I tend to prefer a bikepacking shoe that is built to last. After all, they are designed for the job! Shimano MT5 (SH-MT5) Whilst my Timberland boots worked great during that first trip, they had to be thrown away soon after! Well designed bicycle touring shoes will last a long time. My Opinion – Having tried every option at one point or another, I prefer a dedicated pair of bicycle touring shoes. Wear any shoes you like!Ĭons – If you are going to be wearing the same pair of enclosed shoes for cycling and everyday use, be prepared for the smell! Whilst you won't be able to ‘clip in', you do have the option of using toe-cages on the bike to aid with efficiency. Shoes with stiffer soles are best, and obviously the lighter they are the better. Believe it or not, I completed my first bicycle tour of 4000kms around New Zealand in Timberland boots! So, if you want to wear a regular pair of travel shoes or sneakers on a bicycle tour, then go ahead. Of course, you don't need specific cycling shoes at all. And they'll be useless in colder climates. I don't really like the idea of stones flicking up off the road to hit my exposed feet or sunburn. Personally, I think the potential drawbacks outweigh the benefits. Designed as a cycling specific shoe, they still offer efficient power transfer, and of course have excellent ventilation. If you're going to be riding in predominantly warmer climates, cycling sandals might be worth considering. You wouldn't really want to wear them all day for longer hikes though. In practice, I have never known anyone do this! Wear the shoes around the campsite, short walks to the market etc. My Opinion – You can remove the cleats from the bottom of the shoes if you want to walk some distance. Whilst suitable for wearing on an average day off the bike, you wouldn't really want to do a days sightseeing or hiking in them. You can use the SPD shoe or sandals off the bike to walk in.Ĭons – Whilst you can walk in SPD bicycle touring shoes, you need to be careful when on rocky or slippy surfaces. I conclude with my own opinion on what footwear is best for bicycle touring based on what has worked for me. Below, I give a breakdown of the different types of cycling footwear, along with examples of where they might be most suitable. These are, should you use specifically designed cycling shoes, or should you use regular travel shoes for cycling?Įach one has its benefits depending on the type of bicycle tour you have in mind. There are two broad choices you can make when choosing footwear for bicycle touring. After all, it's you that has to carry them around on the bike, no-one else! Touring Bike Shoes This covers me in most scenarios, and also gives my cycling shoes a chance to dry out if I get caught in the rain.Īs with anything to do with bicycle touring, how many shoes you take is up to you. I tend to have a dedicated pair of bicycle touring shoes, and carry a pair of light travel shoes as well as a pair of flip-flops/thongs with me. Other people (like me) have bike touring shoes they use just for cycling, and an additional pair of shoes for other activities they undertake on the tour. They use them for cycling, walking on the beach, hiking up a mountain, and anything else that happens along the way. Some touring cyclists travel with just the one pair. It's what activities you choose to do off the bike that will determine how many other pairs of shoes you need to take along on a long distance cycling trip! It's only the style that varies.įor the actual cycling itself, you only need one pair of bicycle touring shoes. Your feet are the major contact point between you and the bicycle, so you better look after them!īike touring shoes provide support, comfort, and can even help with cycling efficiency. That's because footwear is one of those non-negotiable items of kit you have when bicycle touring. The one thing everyone had in common though, was that they were wearing something on their feet. Hey, I'm one of them, right? Some of them seem to be touring with next to nothing, and others were towing quite literally the kitchen sink behind them. I've met all sorts of crazy people whilst bicycle touring. Five Ten Kestrel Lace Mountain Bike Shoes.
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