No but for that money you might as well get 5:10's, which are by far the grippiest shoe for flat pedals.
Don't get drawn into the hype, just get down to TK Max and get yourself a £20 pair of vans, they work great 🙂
tried that yesterday - sheffield tk maxx had **** all!
Ah yes it can be a bit hit and miss 🙁
[i]Don't get drawn into the hype[/i]
It's not hype, why do atleast two thirds of dh riders use them? I bet you'll say highrollers are hype too...
5-10's are a bit timmmmmay tho.
Riding crappy push bikes down bits of mud is abit timmmmmmmay. ;o)
You've linked to the SPD ones so no, I wouldn't use them with flat pedals, even though the soles look suitable. I had a set of the older 661 "skate-style" SPD shoes and even after taking the cleats out they were way too stiff to be much cop with flats.
We can't all afford 70 or 80 squid on a pair of riding shoes. And there is alot of "fashion" involved , which is why theres 5000 different colour combinations available 🙂
I've got them but only briefly tried them with flats on my gf's bike. You don't have to take the cleats out btw - to use the spd part you have to rip out a section of the sole. They are fairly stiff but not that stiff - I wear em to work when I am cycling in and can't be arsed changing shoes.
Why are stiff shoes no good for flats?
[i]And there is alot of "fashion" involved[/i]
Err, no. They look awful but work perfectly. If you want ride on rough terrain and not slip a pedal, no matter how muddy your shoes are, they're worth twice that.
i second the vans.
If you want to ride on flats with 661's then get the models with the 'taki' soles.
Friend of mine uses a pair an loves em. Crc does one for not too much.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9512
I quite like vans too, but they look a bit odd on the bike without baggy jeans and a hoody.
Why are stiff shoes no good for flats?
It's not so much the stiffness of the sole, more the hardness. If it's too hard for pedals to dig in, then you slip off them pretty easily as soon as things get bumpy.
sputnik - how do those size up?
Can we just get a sticky that reads "For flat pedals - 5 10s"
Those 661 shoes look good. Anyone got a pair and can advise on how they compare to, say, Specialized shoes for sizing?
World cup du racers also use 8 inch bikes with super tacky dual ply tyres, so obviously there's no way you can ride a bike off road without those too...
Skate shoes or 661s will be fine, and as said aren't as timmmmmeeeee 😉
ANYONE USED THE ONES LINKED AND CARE TO ADVISE OVER SIZING?
i know i am shouting but only way to get back ON TOPIC
racing_ralph, my mate usualy wears a size 44 and he got the 661's in 44.
initialy he said they were a 'bit' snug, but after wearing them in ( a week in spain) he said they were a perfect fit.
He is now on his second pair of the same. first pair lasted over a year.
Taki soles are soft and grippy so does wear away faster than a hard sole.
The same will go for the wear and tear on 5 tens though.
We can't all afford 70 or 80 squid on a pair of riding shoes. And there is alot of "fashion" involved
**** me, I've read everything now. Where do you live if you think 5-10s are fashionable, Uzbekistan or Hull?
Somerset, we use wellies down 'ere
Van waffle grip used to be the best, but 5 10s are something else. Ask climbers!!
The 661 dont get good reviews and as some else pointed out they are around the same price.
As for the fashion angle, they've become 'fashionable' but mainly because they work. If they were cr** then I'm sure they would be in bargain bins everywhere as no one would have brought them for thier looks!
[url= http://www.kateskates.co.uk/froogle_mens.html?x5=2147367794 ]element townend[/url]
my current shoe of choice.
sole is stiff by trainer standards, but nowhere near as stiff as a spd obviously. Only come away from the pedals twice, once because the pedals foze over, the second time becase i bounced straight off them over brakeing bumps, the soles have got grippier with use, but dont seem to be getting torn/wearing like softer shoes have done.
Downsides:
-not cheep.
-heel cup takes somegetting used to, or its worn in.
Upsides:
+mud colour blends in well with real mud
+dries quickly on the radiator, and a quick brish with a stiff yard scrubber gets rid of the dry mud.
+they dont smell, no idea why, but they's completley odour free so far, mght be the number of mydy rides though 🙂
+£30 from TKMax in Reading.
I've got some element travertines with *erhem*(rasta)*erhem* laces, because I've lost my beloved DG's!!
I should point out that they did only cost a bargaintastic £19.99 from that TK place!
