Reddit mentions: The best cycling shoes for men

Few things. I think that most of the people here pointed out the biggies - rules, regulations, legal necessity stuff, maps, etc. I'm still newish to the city and just got a bike a few months ago. What really really helped me was joining some cycling groups. People are typically very friendly and they know their bike stuff and can help you if you have a flat, etc.

I first joined bicycling groups on www.meetup.com. The only one I've ever rode with was Social Cycling NYC though, really great folks. I also joined the 5 Borough Bike Club (5BBC); I've only been on one ride so far but, again, great people.

There are lots of rides to participate in too. The first Friday of every month, Time's up does a Moonlight Central Park ride. Really cool, I did the last one. There is also one of these for Prospect Park and I hear that one is nice too. Time's up also does a ride called Critical Mass, but I haven't personally went, just heard about it. These are free rides. Some (all? I don't know) of the 5BBC rides are free but there is a yearly membership ($20 and if you join in October, I think, you essentially are buying the 2013 membership and have the rest of 2012 free). However, I'm not sure how much free time you'll have to gallivant around!

Joining an organization like 5BBC or Transportation Alternatives also gets you discounts at bike shops as an FYI. Each organization has a list of participating shops.

Anytime I've ridden in Brooklyn, I've really enjoyed it. There are many more bike lanes than up my way in Queens. Take advantage of that and explore! A ride to Rockaway beach is nice too.

Some gear you might be interested in that I thought was helpful:

26 in one multi tool

On frame pump


Also, I don't know what sort of pedals you have or prefer. However IF you decide to get clips or clipless pedals, some of the bike folks I've met told me a few things. (I have clipless pedals btw) If you've never had clips/clipless pedals, get a pedal that has the the cleat thing on one side and a pedal platform on the other. This way, you don't have to be clipped in if you don't want to be.
I got these.

Also, for the shoes that go with said pedal: I was told for predominantly city riding that you can wear out the cleat on the bottom of the shoe faster if you have the treadless road bike shoe. Also, if you do any walking on hard surfaces with this shoe I guess it wears out quicker. If you buy a mountain bike shoe it has a perimeter of tread that goes around the sole. Keeps the cleat more protected from grinding on the pavement. It will still grind on certain types of ground or flooring though.

Since I already have Amazon open:

This Versus this

I have Pearl Izumi shoes and I really like them.

Alright, so I have a few questions, mostly about gear replacement for a new bike of mine (aesthetic mostly), painting it, and getting some new pedals on it. My bike is a Fuji Track 2016 (brand new but I can tell I'll really like biking) and it's a fixed gear. My daily ride would be mostly flat but I would love to go biking on the weekends on hilly areas. So I begin.

Firstly the pedals. Are the crank brothers doubleshots good? They look longer than some of their others and they're clip pedals so I mean I'm curious, but amazon yields few results.

Can I pretty much get whatever cycling shoes? I'm looking at EU size 43.5 (since I'm 9.5ft US to 10FT US) in yellow, of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Giro-Trans-Shoes-Matte-White/dp/B00NDIF5MO/ref=sr_1_6?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1480396956&sr=1-6&nodeID=679272011&keywords=bike%2Bcleats&refinements=p_n_size_browse-vebin%3A1285069011&th=1&psc=1
Anyone know if these are any good? Any reccomendations on yellow shoes? I'd like bright reflective ones for nighttime riding.

I'd like to paint my bike blue-yellow as well, will spray painting it and clear coating it be good enough? I can always strip it down to the metal, but since it has ED I didnt know if that would reduce durability. Has anyone done this? My dad does have a paint sprayer (I think) so if need be I can even use that.

Lastly, is this crankset and chain combo I have chosen any good?
https://www.amazon.com/Retrospec-Bicycles-Fixed-Gear-Single-Speed-Crankset/dp/B006A9ZIQQ/ref=pd_sbs_468_2?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=FE6DQ83P5S69X695PVKH&th=1&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/KMC-Z410-Bicycle-1-Speed-112L/dp/B0017I0DEM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478039074&sr=8-1&keywords=1%2F2%2Bx%2B1%2F8%2Blink&th=1
Reviews say they are but does anyone here have personal experience?

Any and all help is appreciated, thanks r/bicycling! I'll also post on the other bicycling subreddits to get a wide variety of standpoints.

The bike started life as a 2012 Motobecane Fantom Cross Pro, which came with some good components already. SRAM Rival partial group,
FSA crankset, and Mavic Aksium Race wheels. I've had good luck with this bike and it's got almost 2k miles on it, so I kept most of it, but not all.

