|   Shoe stiffness | iw
Sep 18, 2003 8:43 AM | | I have some Shimano M037 shoes with Crankbros pedals. They're marketed as a "recreational" shoe. I'm thinking of replacing them with a stiffer shoe. I ride aggressive XC with plenty of climbing, technical/fast descents and sometimes a bit of walking/carrying/pushing. I don't race. Will I notice much of difference with a stiffer shoe or should I stick to what I like ? Would stiffer shoes offer more or less grip/stability when walking ? |
| stiff is good | cw
Sep 18, 2003 9:21 AM | | As you noted, there may be a bit of a trade off between riding and walking, but a stiffer shoe is nice for riding. More power transfer + control, and less fatigue. My current shoes are stiffer than my last pair, and have a better tread too so even though they don't conform to the ground as much while walking, they still have plenty of traction. |
| tread is good | litespeedchick
Sep 18, 2003 10:08 AM | | Try to find a shoe with a rubber-y tread. I like my Northwaves. My husband says his Sidis are "slicker than owl ^&*#", so I avoid that brand. |
| re: Shoe stiffness | laffeaux
Sep 18, 2003 10:38 AM | | I have two pairs of shoes: a pair of Sidis (stiff sole) and a cheaper pair of Shimanos (not very stiff). The Sidis are fine as long as I stay on the bike. If there is a lot of hike-a-bike sections the less stiff sole is much prefered. The advantage that you get on the bike from the stiff sole does not make up for the lack of ability to walk if you need to climb around in rocky areas. However, if you don't get off the bike, it's not a concern. |
| re: Shoe stiffness | Frankencrank
Sep 18, 2003 11:03 AM | | I've got the Shimanos with the carbon soles, adn they are very, very stiff. It took a couple rides for my feet to break in to them, but the power transfer is incredible, I notice a big difference in efficiency/lack of foot fatigue over my old diadoras, which at the time I thought were stiff. The shimanos walk ok, too, but they're not hiking boots.
Stiff soles are essential for using very small-contact pedals like Eggbeaters, because a soft shoe will just fold over the skinny pedal and it will feel like there is a bit of a hump inside the shoe. |
| I've worn both.... | Egg
Sep 18, 2003 11:06 AM | | In my opinion the perfect mix is a stiff sole with some toe cleats. The only time I really miss having the walkable shoe is when I'm walking up a steep hill, my stiff bottom shoes are great for pedalling but slick when walking up steep stuff. On flat ground the stiff sole is fine. |
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