Great Shoes for an Avid Cyclist
Written: Dec 05 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Durrable
Cons: snug fit
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| dbhoutx's Full Review: Specialized sport mountain |
Specialized sport mountain bike shoes are my choice for riding. I use these shoes with both my Mountain and Road bikes. It was not necessarily by design that I ended up with these shoes, but more by sheer luck. I tried out several different brands and styles of shoes while at the biking shop on the day I made my purchase.
Why did I go from tennis/running shoes to cycling shoes?
This is probably one of the questions you may have if you are not into cycling or only ride once in a while. Honestly of late I come closer to that "once in a while" category. Of course that is after riding 6-7 days a week at least 1 hour per day. Needless to say my weight also reflects the neglect that my bike suffers from a lack of riding. Back to the shoes.
I decided that if I was going to spend that much time in the saddle, I needed to ensure that I had the most appropriate apparel and shoes. Of course, I also switched to the "right" helmet also. I once wore an old style skull cap type helmet which survived a near collision with a car that resulted in my hitting the pavement. That wreck led me towards more of the appropriate apparel as well as a new more comfortable helmet. (I survived with only scrapes and road rash…ouch!)
As part of the new apparel, I needed to get riding shoes. One will notice that in the sports world, there are tons of different kinds of shoes that have their specialized needs. These shoes include golf shoes, cycling shoes, work boots, hiking boots, climbing shoes, and snow shoes. I have many of these shoes now. At that time, I decided it was time to move into the cycling shoe group.
Not only did I get a more fashionable pair of shoes for riding, I increased my efficiency and decreased certain risks associated with shoe laces that are common on tennis or running shoes.
These Shoes
Like I said, it was by pure luck that I ended up with these shoes. I initially went in the store to unload a gift certificate and get a new helmet, a pair of shoes, some apparel, and other accessories. I began looking at the shoes and looked first to see what was available in my size. Then I began to try on the shoes in my size range. Some fit a bit more tightly than others and others fit well. The Specialized sport mountain bike shoes fit snuggly and were extremely comfortable.
I walked around and got up on the trainer bike and rode a bit with the shoes. I found that they were not only comfortable and stylish, they also increased my speed with no additional effort. In fact, I noticed that I gained ¾-1 mph with a combination of these shoes and toe-clip pedals. How was this possible?
Ok, you wonder how these shoes increased my safety while riding and made a faster pace possible? I can tell you that these shoes are made up of a hard sole. I do not know exactly what was used in the construction other than it felt like a hard plastic of some form. Additionally, the shoes being part suede/leather and a bit snug, they conformed to my feet allowing my legs to push and pull the pedals with the almost maximum efficiency. If I used different clip-down pedals I would increase my efficiency even more.
To increase my safety, these shoes use velcro straps to close the top of the shoe around the foot. This is better than laces because there is nothing to get caught between the chain and the chain ring. (That is a good way to get hurt.) Also, because the shoe is hard plastic, and mostly suede/leather, there is good protection of the foot should it hit something.
Walking in these shoes is a bit different than walking in your everyday shoes. In fact, these shoes have black soles that will mark surfaces so it is important to walk only where it is ok to leave black marks. In the beginning, I learned that the hard way and had to really clean my floors a few times after walking on them. Now, I keep the shoes in the garage and put them on when I am out getting the bike ready for the ride.
Overall Impression
I really like these shoes. They improve my riding speed and the safety of my feet while riding. The shoes were not too expensive I think $45-65 for the pair. They have held up for a few thousand miles of riding in the elements. I recommend these shoes to anyone who wants a good first pair of shoes that are both inexpensive and durable.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
dbhoutx
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Member: David
Location: Houston, Texas
Reviews written: 324
Trusted by: 223 members
About Me:
David loves outdoor activities, travel, breeding Registered Texas Longhorns.
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