Cycling shoes for flat pedals and toe clips

[rgrosenthal]

Hi, I'm looking for cycling shoes that would work well with flat pedals and toe clips. My concerns are:

• That the shoes won't get shredded by the toe clips, as my mesh-covered sneakers tend to get.
• That the shoes are moderately stiff for efficient pedaling, but not too stiff to comfortably walk in.
• That the shoes aren't too wide in the toe box, so that they can easily slip into the clip, but not too narrow for my EE-width foot.
• And that the shoes have some arch support.

I'm looking at the Five Ten Freerider Pro. It doesn't look too bulky to work with toe clips. But does it have arch support? What's your assessment.

[REI-AlyS]

Hey there @rgrosenthal!  Thanks for reaching out to the Community!

I have been strictly riding with flat pedals but stopped using toe clips a while back.  I think I can still speak to your concerns though!  I am currently using the Five Ten Sleuth DLX  bike shoes (available in M's and W's) and loving them!  I find the toe box to be slightly narrower which could prove helpful with the toe clips.  In addition I can attest to the sturdy construction of the shoe and think it would hold up well.

In terms of support, I find myself needing less on my bike than a regular shoe.  With that being said, the stiffness of the shoe, combined with a supportive foot bed should be sufficient for the average person.  If you find yourself needing insoles for your everyday footwear, it might help throwing a set in these as well. While I don't have experience with the Freerider Pro shoes specifically, the specifications call out good arch support specifically!

Hope this helps!  Happy trails!

[rgrosenthal]

Thanks! This was helpful.