# MTB shoe recommendations



## Greg (Mar 29, 2009)

Probably going to need to replace the shoes this year. Mine are pretty funky and really weren't all that comfortable to begin with. I have a narrow low volume foot. Adidas sneakers fit me best. Any recommendations for SPD compatible shoes? Looking for something with decent grip for hike-a-bike sections. My Nike MTB shoes have a very rigid sole (treads) and are sketchy on wet rock ledges.


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## severine (Mar 29, 2009)

Have you gone to Biker's Edge in Bristol and tried out what they have? Might be a good starting point.


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## bvibert (Mar 29, 2009)

I was thinking that I was going to need new shoes this year as well, but with all the money I've spent on other bike crap lately I'm gonna have to hold off for a bit.  I might have to get creative with gorilla glue and duct tape to make sure the current ones stay together.

I guess that doesn't really help you too much, sorry.  I guess I would suggest going and trying some on, but I'm kinda conflicted about using a LBS's services if you're going to buy online.  On that note Biker's Edge had a bunch of shoes at a good discount the last time I was in there.


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## sLoPeS (Mar 29, 2009)

*Go platform...*

ive tried them all (toe-clip, clipless, platform) and ive been loving the platform setup the most.  granted it really depends on the type of riding you are doing, but for all mountain with some freeride mixed in, nothing is more fun.  i still get really good grip and not being clipped in allows me to push it a little harder.  id check these out:


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## o3jeff (Mar 29, 2009)

I picked up a pair of Shimano MT70, but haven't used them yet. Feel a lot more comfortable than the "cleat type" shoe I was using last year.


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## MR. evil (Mar 29, 2009)

sLoPeS said:


> ive tried them all (toe-clip, clipless, platform) and ive been loving the platform setup the most.  granted it really depends on the type of riding you are doing, but for all mountain with some freeride mixed in, nothing is more fun.  i still get really good grip and not being clipped in allows me to push it a little harder.  id check these out:



I switched to platforms mid way through last season after years on clipless and I love it. Platforms are just more fun plain and simple, and they also allow me to handle the bike better. I am also willing to take more risks. I feel like I am back on a BMX bike. My wife and I have the same pedals in that pic but mine are black. Right now I am wearing some cheap skate shoes that grip really well. When they die I am going to pick up some FiveTen Impact shoes


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## Grassi21 (Mar 29, 2009)

sLoPeS said:


> ive tried them all (toe-clip, clipless, platform) and ive been loving the platform setup the most.  granted it really depends on the type of riding you are doing, but for all mountain with some freeride mixed in, nothing is more fun.  i still get really good grip and not being clipped in allows me to push it a little harder.  id check these out:



i have these shoes.  the snake skin is steezy.  need to find new pair of platforms to stick them to.


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## MR. evil (Mar 29, 2009)

Grassi21 said:


> i have these shoes.  the snake skin is steezy.  need to find new pair of platforms to stick them to.



The pedals pictures above are pretty nice, Welgo MG-1's. Did you pick those shoes up online or is there a shop that carries them near you? I am always hesitant about buying shoes online.


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## Grassi21 (Mar 29, 2009)

MR. evil said:


> The pedals pictures above are pretty nice, Welgo MG-1's. Did you pick those shoes up online or is there a shop that carries them near you? I am always hesitant about buying shoes online.



Bought them off of Chainlove. I should probably try them on in case I have to exchange them.  The folks at Chainlove have been good about another exchange I had to make due to the wrong size.


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## MR. evil (Mar 29, 2009)

Grassi21 said:


> Bought them off of Chainlove. I should probably try them on in case I have to exchange them.  The folks at Chainlove have been good about another exchange I had to make due to the wrong size.



One thing to consider is that riding platforms during a rocky technical ride will be much more difficult on a HT than a FS. A HT is going to get thrown around alot making it a hard to keep your feet on the pedal. I am not saying it can't be done as I have never tried it. Even with how much I love my platforms, if I was to take my HT out for a ride I would be using clipless. If you are going to use platforms I would suggest investing in some shin pads, taking one of these pedals to the shins hurts like a MoFo and will chew up your shin real good.


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## Jisch (Mar 29, 2009)

I gotta get some shoes as well. 

I've got a narrow foot and the Nashbar buckle shoes fit me well - incidentally the Nashbar and Pricepoint shoes are basically 661 shoes. Its hard for me to buy $200 shoes when these $65 ones fit me so well. That said they are not very durable and they usually last only 1.5-2 seasons. I gotta get out to the LBS and try some on - and the rule is if you try them on in the store, you have to buy them there. Not cool to try them on in the store (getting the benefit of the owner having to carry stock) then buying them on-line, bad ju-ju. 