Once I decided to make it my commuter bike, I started adding things.

For lights I picked up the Cygolite Hot shot rear light and use one of my MTB lights if needed for the front, a
Chinese knock-off CREE XM-L2 front light

For tires I went with the Panaracer RiBMo 700x32c based on feedback from users on here.

You can't go wrong with a Tubus Logo Evo Rear Rack and Ortlieb Back Roller Classics.


I wanted some extra gearing for those climbs along the way, so I went with the SRAM FORCE Rear Derailleur so I could run a SRAM PG-1050 11-32 Cassette.

Of course, I needed a new KMC X10SL chain for the new gear combo.

I picked up a new road bike and pulled the Ritchey Pro Streem Saddle and Ritchey Pro Biomax bars off of that bike and used them on my commuter, along with some new Lizard Skins DSP 3.2mm bar tape and some Soma Road Flares for added visibility.

For a little less weight and possible shock absorbtion, I threw in a Chinese knock off carbon seat post.

I also wanted something besides my regular riding shoes, so I opted for the Shimano Click'R PD-T700 pedals and
Shimano SH-CT40 Cycling Shoes
, which I love and highly recommend.

I also needed to adjust the fit so I picked up a Kalloy Uno 6 90mm stem because I've had great luck with them on other bikes.

And for added safety, I picked up two rolls of 3M Scotchcal Reflective Striping Tape in white and black, and added white stripes to the white frame and black stripes to the rims and the back of my helmet.

For the pedals you currently have, it's going to be hard to find cleats, as these are rather old.

If you replace your pedals, you can even use mtb pedals (spd cleats) and mtb shoes. These are usually easier to walk on, but have the disadvantage of being less efficient for pedaling, but only slightly. If you go with proper road pedals, you're probably looking at 3-bolt patterned cleats, so your shoes should accept 3-bolt cleats. Of course, there's also 2-bolt patterned cleats for road bikes, like eggbeaters and spd (non-sl). And yes, you can get shoes that accept both type of cleats. The good news is that pedals usually come with cleats, if you're getting shoes at the same time, make sure they're compatible.


As for the bonus, check your tires, bar tape, maybe even the saddle. Definitely get your drivetrain checked, but that would have come back as recommended upgrades from your LBS.

It's an easy transition. I switched to clipless late last summer. Haven't fallen over once yet. I commute 12 miles to work. Love the clipless pedals for keeping my feet on the pedals when it's raining. I'm in Seattle, so rain is a huge concern.

You probably can't find shoes for under $60. I went with Northwave Striker shoes for around $80. They fit great and I'm quite satisfied with them. However, they are for good weather use only. They have vents in front and back for cooling your feet while you cycle. Great in summer, not so great in winter. They are not even remotely water proof either.

So for bad weather, I got Shimano MW81 shoes, which are fantastic in winter. Waterproof and warm, especially with wool socks.

I have some two-hole Fizik M6B Uomo in Blue/Black. Size is 47 and they have just never fit me all that well. I usually wear a 46.5, but when I tried the Uomo in that size it was just too small, so I jumped up to the 47. They're quite comfortable with the exception that they've never held my heel the way I'd like, so I generally don't wear them.

They've got about 30mi of riding on them and a minimal amount of walking. Will happily send you pictures if you'd like. I paid $89 from Jenson awhile back, so I'm sure we could come to a reasonable price south of that somewhere. No idea what shipping would come to, but I'll happily look into it if you're interested.

https://smile.amazon.com/Venzo-Mountain-Bicycle-Cycling-Shimano/dp/B00811Y35S/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=spd+shoes&qid=1554695787&s=gateway&sr=8-8

I put a couple thousand miles in these shoes and cleats. Not affiliated with them, but for $70 for both the shoes and the pedals, it's not a bad deal. You won't be winning the Tour de France any time soon but they're relatively comfortable and sorta cheap. Good starter shoes to see if you like clipping in. Best of luck.

Can't help much you as far as the made in china stuff goes...you're probably going to be very hard pressed to find something in that price range that isn't. I think Louis Garneau's stuff is made in europe. I saw someone mentioned Northwave but I'm pretty sure their more recent stuff is made in China. I've also been looking for clipless shoes I can walk in so I can use them for commuting as well, and I'm on a budget similar to yours (<$100). MTB shoes are probably going to be your best bet for a mixture of stiffness and walkability. Touring shoes will probably look more casual, but won't be as stiff. Here's some of what I've been looking at in case it helps:

DHB M1 MTB

Nashbar Comp II MTB
Shimano MT33 MTB
Shimano MT60 MTB
Shimano SH-M086L
Diadora X-Country MTB
Vaude Basin RC MTB
Louis Garneau Bromont MTB

Going clipless soon, i think I've decided on these pedals. The shoe seems to be the hard part, I found these shoes but would like some input on the footwear.

