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.

Feet First 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.

My 661 Dually’s were very comfy but fell apart very fast. Talking to a shop keeper they had the same experience.

motorbike boots???wtf?

GNARGNAR – Member
Marzocchi shoes (rebadged 5 10s) are £65 on crc at the minute. They will easily outlast 3 or 4 pairs of skate shoes.

they will also outlast 100,000 carrier bags in a landfill.

😆 😛

oh.

rr, i had a chat with mate who wears 661 and he suggests you go 1 sze up, so if you are size44 go for a 45.

O yeah, forgot to say, I also ride on flats and use V8’s and skateshoes – Airwalks@ £20 from TKMAXX.

I had some of the 661 tacky ones and they were awful!! So much so that I wouldn’t buy any 661 products again (to be honest it was a mioxture of this, ill fitting armour and poor quality gloves) Just how scardy described them, really soft sole and hard edges – really not comfy, not particularly grippy and fell apart pretty soon (i was glad). I now have 5:10’s and you really can believe the hype with these, mega comfy, mega grippy and had them over 12months and not showing any sifns of falling apart – FWIW mine are the original plain black suede ones not the garish new ones.

Oh yeah I am 44 in Spesh SPD shoes but 45 fits nicely in the the 661s.

If you want 5:10’s without the “special” looks, try some Guides. Same sole but less clumpy.
I’ve been giving this flat pedal lark a whirl, but I just don’t get it. Kept getting bounced off the pedals in the rocks. & they hit things.
Might be better on the FS, but thats broken.