Shoes are one thing that you really need to try on, I have receipts from online purchases of shoes that don't fit to prove it. A friend gave me his old (very old and worn) Sidis, they fit like slippers yet are really stiff on the sole. They are really beat though... For $229 new I can get almost 4 pairs of those Nashbar specials. ugh. 

John


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## Greg (Mar 29, 2009)

sLoPeS said:


> ive tried them all (toe-clip, clipless, platform) and ive been loving the platform setup the most.  granted it really depends on the type of riding you are doing, but for all mountain with some freeride mixed in, nothing is more fun.  i still get really good grip and not being clipped in allows me to push it a little harder.  id check these out:



Trying platforms is not totally out of the question. Obviously there is some trade-off giving up pedaling efficiency. So what is the benefit of platforms to be willing to give that up? I assume it's primarily a "more balls" factor, i.e. not feeling "trapped" by being attached to the bike, you're willing to try more things. Beyond that, are there any other pros?

I'm primarily an XC rider with some AM and very light FR/stuntry. I could see myself becoming more of an AM rider (natural drops/bigger rollers, etc.), but probably won't ever go bigger than 4 or so feet, at least that's what I keep telling myself. Mostly I like to trail ride fast and cover as many miles as possible. I think for that, I'll probably stick with clipless for now, but if I stumble on some good platforms uber cheap, I might throw them on for a ride to give it a try. Are there any shoes that are tacky and good for platforms, but also can take cleats?


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## severine (Mar 29, 2009)

BTW, when I suggested trying them on, I was implying buying them there. I bought my MTB shoes at Biker's Edge last year for $79 +/-. They're the women's version of Brian's Specialized MTB shoes and I find them to be pretty comfortable. Then again, I don't log the miles you guys do. I think they're the Taho or something like that.

I considered MTB shoes (and running shoes, I've learned) to be like buying ski boots; you're best of trying them on in a shop to be sure they're the right ones for you.


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## Jisch (Mar 29, 2009)

I have a bike with flats on that I ride every once and a while. It is different than riding with clips. You have to keep pressure on your feet to keep from disconnecting from the bike when you get it up in the air. Not a big deal at all, but it is a bit different. Personally I don't feel right heading into a techy section unless I'm clipped in, but I can see the benefit of being able to bail more easily if the situation arises. 

I've ridden with some incredible XC riders on flats and likewise ridden with some guys who did incredible jumps and drops clipped in, it goes both ways. I know a guy who races expert class DH he says there are a significant number of guys who ride DH with clipless (all the guys who moved up to DH from XC). 

John


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## Grassi21 (Mar 29, 2009)

MR. evil said:


> One thing to consider is that riding platforms during a rocky technical ride will be much more difficult on a HT than a FS. A HT is going to get thrown around alot making it a hard to keep your feet on the pedal. I am not saying it can't be done as I have never tried it. Even with how much I love my platforms, if I was to take my HT out for a ride I would be using clipless. If you are going to use platforms I would suggest investing in some shin pads, taking one of these pedals to the shins hurts like a MoFo and will chew up your shin real good.



I have a big purple scar on my shin.  I have rode with shin/knee armor since then.


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## sLoPeS (Mar 29, 2009)

Greg said:


> Trying platforms is not totally out of the question. Obviously there is some trade-off giving up pedaling efficiency. So what is the benefit of platforms to be willing to give that up? I assume it's primarily a "more balls" factor, i.e. not feeling "trapped" by being attached to the bike, you're willing to try more things. Beyond that, are there any other pros?
> 
> I'm primarily an XC rider with some AM and very light FR/stuntry. I could see myself becoming more of an AM rider (natural drops/bigger rollers, etc.), but probably won't ever go bigger than 4 or so feet, at least that's what I keep telling myself. Mostly I like to trail ride fast and cover as many miles as possible. I think for that, I'll probably stick with clipless for now, but if I stumble on some good platforms uber cheap, I might throw them on for a ride to give it a try. Are there any shoes that are tacky and good for platforms, but also can take cleats?



i think its all personal preference, but i am not a fan of being clipped into the bike.  i have some Candy C's that i used for about a month and then ditched.  if i rode buffed singletrack or was covering a ton of distance then thats the way to do it.  with platforms i can bail much quicker, and knowing that lets me ride harder.  there are sections that clipless is better, but then there are the fun sections where im glad i have platforms.  i think i climb techy sections better on flats too.  (knocking on wood) i rarely slip off the pedal.  downhills are where i really like having platforms.  i really cant believe people rock clipless on downhill.  that to me is insane.  i get it, some people love clipless, but things happen really quick.  not being clipped in is once less thing to worry about.  as far as shoes that are tacky and SPD....i think 661s might fit ur description.


