"Modifying" road shoes for off road use

And those Shimanos look cheap and shit IMO.

Its the red that does it, if they were just black and white they’d be nice.

But they’ll all look shit after a couple of races anyway.

And those Shimanos look cheap and shit IMO.

Damn,they are my road shoes that I don’t do any running in.
I is all upset now 🙁 😉

Its the red that does it, if they were just black and white they’d be nice.

But they’ll all look shit after a couple of races anyway.

Yeah you might be right about the red. As said, my white S-Works ones still look good after 3 years, the stitching is dirty, but that’s it.

Will be keen to see if you can do it though, if you can then I’d be tempted to give it a go with a pair of the white Giro Empires 🙂

I see the MTB tread screws through the sole from under the insole, except for the toe tread which attaches from the outside.

So basically the question is… would Araldite hold that tread in place for any length of time on a smooth sole, or not? I don’t see why it would have to look crap if you did it neatly, but that’s perhaps a halcyon vision. Red tread not ideal either.

Just glue some sand paper or skate board grip on the midsole. I guess even a bit of road bar take might work.

Here is an idea, buy any gopping shoes but ones that a really stiff and fit, then just stick overshoes on, job done 😆

Skate board grip tape’s not a bad idea!

Glue holding stuff together on the sole of a road MTB shoe ? 😆

sorry what? you’re buying road shoes for skateboarding in?

Glue holding stuff together on the sole of a road MTB shoe ? 😆

What do you think keeps your shoes together as is? Fairy dust and unicorn tears? 🙄

Why-no point;

The point is that I like those shoes, I don’t like any MTB shoes I’ve seen as yet, and don’t want to spend lots of money on a product I don’t like the look of.

I feel I’ve been quite clear on this point.

Moulding, metal fixtures, that kind of stuff. Not just things glued onto the sole.

Anyway, go for it 🙂

You are being very clear, but I’d recommend some s-works mtb shoes I have dome nice white ones. Function always wins once they have been battered a bit. I suspect the road shoes wouldn’t be as robust?

What sort of stress is the tread actually under when you’re riding anyway? I imagine the most likely outcome would be ripping something off during a dab, but not sure how likely that really is.

I suspect I’m not a good enough rider to a avoid damaging the upper; foot down, walking!! etc.

Well the upper is identical to the MTB version, which I’ve never damaged, so that’s a non issue.

Again, not planning to walk in them, they’re for riding.

njee20 go on stick to your guns. I’d sand the areas down on the sole a bit first to give the glue something to key into. My only worry for you is the width of the adapter you are going to use, might require cutting your propsed tread up a bit to get it to fit around. Don’t bother with studs in the front, they are pain anyway as they tend to cantilever the shoe off your heal when running IME.

I think you are right about forces that the sole is under, as most of the time a dab will be straight down, no really forces on the glue much there. I’ve held together some Loake leather Oxfords for the past year with super glue, so gluing shoes can work.

For the £10 for the S-Works tread I may try and get hold of some and play around! They’d be damn light!

Agree I’m not sure about the adapters, they look quite clunky, and I wonder if they’d leave the cleats sitting proud of the tread anyway.

???

Laces are a no from me, they just fill with mud and go brittle. Bit too much like bowling shoes too!

Blimey Sam, I like that a lot! Real shoe?

Quick google confirms that it can be purchased 🙂 If I rode more mtb I would be sorely tempted.

I do like the colour of those, but it would just clash with my kit and bike!

I’ve got some Empires, damn they’re comfy 8)

Tried Lake neej ? They do some proper CX Orange shoes (but can’t think of the model name) they may do them in different colours too…

Edit MX331

If you want to pose, why not get roadie? Road riding is much more about the look.

Was going to suggest the Empires, will just drool instead. Bloody lovely!

Just a thought, do Five10 still to re-soling? Doubt it’d work as like you’ve suggested you just want to screw big blocks on really but…hmmm…

Agreed, there’s a lot of fooking ugly XC shoes.

I’m going to look at some S-Works road shoes at the LBS tomorrow – I think the profile of the sole could be an issue, the MTB ones certainly aren’t flat, plus my older S-Works road ones have some moulded toe tread which would be no use at all off road, but would make it much harder to attach anything else!

Interesting to know about Five10, didn’t know they did anything like that. As you say, prob overkill in this instance.

Jared used road shoes here,

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/article/pro-bike-jared-graves-29er-xc-race-bike-39587/

doesn’t mention how they were converted,

i really feel your pain, ive been after some high end xc shoes, but all the current season colours are crap

I wish I could find the pictures of someone (another pro XC racer) who’d done it years ago, the brake pad tread was really neat! Presumably Graves had done some mods, or you’d just use road pedals.

The US still have white S-Works MTB shoes, dunno why we have to have the dark ones.

Lance at Leadville?

Nope, was more minimalist than that – literally just used road cartridge pads either side of the cleat.

Ok I admit I wrong; I hope it can be done!

Well given you’re adamant that you’re not going to walk at all and presumably always be clipped in, you could fit road pedals to your MTB.

Or buy a road bike.

Just get some shoes that are designed for the job! and get out and ride you big poser 😉

Well given you’re adamant that you’re not going to walk at all and presumably always be clipped in, you could fit road pedals to your MTB.
Or buy a road bike.

I have a road bike, two in fact.

Road pedals are harder to clip into at the start of a race, plus I’m trying to avoid a huge compromise of functionality. I doubt I’ve walked half a mile in four years with my current shoes, not sure why that’s so hard to comprehend. Realistically I’d keep these for racing only anyway.

If I’m spending £200 on a pair of shoes I want to like them!

You obviously have no taste, as they look shit. The only reason you should be wearing crap like that, is if you’re a sponsored pro and/or are getting them for free.

Why not go for speedplay pedals?

Instead of sticking rubber bits on the bottom of your shoes why not get some material similar to the deck of a skateboard and stick that on?

I think your options are simple:

1). Source new pair of current shoes as NOS
2). Spend shitload of money on road shoes and possibly be successful in converting them or possibly ruin them
3). Buy some MTB shoes that you know will work – you know function over form

By the way white shoes never look good on or off the bike. Have you never seen National Lampoons Vacation…?

I realy don’t know why you would ignore the S-Works mtb shoes:

Not my cup of tea, but they don’t look too bad. People won’t think you’re such a tit for wearing them. 😆

I think they look horrible, just don’t like the black.

Instead of sticking rubber bits on the bottom of your shoes why not get some material similar to the deck of a skateboard and stick that on?

That’ll stop slipping, but won’t actually provide any traction.

By the way white shoes never look good on or off the bike. Have you never seen National Lampoons Vacation…?

Personal innit, I think white shoes look better, black look rather more like orthopaedic shoes than I care for.

Spend shitload of money on road shoes and possibly be successful in converting them or possibly ruin them

How will I ruin them? Not proposing to do anything irreversible, if it doesn’t work, I have some new road shoes…