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Shoes for Flats
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VanHalenFull Member
if you are a push up and razz down person the duffs 4130 will be useless in the wet as the tread is very flat. The sole is very very thin. not much padding anywhere useful. not as comfy as nike6.0’s or vans. lots of holes for water. ok for dry weather only. grip wise they are good though – ie i didnt notice not having any. Ive put my shimano insoles in to make them more comfy and fit better.
6.0’s i noticed lack of grip in the wet compared to a vans. very comfy though and i used them for ages so they last well and i got used to the grip. thickish sole too. good shoes.
shimano am41 defo good but as i move my feet alot the sole was wrecked before i wore the uppers in much. i kept on using them though and i thought they were pretty good (especially once all the tread had been ripped off where the pis sit. good grip pushing up in the wet. but for me to buy again i’d like to see a better tread pattern. i used them for all weather riding and commuting daily and really liked them apart from the sole thing. i got em cheap but i wouldnt pay list price for them.
not used 510’s due to the water absorbtion thing and i need to use them daily. but i might give the freeriders a go if i can find some at a sensible price.
ive gone clipped in now so use a vans clipppy shoe. they weight a tonne but seen to be more like the shimano for water resistance.
i want to try some vans gravels but cant find any in stock. but then i love vans shoes they fit me great.
devsFree MemberI have had 3 sets of 5.10 impacts. The first set lasted over 3 years and I binned them because the sole had worn through. Given the amount of riding they got I don’t think another shoe would have lasted any longer. I’m on the second set now and the 3rd are there just in case. I have never paid more than £65 for any of them. Nothing else compares in terms of grip and feel on the bike. Yes they get wet in very heavy rain. I use disposable nappies or puppy pads to soak up the water and then in front of the radiator or in the drying room they go. Dry for the next day. I have tried Vans and DCs but they just don’t cut it for grip and feel. I wear them down the pub nowadays.
kenneththecurtainFree MemberKenneth, how do the freeriders hold up in the wet? Are they like the impacts and soak water up like a sponge? I dont want something which is going to take half a week to dry up. Cheers
Yea, they do get pretty wet. If you need them for a wet race weekend you can always use sealskinz the 2nd day to make putting them back on a bit more pleasant…
With newspaper in them in the house they’ll dry in a couple of days
NorthwindFull MemberIf you could still get AM40s, I’d recommend those… Mine have now outlasted my 5 10s by something like 3:1 and though they’re showing it now, they’re still working fine. Everything from XC to downhill racing, no bother. The Five Tens did have more grip, but I just found that a disadvantage- the Shimanos have lots more grip than I need even with some pins taken out of my pedals, so the 5 10s end up being too grippy.
That and being really terribly made- like a Tesco trainer, they just fell apart after one winter.
Having said that I think I’ll get some Freeriders next as Vans Gravels seem to be out of stock everywhere and AM41s are too ugly to be considered.
CaptainFlashheart – Member
The Freeride sole issue was only on very early versions. All recent ones are tip top
Assuming you mean the sticky layer coming off the inner sole, they still do it.
ahwilesFree Memberis there some kind of ‘it looks like a trek’ internet meme/gag that i don’t know about?
there are a lot of comments like this:
…AM41s are too ugly…
floating round.
er, they’re the same as AM40’s, but black.
i don’t get it.
?
XyleneFree MemberI ride in some really old columbia pull on trainers.
They have lost all their grip, but are still unbelievably grippy on the pedal – bog all use for climbing up muddy hills though
steezysixFree Member^^ The old AM40 is actually pretty different to the new AM41 – it was a brown and white nubuck type material with some leaf pattern – Mine are still going strong. The new ones are more like the old white clip shoe that as others have said, have a plasticy finish – this is probably better at shedding water though. On the plus side, if they look worse, you’re less likely to wear out the sole going to the pub/cinema/etc!
nickheadFree MemberI’ve been using the AM41s for a few months, and I’m not keen… the Vibram sole is nowhere near as grippy, or durable as FiveTen rubber – the pattern has worn away at the pedal contact points already
I’m looking forward to checking out the new Teva Links (One Planet at Llandegla have them in stock, apparently), but not sure how durable the uppers will be – they look a bit lightweight.
Most likely to go for a set of the Five Ten skate style shoes… I have a pair of Impacts, but hate the clod-hopper feeling when wearing them for anything other than DH
jediFull Memberi have been using heavy canvas nike 6.0 for a bit now.
great shoe. dries quick too. i have wide feet 🙂montariusFree MemberJedi, which version of the 6.0’s do you have? Seems to be hundreds of variations. Are the soles the same in all of them?
ltheisingerFree MemberHad Shimano’s – never again because of the sole wearing VERY quick. Now I use Fve Ten Impacts and they are FANTASTIC.
I went through a stream/river 7/8″ deep this weekend on a ride, so my feet got VERY wet and the shoes had dried by the end of the ride, so I don’t agree with the previous statements of taking a long time to dry?
