Toe clips or cleats?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Merry_Wanderer
Posts: 1002
Joined: 31 Aug 2012, 9:33am
Location: North Leicestershire

Re: Toe clips or cleats?

Post by Merry_Wanderer »

My tours (and all my cycling including Audax) are done with flat pedals. No cleats, no straps. Whichever suits you will be fine, there is no right or wrong
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Toe clips or cleats?

Post by simonhill »

Nice one Horizon for trying to drag this back to the question about TOURING. Shame no one else seems to have noticed.

Maybe a moratorium till the OP comes back with some more info about the sort of touring he will be doing.

It would also be interesting to know how much touring the guy in the bike shop has done.
scragglymonkeyman
Posts: 18
Joined: 2 Sep 2015, 7:48pm

Re: Toe clips or cleats?

Post by scragglymonkeyman »

Hey everyone,

Thank you for the advice so far! It's interesting to hear that there is such a range of opinions, particularly as this chap seemed pretty insistent that it was what I needed for touring!

So I'm quite new into touring having used a road bike for a few years and commuting by bike. I'm cycling a ridgeback voyager 2013, and the plan is to tour this side of the year down to the south coast and Devon/Cornwall. The plan for early next year is to start avec le France & Amsterdam with my other half who is very new to cycling.

However, the secret dream is to cycle around the world.

I switched to toe clips years ago from standard pedals, and they made a massive difference, but have never forayed into cleats. I've read that toe clips are better for touring as you can wear normal shoes/walking boots and save on space /weight. Is that actually comfortable?
beardy
Posts: 3382
Joined: 23 Feb 2010, 4:10pm

Re: Toe clips or cleats?

Post by beardy »

I've read that toe clips are better for touring as you can wear normal shoes/walking boots and save on space /weight. Is that actually comfortable?


You can buy shoes that are "walking shoes", "walking boots" or better still sandals that take cleats.

If you are predominantly a hiker with favourite hiking boots then toe clips make better sense. If you are predominantly a cycle tourist who likes to wear cycling footwear also suitable for walking and camping then it is available with cleats.

SPD sandals generally cover everything in good weather.
nirakaro
Posts: 1578
Joined: 22 Dec 2007, 2:01am

Re: Toe clips or cleats?

Post by nirakaro »

Shop carefully - especially if you have wide feet. I bought Shimano SPD sandals online, and they were too narrow even for my wife's feet (I'm size 8, she's a 3). And so rigid that I wouldn't want to walk more than five yards in them...
pwa
Posts: 17371
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Toe clips or cleats?

Post by pwa »

nirakaro wrote:Shop carefully - especially if you have wide feet. I bought Shimano SPD sandals online, and they were too narrow even for my wife's feet (I'm size 8, she's a 3). And so rigid that I wouldn't want to walk more than five yards in them...


Yes, if you are new to cycle shoes it is worth finding a shop with a good range (Evans is an example) to see the range of styles and try a few for size.
beardy
Posts: 3382
Joined: 23 Feb 2010, 4:10pm

Re: Toe clips or cleats?

Post by beardy »

And so rigid that I wouldn't want to walk more than five yards in them...


I thought that proper walking gear was supposed to have rigid soles. I find my sandals have by a lucky fluke actually come in my size! They roll nicely from heel to ball of foot just like old fashioned Vibram soled walking boots.
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