Leather waffle Vans for me. White, but only because they were the only leather ones in the sale in Schuh at the time.
TK Maxx keep on having every size but mine! Grrrr.
They even had some lovely Hosoi Rising Sun waffles the other day. £20. Every size but mine, once again.....!
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van s have grippy sole but are too soft for me.
i like shoes that are stiff and quite grippy so i can manouver my feet about on the pedals
5-10's should come with leg irons and a banardos collection box
hi Jedi, there's a motorbike shop in bristol that sell off Alpinestars moto X shoes and boots, theyre stiff but grippy and cheap 🙂
I bought some of those 661 shoes that sputnik linked
Didn't like em at all (on V12s) didn't feel very grippy. They have quite a flexy sole but really rigid edges, odd combo
Once spent a week in the alps riding in battered old reebok classic boots instead
(mind, I like softish, bendy soles - like 5-10s. they are almost too grippy sometimes but then I'm kack & don't manoeuvre other than by accident)
if youre going to buy those 661's (not the taki ones) then you might as well buy any pair of skate trainers. skate trainers are made to have grippy soles and you can use your common sense about wether the pins will hold or not just by looking at them. The reason you need a bit of flex is that some flat pedals are concave. a good sturdy skate shoe will last a long time because they're meant to be battered by grip tape on a skateboard so are usually triple layered around the toe and triple stitched to boot.
good brands are:
DC, DVS, adio, es, emerica - [url= http://www.rollersnakes.co.uk/ ]rollersnales online[/url] have a clearance sale on at the moment, have a look and see what you like..
unless you want the best grip possible (5:10s) then theres not going to be any difference between a pair of skate trainers and the 661 trainers
and can i just add that i've got some shimano flat pedal shoes and theyre not as grippy as the trainers i got for 25 quid from tk maxx 🙂
5.10s really do look a little "special".
LOL @ Jedi - "Leg irons" - that has just made my day!!!
Get down TK Maxx or check out shops like Cult Clothing or Rollersnakes - bet they have some reduced shoes which would be perfect - got my Etnies for £20 reduced from £60 - Result!!!
[url= http://www.rollersnakes.co.uk/home.php?cat=5068&Skate%20Shoes%20/%20Footwear ]Rollersnakes shoe link[/url]
CaptainFlashheart - Member
5.10s really do look a little "special".
All relative though isnt it.
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he is the epitome of kwl
Why wouldn't you want the best shoe for the job, especially if the pricing isn't too disimilar?
Those would be 5:10's.
BTW what pedals are you using?
The [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9512 ]661s[/url] are £30 the 510s are £70!
Marzocchi shoes (rebadged 5 10s) are £65 on crc at the minute. They will easily outlast 3 or 4 pairs of skate shoes.
Ive got the 661's and they are shite on flats. Far too stiff and not much grip. Great with shimano dx clips though as you can do a bit of in and out riding on sketchy / bail out stuff. Great off the bike too. Cleats don't touch the floor much.
[url= http://www.feetfirst.resoles.co.uk/cycling_mtb_shoe_repair.php ]Feet First[/url] Will resole skate shoes with 5:10 sticky rubber ... so you get the grip without the timmmmmmy. And possibly for slightly cheaper than the 5:10s if you grab a bargain.
OK, I'm going to try to clear up this 661s vs. 5:10s debate. I have always run 5:10s since making the purifying leap (pun intended) from spds to flats. The grip level they offer is really reassurring when going from the secure feeling that clipping in gives to riding flats for the first time since you were in your early teens.
BUT at £30 from our chums at CRC a pair of '06 661 Dually Takis were just too tempting for me recently, particularly with the recent price hikes that seem to be affecting a lot of goodies including 5:10s. I rode them for the first time last weekend and they were fine, even in soggy conditions mucking about with freelap poles and playing on the jumps. Definately not as grippy as 5:10s, but good enough.
So RR I'd suggest if you are experimenting with flats for the first time in a while you try the cheaper 661s with the Taki sole, the sizing seems normal to me, maybe a bit snug at first, but they wore in quick enough. If you see the light and want to stick with flats then treat yourself to some 5:10s.
I have no experience of riding in Vans or any other skate-type shoe, my ankles are far too skinny to be shown off without a bit of bootie coverage...
Longer pins in your pedals = more grip. £70 for shoes = rip-off.
