Having had 2 operations to sort my knee out, I've been advised to steer clear of clipless pedals at the moment.
I've got the old black Shimano AM40 shoes and rode with them for the 6 rides I managed last year before having to go back on the waiting list for another op! But after 15years of being clipped in, I find it unnerving not being attached to the bike (but nice knowing I can leave the pedals easily if needed!).
First ride of the mtn bike yesterday in 11 mths, and as I have to stick to flats for a while I was wondering if 5.10's would give me better grip?
What are your experiences?
Ta!
I can totaly recomend the 5-10's. I have a set of the freeriders which have made my spd's and AM40 shoes redundant. If serious XC is your thing then you will no doubt miss being cliped in but if like me you like to ride everywhere (local woods, street, work and out with the wife and kids etc) then these are what you need. i would recomend that you get some good flats mind....Superstar's flats are really decent for the cash and combined with the 5-10's the grip is fantastic.
Just had my first ride with five tens on Saturday - so good I forgot about them! Even good for pedalling uphill 😉
i moved from shimano to 5.10's. the stealth sole on the 5.10's is superb! if you have decent pins on your flats (try some terror pins) you will increase the grip even further. also find them more trainer like and bit comfier as a result.
+1 and the added bonus for me - you can wear warm woolly walking socks and hey presto no cold feet even in wet & cold winters.
I changed about 3 years ago and have not used clipless since.
how long do 5:10's usually last?
Been wearing mine for about a year most days even when not on the bike and they are still in propper good nick..... the soles start to come away around the edges a bit but it's purely cosmetic...so pretty solid i reckon.
3 years on my first set. their replaceents haven't been required yet! The soles are tatty now but they still grip. I love them - best bit of bike kit I ever bought.
3 years here too, though like DeVs they are showing signs of tiredness.
You even get a spare set of laces - bargain
I've got a set of 5 10s and a set of AM40s, prefer the AMs tbh. They're not quite as grippy but that's not really relevant, they're both massively more than grippy enough. But the AMs are nicer shoes all round, IMO. To be totally straight, if 5 10s aren't grippy enough then your solution isn't more grip, it's better footwork- both 5 10s and AM40s will only come off a decent pedal if you're unweighting your feet, and neither one will stay on if you do that.
Also wasn't impressed by my 5 10s poor longevity. Put it this way, my other riding shoes are a scabby old pair of Vans that I wore as everyday shoes til they were knackered, then retired onto the bike. They get more use than the 5 10s, but they're going to outlast them by an awfully long way despite having been half dead before they ever went on a pedal.
the soles start to come away around the edges a bit but it's purely cosmetic
That's a bit optimistic 🙂 Mine did that, and have disintegrated from the inside out. If I were you, I'd get the soles glued up now. I'm now on AM40's, which IMO have marginally less grip but are much stiffer and don't have a tendency to weigh over a kilo each when it rains...