May have to clean/lube my chain soon and was wondering if anyone has used this lube(or the others they make), the reviews on their products(their bigger bottles have many more reviews) are really high. Any opinions or suggestions are welcome.

Also, how "bad" is the Kilos wheelset. Upgrading the wheelset and going clipless would change the whole feel of the bike more than anything else? Is a H+Son to formula that much better?

How do you know when to move your handlebars/stem down, and can you leave spacers on top(not cut the fork). After 20 minutes or so a noticeable fatigue begin to set in, in my wrists, most likely because of my weight and lack of core strength, should I leave my bars at the highest option because of this and not even worry about it for a while or should I move them?

I came in here to ask about the clipless stuff but my mind wandered way off. Thanks guys.

These are the ones I like, I have the women's style and they run pretty true to size for me. I wear a EU 43 in my running shoes and the EU 43 fits me great in these. I got a pair for my gravel bike and will be snagging a second pair for MTB (I like to keep one pair nice for my beer bike runs).

​

Flat Shoes

You can look for commuter-styled cycling shoes. Those are compatible with cleats, but you don't have to use cleats if you don't want to. The benefit is that they're made with cycling in mind (stiff soles), but are very comfortable to walk around in. Added bonus is that you can keep wearing them should you decide to make the switch to clipless. Example: Pearl iZUMi X-Alp Seek IV.

Former bike shop employee here. Shoes should fit comfortably but securely. As others have said, you don't want them too tight. But you definitely don't want them slipping off. You'll be pulling up on the pedals, so having your feet slipping out would really suck.

Cleats are sold separately. These are what you need, just standard Shimano SH-51 SPD cleats. I'm 99% sure that's what your spin bikes will need, but to really be certain, ask your instructor. Some spin bikes have dual-sided pedals - one side works with "mountain bike" SPD cleats, the other side works with "road bike" Look-style cleats.

Assuming those are the cleats you need for the pedals, that means they're using "mountain bike" pedals, and that means you want to buy "mountain bike" shoes, or standard touring shoes: something like this. Don't buy "road" shoes unless your instructor specifically says that's what they use. "Road" shoes have a hard, slippery sole that the cleat sits out on, and it makes it really, really hard to walk around.

In the box with your shoes will be some little metal bits with screw holes in them. These go inside your shoe, under the footbed, and the cleats will screw into them through the sole of the shoe. You may have to cut out the bottom of the shoe sole first, though with most shoes you don't have to do that anymore.

When you go to spin class with your shoes the first time, make sure to take the allen wrench with you so you can adjust your cleats after getting on the bike. Your knee/foot alignment is impossible to predict, and once you clip into the pedals you'll quickly figure out that one cleat or the other may need to turn in or out to make your knees/feet feel comfortable.

I wanted shoes that I could walk around in if I bike to the store or something, so I got mountain bike SPDs. Go to a store and try some on because, just like regular shoes, each brand is going to fit differently.

I ended up getting these and have been pretty happy with them. I really like the ratcheting strap.

I would not get those (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00811Y3MG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_XWWMzbYEXVNC9) -
SPD SL is the road cleat an not very walk-able as they stick out the bottom and generally cannot be recessed into the shoe. I'd recommend SPD (2-holes like a mountain bike or touring shoe) not SPD-SL(3 holes) for walkbility and the best bet for a commuter shoe if you don't want to change shoes at work/school.


If you want a cycling shoe that you could wear to work, I'd look at a lace-up touring shoe like the Pearl Izumi Alpine Seek that are SPD (2 holes) not SPD-SL (3 hole) compatible. ( https://www.amazon.com/Pearl-Izumi-X-ALP-VI-Cycling/dp/B00M044J3S/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1503334836&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=pearl+izumi+alpine+seek).


Here are some other options - https://www.cyclingabout.com/stylish-spd-cycling-shoes-which-look-casual/


You could also get mountain bike flat shoes that have a stiffer sole for more efficient pedaling but no cleat.


Pedals:

You may want to look at a double sided tour pedal that lets you ride with standard flat shoes to commute or clip in like the Shimano A-530 (https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-A530-SPD-Pedals/dp/B00AAOIAQC) or Crank Bros Double Shot (https://www.amazon.com/Crank-Brothers-Double-Pedals-Spring/dp/B016OQXZG4/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1503334666&sr=1-1&keywords=pedal+bros+double+shot).