FIVE TENS everytime for me from now on.
ahwilesFree Membertoo MUCH use OF caps-LOCK, YOUR opinion CANNOT be CONSIDERED – sorry I don’t MAKE the RULES.
montariusFree MemberHas anyone tried the Karrimor Summit shoes? Heard some decent things and very cheap. Link
davidtaylforthFree MemberFor downhill in the alps on a hardtail – 5:10’s
for anything else, they are too big, clumpy, heavy etc. etc. You cant feel the pedals at all.
Get some BMX shoes like Vans.
montariusFree MemberIm no downhill rider, I typically ride around Surrey Hills and Swinley.
Looking at Van Gravels but all out of stock. Too much to pick and all seem to have some weaknesses. Might have to design my own shoe at this rate, seems like there is a gap in the market.
alpinFree MemberNike 6.0: Happy to try these but don’t know where to buy them from – too much choice..?? Nike shoes are typically a bit thin for me (Wide feet). Can the same be said for the 6.0’s?
i’ve been using the 6.0s for the best part of two years. have gone through 1.5 pairs of shoes in that time. lots of riding and i tend to wear them when out and about, too.
the sole is plenty grippy, i find.
borowed a paif of 5tens from a friend for a day. would agree with dtf, the shoe is big and clumsy (IMO).
not all 6.0s have the same tread. i found the Mogan series to be the grippiest. the ones with this sole:
or this sole:
last time i was in the UK i picked up three pairs for £30 each. should last me a while.
only gripe is that they aren’t massively waterproof, but then what shoe is when you’re wearing shorts…?
@ Jedi, what one with heavy canvas?
montariusFree Memberlast time i was in the UK i picked up three pairs for £30 each
Where from?
jediFull Memberi get mine form the hatfield galleria nike shop. £30 each. mine have a wave sole and are canvas
montariusFree MemberHmm, got a factory store near to me, will have to head down there next week. Cheers
davidtaylforthFree MemberTry the source bmx, alans bmx, custom riders or extreme direct for cheap bmx shoes.
flowFree MemberFive 10’s are site, they fall apart and are just overpriced skate shoes.
DC Shoes, £25 TK Maxx.
Lasted so long I wore a hole in the sole, if it wan’t for that they would still be going.
outthereFree MemberI bought some air walk scate shoes. £25 bargain! I have never looked closely but I dont notice a lot of difference between scate shoes and mtb flat shoes apart from the price!
ahwilesFree Memberi’ve found sk8 shoes to be too soft and squidgy in the sole – which is also too flexible, and i h8 the MASSIVE padded tongue. Seriously, what the hell is that for?
and they’re rubbish when you need to walk any distance on a surface that isn’t tarmac.
flowFree Memberi’ve found sk8 shoes to be too soft and squidgy in the sole
Nice and grippy and wrap round the pedal?
and i h8 the MASSIVE padded tongue. Seriously, what the hell is that for?
Obviously for protecting the top of your foot from a skateboard, its not exactly rocket science.
and they’re rubbish when you need to walk any distance on a surface that isn’t tarmac.
No different to 5 10’s then.
ahwilesFree Memberflow – Member
Nice and grippy and wrap round the pedal?
hmm, i meant more of the squidgy-ness of the ‘cushioning’ within the sole, rather than the bottom surface.
Obviously for protecting the top of your foot from a skateboard, its not exactly rocket science.
yeah, i hate it when a skateboard lands on the top of my foot…
No different to 5 10’s then.
true.
Hob-NobFree MemberTried various skate shoes, universally grip is fairly crap & the sole is too flexible.
Have ridden and raced in 5-10’s for the last 5 years. Wouldn’t use anything else. My main pair are 4 years old now & still going strong 🙂
x3manFree MemberI’ve had same pair of 5-10 impact 2 low’s for over 18 months of regular riding now and they still are in good condition. I like them but would probably want to try freeriders next. Plenty of grip and foot protection however all that protection does make it look like you just mugged a teddy boy. As far as getting wet they seem no worse at drying out than any other padded trainer/skate shoe. All in all a good flat pedal shoe if a little pricey.
fourbangerFree MemberI use some ancient airwalks that seem to be going on forever.
Some keen prices on here mind:
http://www.sportsdirect.com/mens/mens-skate-shoes?mppp=trueseosamh77Free MemberI cant understand why there is such little choice in shoes for flats??
Because any pair of trainers with a softish sole will do?
cookeaaFull Memberif you are a push up and razz down person the duffs 4130 will be useless in the wet as the tread is very flat. The sole is very very thin. not much padding anywhere useful.
Couldn’t agree less I really like My 4130s I find the sole much stiffer than any of the Vans/DC/Airwalk/Nikes I’ve ever ridden and they work quite well for me…. Never tried Five10s so can’t comment there…
I think alot of the grip isse comes down to pedal choice too V8/12s and CB 50/50s are toss, theses plenty of better profiled wide pedals out there these days…
montariusFree MemberWith Vans Gravels being out of stock, does anyone have any experience with Vans Whip 3?
Seem to be more of a BMX shoe but would it be ok for MTB? What are the main differences?
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