Good shoes for cycling

[satish_appasani]

I usually wear my Fila sneakers with hard flat rubber soul when cycling. The tread on the soul is also very minimal. My Mach1 has steel pedals with little spikes. Yesterday when i went for biking, my left foot slipped from the pedal and i almost crashed. I wasn't standing or pedalling hard at that time. Though i managed to avoid the crash my thigh rubbed against the plastich strip used for tieing the cable on the top rod and caused injury. The skin peeled off and hurt me badly. It actually still hurts anday take couple of weeks to heal.

What shoes are recommended for cycling when using the regular pedals? Or are there any good but cheap pedals that i can replace my pedals with.

[anindya_911]

Sorry to know about the freak injury.

For cycling, shoes with relatively hard sole is recommended, so that the pressure from the pedal is distributed over the entire sole. I think the shoe is not the issue in your case.

The pedal might be the culprit, I presume it is small in size. It happens to me too, when I ride my old bike with spiked steel pedals.

Eventhough, I initally sniggered at the huge platform pedals that comes with Trek, they are actually comfortable and confidence boosting.

Changing pedal might help

[raknair]

i think u shd try cleat pedals. I have them on my trek. you just have to lock yourself on to the cleats and move it side ways to uncleat.

i have found it very effective and my performance has greatly improved. Coz u r locking yourself the scope of slipping is taken care off. but u need to uncleat before u stop though.. it will come as u ride more

[cheewachai]

Hi Satish,

Sad to hear about your incident.

I fell off once when i was in my 10th grade (about 20years ago) when my foot slipped off the pedal when cycling in mild rain. The bruises are still there to remember.

So when I went for the Trek, I changed the pedals to a low-end clipless pedal (with cleats on one side and platform on the other side) and purchased shimano shoes that will lock into the pedals.

http://www.sjscycles.com/xxlimages/13837shimano_xxl.jpg

Other option is to buy pedals with the toe clips (looks like a cage where you put the front part of the foot into) ... they work quite well.

The only problem with the clipless pedals I have (and most others) are that they are quite narrow and makes it even more dangerous to pedal with ordinary shoes or sandals.

[Prasant Mohanty]

the nylon, metal and alloy platforms on TREKS and MERIDAS offer better traction...
i feel they are better than the ones available in the market
you can hunt for them