If you plan to bring a change of shoes, you may want to look at a doubled sided SPD pedal which makes it a bit faster to clip in, like a shimano M520 (https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Unisex-PD-M520-MTB-Pedal/dp/B004L1CLSS)

A lot of those machines have dual sided pedals, with a cleat attachment on the other side. You could buy some cheap cycling shoes/cleats if you're really into it and want to continue. Probably for under $100, honestly.

something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Giro-Apeckx-Cycling-Shoes-Bright/dp/B015T7DDXO/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=giro+cycling+shoes&qid=1564771899&s=gateway&sr=8-4


As a regular cyclist, I will vouch for cycling cleats being a highly recommended addition. Even the cheap shoes will make it so much more comfortable.

Edit: By the way, you have to purchase the SPD cleat that is bolted to the shoe separately.

My first:

Pedals - $50 when I bought at REI 3 years ago

Shoes - $65 when I bought them at REI 3 years ago

Jersey - $30, I absolutely love these cheap jerseys from Amazon, the zipper on the first one I bought finally gave out 3 years later. I will happily spend $30 on a new jersey every couple years.

Shorts - About $40 when I bought, I wouldn't recommend, they are hard to wear for more than an hour. This is one area where I believe it's important to buy nicer materials, especially for long rides. I have Pearl Izumi and Le Col bibs, they are fine but I am still looking for something that works better on long rides. I am trying theblackbibs.com next.

Let me know if you have additional questions as you get started, I took a relatively budget-minded approached when I jumped in.

For pedals just get these. They're well-built, light, and work just as well as the more expensive variants (plus that bike is all 105 components so you might as well have the pedals be 105 as well). You'll need a pedal wrench obviously. You'll also need SPD-SL compatible shoes. Get these on amazon to save money. These are a pretty good starter shoe.

Yeah, if you're 6' a 57 should fit. I'd inspect it to make sure shifting, brakes, etc. are in working order and once you have the bike go to a place that does bike fitting (here is a good place to find locations). It'll run you around $100 but they'll be able to adjust heights, swap out the stem for a proper length, etc. Totally worth it to prevent injury (plus your bike will feel much better).

Ha, for sure.

I totally do recommend getting pedals and shoes, but it's more of a bike handling and confidence thing than raw power. Again, what I said before. It can be done pretty damn affordably, FWIW! These and these would be a pretty damn solid starting point. No need to go full Sidi and Speedplay Nanos off the bat.

It's not too bad if you go with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Venzo-Mountain-Bicycle-Cycling-Multi-Use/dp/B00PJHOL4K/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1468702073&sr=8-4-fkmr0&keywords=venzo+clipless+pedals+and+shoes

That's $60.00-$75.00 for both the shoes and pedals. I have both expensive Shimano brand pedals and shoes, and these Chinese knock-offs Venzo. Honestly, I can't tell much difference. And most of that difference is probably in my head.

The Shimano's look and feel better built (they probably are), but once you get on the bike, you can't really tell. So if you're going to try going clipless, go with a cheap brand like this before sinking a ton into a set a Shimanos.

I ended up finding an exact match to my extra wide MTB shoes online and wanted another pair for the Peloton. I didn’t even realize they would only take the delta or SPD-SL three hole cleat.

I bought these converters off Amazon and they’ve been awesome!


Wellgo Cycling Shimano SPD Shoes Adapter Cleats:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E7UZHB6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

There are adapters for fitting 2-bolt cleats into 3-bolt shoes. I don't know if the shoes would still be walkable, however. You'll be better off just buying 2-bolt shoes with a recessed cleat mounting space for two-sided pedals.

In addition to the pedals you linked, check out the Shimano A530 and M324.

Here ya go, OP.

You can find the pedals on their own somewhere. I have these and I really do like them. They're cheap and don't have the best bearings but I haven't had issues with them.

Edit: Found these.

You can use whatever shoe/pedal/cleat combination you want. I bought these to adapt the Peloton bolt pattern to a SPD cleat type https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E7UZHB6/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

90% of cyclocross shoes and 100% of mountain bike shoes are SPD. Search those two categories, you'll find a ton.

And if you do end up finding road shoes you want, you can always get these cleats so they're compatible.

https://www.amazon.com/Wellgo-Cycling-Shimano-Adapter-Cleats/dp/B00E7UZHB6

They're SPD cleats for Look style shoes.

Will the shoes still be walkable with the adapter?

also have you tried these: http://www.amazon.com/Wellgo-Cycling-Shimano-Adapter-Cleats/dp/B00E7UZHB6/?