I have major knee issues which has got to the point where i am now recovering from a high tibial osteotomy. Basically they cut the thigh bone above the knee, took a wedge out and made my knock knee into bow leg on the left leg. So i have a knock knee on the right and bow leg on the left. Its never going to work out with spds again and i want to get back on the bike. I have dmr v8's on the MTB.
Its going to be a long road back to getting any fitness so i dont need any performance advantage of spds. I cant risk any comedy clip failures.
So is there a nice set of flats which wont make me look like i am trying to take bystanders out at the shins with my huge pedals.
Is there a nice set of shoes which will offer some support on the sole without getting uncomfortable after a few hours.
Help appreciated
Try some touring shoes and pedals. Maybe use half clips on the pedals.
Somewhere like SJS or Spa Cycles will have a fair selection.
I have been riding in flats pedals and 5-10 trainer type shoes for the last 6 or so yeas, because of a fused ankle.
a couple of week ago I decided to try some spd pedals and shoes again. bought some DZR shoes and some shimano xt trekking pedals, which are spd one side and slat the other side...so far I am getting on with them.
Wellgo do some "road" flats and other small platform type pedals. Like this: http://en.wellgopedal.com/products_detail_6_480.htm
Good for kids bikes too - I've usually found the model I want then hunted for them on eBay
Specialized's touring shoes - although designed for SPDs also work just as well on flats, even with cleats attached - I use them with both quite happily
So is there a nice set of flats which wont make me look like i am trying to take bystanders out at the shins with my huge pedals.
Don't worry about that so much - if the issue is needing to have movement on the pedal to get a comfortable position then you want plenty of platform to stand on. Also with touring shoes you've got an area in the centre of the sole thats not connecting with the pedal so you want to make sure theres plenty of pins for the rest of the shoe to find. I'd avoid the super thin pedals where theres a ridge where axel sits as a touring shoe will rock on that and won't grip the pins fore and aft. Bog standard Shimano DX / Welgo / DMR DX copies work absolutely fine
Wellgo MG1s on my cross-type-thing. 5:10s, hiking boots and merrel minimal running shoes have all worked fine.
I've recently gone to road flats due to circulation problems. If I don't move my feet about they go numb.
I dug out some old Wellgo B050 and use my 510 Freeriders. Freeriders have quite a stiff sole, I find they support well enough and they're nicely padded so feel comfy, just a bit prone to getting wet. Rumours that recent floodwaters in the Vale of York went down considerably after I went out in my 510s are just mean.
The B050 are discontinued by the look, these seem the closest.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/wellgo-cnc-platform-b143-flat-pedals/rp-prod52877
Specialized Tahoe's are a decent 'everything' shoe, they come with a full sole by default where you have to cut the rubber window out to use SPD cleats so you can use them with SPDs or leave them as a normal shoe.
They are stiff enough for riding, but flexible enough for walking, look enough like a 'normal' shoe to pass for a normal outdoorsy shoe off the bike and they are not expensive.
The new Specialized Cadet looks like an even better casual option too, might have to go and fondle a pair of them to see...
Other shoes are good too, but I have some knee issues that mean the BG insert footbeds are a necessity for me, and so I stick with Spesh as they work for me and I can use the footbeds in any of them, also why I use SPDs on the road instead of normal road cleats, allows me to use the same shoes for MTB and road, but I also use Five Tens and flats on the MTB and do most of my commuting and utility/towing riding on flats as well.
Pedal wise, don't over think it, just use a decent flat pedal that you're comfortable with, super grippy and super big MTB platforms not necessarily a good thing on the road if you need freedom of movement and clearance, so don't be put off by older models like V8/12 with shorter pins, or Welgo copies. Some of the specific touring platform pedals are great too, but you need to find what works for you.
Some of the trials pedals work well I found - I had a nice pair of Rockman from Tarty Bikes - I think I've also seen a nice pair of road specific KCNC ..
Not sure about road specific pedals - I've just used Superstar Nanos (or one of the many variants) as once you've got your feet on the pedals what they look like doesn't matter. I'm sure your v8s will do the job admirably.
As for shoes, if you're planning longer rides then something with some stiffness in the sole can make a real difference to comfort. The specialized ones mentioned above look ideal.
Wow, thanks for all the suggestions.
When i get time to sift through them all i will sort some out. Thanks again
I got given some Tahoe shoes free, but soon gave them away as they were really floppy and made my feet ache when riding hard. My 5 10's karvers were stiffer in comparison.
Is this video real?
Strava record broken on a hybrid?
Edit
Doh its an e-bike