duffs on crc at £26.99
Vans on wiggle at £45.00
Just picked up some Nike 6.0 in the schuh sale for £35
pair of old trainers? £cheap
If you want proper riding shoes, then AM41s are stiff, have good protection from the cold and wet (both significantly better than any skate shoe I've seen, and from what I hear also better than 5-10s) and are cheaper than 5-10s (if not as cheap as you can get skate shoes) - £60 at CRC or Merlin, maybe less if you can get a discount code.
+1 for AM41s - Ive got them, impressively weather resistant, wipe clean not quite as grippy as 5:10 but plenty of grip compared to eveyrthing else
I paid 45-50 cant remember exactly
AM41s are great riding shoes but not that much cheaper than 5:10s. It's worth checking out the sales on BMX websites. BMX shoes from brands like Orchid and Lotek are nice for riding in, stiffer than skate shoes and can usually be had for £30-ish.
You could always have the Stealth sole put on a shoe you like.
Or your old shoes http://www.feetfirst.resoles.co.uk/cycling_mtb_shoe_repair.php .
Seen some cheap Teva on m and m sports for about 25-30 quid.
The reason cheap skate shoes are cheap is because they're not as good. They tend to use synthetic rubber which simply doesn't grip as well, plus the soles tend to be very flexible which is less supportive/comfortable. Most of the time they'll be fine, but once you try 5.10 you realise how phenomenal the grip is. I use the AM41, as 5.10 are a bit [i]too[/i] grippy for my tastes, and I think the build quality is not as good as it should be for the price (cardboard midsole, anyone?). If you really want to get the best out of riding flats, it's worth spending a bit extra on a decent pair of shoes [i]and[/i] a decent pair of pedals. Have a look at the Shimanos - the new Teva Links also look very good.
I have a pair of AM40s that have had a hard life but still feel good and some Teva Links waiting in the wings. The Tevas are almost as expensive as 5.10s but first impressions suggest they're bombproof and the sole feels great (stiff enough, grippy enough, very like the AM40s with which I've never lacked pedal stiction).
get yourself some of these bad bitches for ~25 quid from Nike outlet.
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i've used several pairs of these over the last few years and can't complain about them.
nice grippy sole, but not so grippy that you can't move your foot on the pedal. not massively waterproof, but then they're not made with cardboard inners like the 5tens....
just spray you Vans with waterproofer or get some with a leather upper?
(If I'm not riding spds I'd rather be wearing something that looks decent down the pub too 🙂 )
Those Nike 6.0's are indeed "Bitchin" they would look really "fierce" with the DHB winter tights I have been riding in recently. Probably look better with a pair of skinny jeans.
Shimano AM41's seem to be the choice, better built than FiveTens?
Much better made (no cardboard used for starters) and easier to dry out. They don't give the wellington-like levels of waterproofing that some people claim, but they're probably the best winter flat pedal shoe I've used.
My AM41s' soles tore apart due to my moderately sharp Superstar Nano pedal pins and also the upper perished and the insides started coming out.
Merlin were great as usual and refunded me, and admitted they had had a few pairs back the same.
I won't buy another pair.
Oh, and check out CRC to see if they are still doing 5 10 freeriders for £56.
I've had a lot of skate shoes die from commuting with flats (that have sharp pins), and my 4 year old 5 10's are still running strong. I think on the long run it would have been cheaper to just have another cooler pair of 5.10's for commuting.
Strangely I've found my work books to have the most incredible grip. £20 no-name Stealers from the factory shop. You'd look a bit special on the trail but I can ride like Danny Hart on the way home from the yard. Almost
Although I tend to use old pairs approach shoes like Merrells or Keens
Flat pedals will eat soles, eventually. I'm on my second pair of Shimano AMs and I've not noticed any lack of longevity compared to the 5:10s I had previously. YMM (literally) V.
My 5 10 Impacts are the best part of 2 yrs old now and are just starting to wear on the outside uppers - no wear [i]at all[/i] on the sole even using Nano's and V8's (impressive...). Pricey but you get the quality.