Shoes for use with flats and SPD?

JkNMtB14
Profile picture for user JkNMtB14
Posts
5
Joined
1/27/2013
Location
Morristown, NJ US
JkNMtB14
Edited Date/Time 8/18/2014 5:56am
When downhill biking I find that my feet keep slipping off the pedal making me bang my shins on the pins or run off the trail altogether. I was reading great things about Five ten impacts but I want to try out clipless pedals too. Point is I don't have enough money for impacts and SPD shoes so I wanted a pair that I could use for both flats and clipless. The Five ten hellcats seem nice as they have the same rubber as the impacts and I can clip them in as well. I just don't want to buy clipless shoes and clipless pedals only to find out I don't like the system. Any input is much appreciated.
|
SCparkstreetdirt 6/3/2013 3:17pm
6/3/2013 3:17pm
JkNMtB14 wrote:
When downhill biking I find that my feet keep slipping off the pedal making me bang my shins on the pins or run off the trail...
When downhill biking I find that my feet keep slipping off the pedal making me bang my shins on the pins or run off the trail altogether. I was reading great things about Five ten impacts but I want to try out clipless pedals too. Point is I don't have enough money for impacts and SPD shoes so I wanted a pair that I could use for both flats and clipless. The Five ten hellcats seem nice as they have the same rubber as the impacts and I can clip them in as well. I just don't want to buy clipless shoes and clipless pedals only to find out I don't like the system. Any input is much appreciated.
I have tried the 510 Minaar's before, they work great for both clipless and flats riding.
Big Bird
Profile picture for user Big Bird
Posts
2293
Joined
2/1/2011
Location
Oceano, CA US
Big Bird 6/3/2013 7:37pm
6/3/2013 7:37pm
Unless there is some new technology out there, the shoe you want isn't made. All clipless shoes that I've seen have a rubber bit that you have to tear out of the sole to expose the area where the cleat bolts on. Once you tear it out, it doesn't go back on. So you're either stuck with a cleat grinding on your flat pedal, or, if you take the cleat off, you've got a hole where grip should be.
Headshot
Profile picture for user Headshot
Posts
11
Joined
5/2/2013
Location
Cape Town ZA
Headshot 6/4/2013 10:48am
6/4/2013 10:48am
the Minaars and Hellcats have a screw in piece of sole you can screw back in when you take off the cleats.
fitz
Profile picture for user fitz
Posts
1
Joined
3/30/2013
Location
bend, OR US
fitz 6/5/2013 7:11am
6/5/2013 7:11am
Ive used the 661 filter spd. Setup with clips they work fine. stiff sole, easy to clip in and out. WIth flats, they suck. The tread compound is too hard and the pattern isn't right for the pins. Just letting you know, probably not your best bet.
Big Bird
Profile picture for user Big Bird
Posts
2293
Joined
2/1/2011
Location
Oceano, CA US
Big Bird 6/5/2013 8:24am
6/5/2013 8:24am
The stiff soles are another problem, even if there is a replacable cover. With clips, where your weight is all on the small cleat, the soles are made stiff to support the whole foot. For flats, you want a softer sole so that your foot sort of bends around the pedal.
JkNMtB14
Profile picture for user JkNMtB14
Posts
5
Joined
1/27/2013
Location
Morristown, NJ US
JkNMtB14 6/6/2013 4:52pm
6/6/2013 4:52pm
Okay so what I'm understanding is that there is no shoe that is soft enough for flats while still being stiff enough for clips? Anyway, I decided to buy a pair of hellcats (I found a reasonable price online). I will just use a pair of vans for when I ride flats until I can save up enough for the five ten Impacts or freeriders. But like I said I want to ride clips most of the time as I think it will help me focus on the trail instead of where my feet are. Thank you for the help everybody!
jkern620
Profile picture for user jkern620
Posts
1
Joined
3/13/2013
Location
Palo Alto, CA US
jkern620 6/7/2013 8:25pm
6/7/2013 8:25pm
I just bought a pair of the 5.ten Minnars to try riding clipped in again and was surprised to see that they came with a replacement sole piece that fits in where the cleats are supposed to go and would virtually make it a flat pedal shoe. Not too sure how well it would ride with that piece in rather than its intended purpose as a clipless shoe, but this could be a good remedy to your situation
SCparkstreetdirt 6/8/2013 3:13pm
6/8/2013 3:13pm Edited Date/Time 6/8/2013 3:14pm
JkNMtB14 wrote:
Okay so what I'm understanding is that there is no shoe that is soft enough for flats while still being stiff enough for clips? Anyway, I...
Okay so what I'm understanding is that there is no shoe that is soft enough for flats while still being stiff enough for clips? Anyway, I decided to buy a pair of hellcats (I found a reasonable price online). I will just use a pair of vans for when I ride flats until I can save up enough for the five ten Impacts or freeriders. But like I said I want to ride clips most of the time as I think it will help me focus on the trail instead of where my feet are. Thank you for the help everybody!
The Minaars are great for both. If yo have ever tried the 5 10 freeriders for flats they feel just slightly stiffer than those. And the grip compensates for the stiffness. The Minaars are definitely better than wasting your money on two shoes that won't even work as well as the Minaars. To answer your question no, you are wrong, there is a shoe stiff enough for clips and flexible enough for flats, the Minaars.
Big Bird
Profile picture for user Big Bird
Posts
2293
Joined
2/1/2011
Location
Oceano, CA US
Big Bird 6/8/2013 8:46pm
6/8/2013 8:46pm
I find myself skeptical that the Minaars are an adequate flat pedal shoe, but then I haven't ridden in them. Hell, I'm so broke I'm still running O.G. first year 5-10s with the soles flapping off.
kev.1n
Profile picture for user kev.1n
Posts
87
Joined
11/1/2012
Location
portland, OR US
kev.1n 6/10/2013 12:48pm
6/10/2013 12:48pm
510 Cyclones.

pretty much in exactly the same shoes as you, think I'm going to buy these shoes regardless if I go clipless or not. great protection, looks great, and they have the tried and true pattern unlike the minaars or hellcats.

Seriously up in the air between clips and flats
MtnMan
Profile picture for user MtnMan
Posts
6
Joined
5/14/2013
Location
Murrieta, CA US
MtnMan 8/11/2013 7:48am
8/11/2013 7:48am
I wear Specialized Rockhopper shoes and I can easily switch between my flats and SPDs without removing the cleats. Love them.
sysdev1
Profile picture for user sysdev1
Posts
23
Joined
11/26/2012
Location
PH
sysdev1 9/5/2013 7:58am
9/5/2013 7:58am
been using the 5.10 minnaar shoes in combination with saint platform pedals and xt spd trail pedals on two different bikes.

works great for me. had to remove the washers from the saint pedals though, to have longer traction pins setting.

Post a reply to: Shoes for use with flats and SPD?