Which Shoe Is Better?

[Hard Fit]

Does anyone know which type of shoe is better for overall energy production on a bicycle (road riding): road bike shoe or mountain bike shoe?

I notice that a road bike shoe is shaped differently so that it is somewhat like high heels. While, a mountain bike shoe is flat. Does the road bike shoe force you to use muscles on the lower part of the leg more, thus utilizing the glutes and lower back muscles better?

Hard Fit

[Smiley]

a road shoe will have a stiffer sole cause its not designed to be walked in , unlike a MTB shoe which is designed to be walked in cause nobody that MTB's is that good to be able to ride a whole course. Plus many mtb shoes are used for street purposes too.

[Andreu]

I have ridden a fair bit with mountain bike shoes on the road and off and I can say my legs hurt the same with both types of shoes. I used to ride to work and the mountain bike shoes were great for walking about in. If you have to walk around a bit and want comfort I'd get a set of double sided Mtb pedals and a pair of mtb shoes. They lack a bit of stiffness but they can be really comfy and convenient. If you want to do lots of miles on the road get a good pair of stiff road shoes.
A

[dnovo]

I started out riding in MTB shoes, perferring the advantage of being able to walk normally with SPDs to walking like a duck with my Look road cleats. I then found that the more I rode, the more I suffered from 'hot spots' and I also found I was a bit more efficient riding with the Looks.

Now that I have switched to Shimano SPD-SLs, and no longer need "Kool Kovers" to keep from sliding around as I walk, while they are not as convenient for walking as MTB shoes, they are better for riding.

The choice is yours, but since I am more interested in on the bike than on the pavement performance, the choice for me was easy. Dave N.

[ericmurphy]

I have a pair of Sidi mountain bike shoes that, as far as I can tell (comparing them to my pair of Sidi road shoes) are basically a pair of road shoes with some treads stuck to the soles. They're every bit as stiff in the sole as the road shoes.

I wear these things with double-sided mtb pedals on my road bike, and they work great. I can walk around in my cleats without killing myself, the soles are plenty stiff for 80+-mile rides, the pedals are easy to get in and out of (and never release prematurely). And they're inexpensive as well.

[BigMac]

Most good mtb shoes are sufficiently stiff where it counts while pedalling, aft of instep. They do have some limited flex in toe-box for ease of running up trail in competition or comfortable walking at the local cafe` but this has minimal effect in pedalling action.

There are however 2 distinct and important differences between road and mtb designs, primarily related to the respective pedal designs. Most road designs have considerably larger shoe-pedal contact area which can help eliminate hotspots often encountered on mtb pedals during long riding activities -- usually >2-3 hours consecutively. I personally use Time ATAC mtb pedals on winter bike rides around Tahoe that often take 8-10 hours but a judicious 15-20 minute break every 2-3 hours and a less than all-out aggressive effort during ride usually avoids such hotspot issues.

The other difference, and a FAR bigger one imo, is the stack height of mtb shoe/pedal setups. Those fat cleated soles and pedal designs that take no consideration for stack height results in much less connected feel and far greater difficulty in obtaining a reasonably smooth cadence. Honestly, most modern clipless road pedals (Look, Campy ProFit being the worst at >20mm) have large stack height but the typical thin-soled road shoe does not exacerbate the problem. The Time Impact road pedals are most noted for their low stackheight, considerably lower than any other clipless on market, and it contributes to their solid "connected" feel and ease of spinning, imo.

Like life itself, everything is a trade-off. If your rides include lots of stops at cafes or shops, some walking about and/or you're not particularly interested in a smooth cadence, mtb pedal/shoe combo are not only a good choice, they're probably a safer choice as walking in most road shoes on tile-paver floors can be an adventure. If you never (or rarely) stop during your rides, prefer long uninterupted rides in excess of 3 hours and/or prefer to develop a smooth and powerful cadence, a good road pedal-shoe combo is your wiser choice.

I personally feel the Impact Mag pedal with a good fitting road shoe using a cf sole is the best choice for the pure roadie rider disinterested in cafe stops or rides under 3-4 hours but that's my choice only because I prefer lowest stack height and I do not stop at cafe's, at least not with road shoe/pedal setup. For short social jaunts on bike, you may consider a bmx style platform pedal and some PowerGrips straps, the perfect setup for riding in your favorite sandals on a warm summer's eve. Take care.

Ride on! :banana: :banana: :banana:

[jerk]

a good many of the top cross country mountain bike racers use road pedals and shoes....they are lighter, stiffer and bio-mechanically more efficient with their lower stack height. the jerk used to use time road pedals but is now a convert to the shimano spd-sl. the only good pedal shimano has made since the 7410 which was the best pedal ever. (a look with decent bearings!)

[vaxn8r]

I agree with all that's been said regarding the benefits of road shoes over MTN shoes. Having said that, I have and still occasionally do use a set of Sidi Dominators for two reasons.

1) Mine are all leather. And thus warmer for my wet winter rides. I'm also more likely to stop and get off the bike in the winter. When I do it's usually wet. I like the traction.

2) I use them a lot on my tandem. My wife and I are much more likely to get off and walk around than when it's just me and my racing buds on the road bikes.

I have not found a biomechanical performance penalty with the Sidis. They are heavier but I feel like I can rip right along in them. Maybe I'm just used to them but I don't feel I can't keep a smooth cadence, nor do I feel loss of power. And they are comfy! I do find that if I show up in the MTN shoes and maybe somebody doesn't know me, they treat me differently....well, like a Fred...at least until I hammer them into submission :) ...."hey, who is that geek in the MTN shoes?"

FWIW, I treated myself to Sidi Ergo1's this year. I figured my last set was a pair of Genius 2's so I was due. Sidis just fit me perfectly and you can't wear 'em out.

Ditto on the old Shimano Looks and the new SPD-SL's. Both great pedals.

[Silverthump]

I have been ridding in SIDI mountain bike shoes since 97. Have Speedplay Frogs on road (Ottrott ST), cross and mountain bike. Same set up for my wife.
Just got a new pair of SIDI Dragon's. Extremely comfortable fit and with the rubber tipped cleats very comfortable and extremely stable.
At a solid 195 and 5ft10in the weight of my shoes is my last concern. Comfort and ease of use. Easy entry and exit.
Life is good. Be well and enjoy!

[bostondrunk]

I can see for winter riding.....but..........
Geeeezuz, why the heck would you spend top dolla on an overpriced bike, just to ruin it by weighing down your feet with a pair of shoes that is twice as heavy as real road shoes?! This is no different than getting 'custom geometry' and then jamming your seat all the way in one direction and hoisting the bars up a foot. What was the point?! grrrrrrrrr..........

[Hard Fit]

Interesting comments about the stack height. I am not sure whether mtb shoes actually hinder the cadence motion. In a study mentioned in "The Lance Armstrong Performance Program" (p. 136), it says mtb professionals in general had a better pedalling motion than track riders.

Hard Fit