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## sLoPeS (Mar 29, 2009)

MR. evil said:


> One thing to consider is that riding platforms during a rocky technical ride will be much more difficult on a HT than a FS. A HT is going to get thrown around alot making it a hard to keep your feet on the pedal. I am not saying it can't be done as I have never tried it. Even with how much I love my platforms, if I was to take my HT out for a ride I would be using clipless. If you are going to use platforms I would suggest investing in some shin pads, taking one of these pedals to the shins hurts like a MoFo and will chew up your shin real good.



really?  i ride a HT with platforms and have no complaints.  maybe im weird, but i like the rigidness of a HT.  granted, if i had a lot of money id buy a FS, but u make do with what u got.  as for the shins....ive gotten lucky and not so lucky.  when they bite, they bite hard.  im gonna invest in some knee/shin guards this season.  thing is, they'll get the back of my calf sometimes too.  gotta just be alert and toss ur feet out of their range.


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

Any thoughts on these?

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/17...Shoes/Mountain/Sette-Outlaw-Mtb-Shoe-Grey.htm

Biggest pro for me is they are CHEAP. :lol: Seems like the sole might work on a platform too since it's not overly aggressive. Not sure how tacky the tread is though. Also the review on MTBR said they weren't the best for narrow feet so not sure how well they would work for me. Any experience with these or other Sette shoes?


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## o3jeff (Mar 30, 2009)

I think the gray ones I got look a little gayer if that is the look you are going for! You are definitely on the right track with switching to a more sneaker type shoe.

Mine should match my gray and white helmet though.


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

Here's an inexpensive combo at Pricepoint:

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/13...es-w_-Wellgo-Wam-B25-Mountain-Flat-Pedals.htm

Pedal actually gets great reviews on MBTR and the shoe is SPD compatible so I can use them with the clipless. Thoughts?


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## severine (Mar 30, 2009)

Greg said:


> Here's an inexpensive combo at Pricepoint:
> 
> http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/13...es-w_-Wellgo-Wam-B25-Mountain-Flat-Pedals.htm
> 
> Pedal actually gets great reviews on MBTR and the shoe is SPD compatible so I can use them with the clipless. Thoughts?


Nice way to kill two birds with one stone.


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

severine said:


> Nice way to kill two birds with one stone.



Yep. And uber cheap. If I decide I like platforms, I can always upgrade after this season. Not too concerned about fit. I use an old pair of ski boot orthotics in my MTB shoes which improve the fit of just about any shoe and takes up some volume for my narrow feet.


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## severine (Mar 30, 2009)

You guys make me laugh, though. Last year, you were all about clipless, so I jumped on that bandwagon. Now you're all about platforms. You're worse than women!


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## sLoPeS (Mar 30, 2009)

severine said:


> You guys make me laugh, though. Last year, you were all about clipless, so I jumped on that bandwagon. Now you're all about platforms. You're worse than women!



ill admit it.........total gear whore here :wink:


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

severine said:


> You guys make me laugh, though. Last year, you were all about clipless, so I jumped on that bandwagon. Now you're all about platforms. You're worse than women!



Not all about platforms. Just curious. As you all know, I'm a wimp out there sometimes. I want to see if platforms give me extra courage to try some stuff. If not, I'll stick with the clipless which these shoes would let me do. Plus it would be nice to switch back and forth based on the expected type of ride, i.e. long Nass ride = clipless. Nepaug = flats.


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## o3jeff (Mar 30, 2009)

Make sure you check and make sure you can get the clips off your old shoes, if not order a new pair with the shoes.


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

o3jeff said:


> Make sure you check and make sure you can get the clips off your old shoes, if not order a new pair with the shoes.



I've got an extra set of cleats lying around somewhere.


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## MR. evil (Mar 30, 2009)

Greg said:


> Not all about platforms. Just curious. As you all know, I'm a wimp out there sometimes. I want to see if platforms give me extra courage to try some stuff. If not, I'll stick with the clipless which these shoes would let me do. Plus it would be nice to switch back and forth based on the expected type of ride, i.e. long Nass ride = clipless. Nepaug = flats.



Even though I love the platforms, I do see myself usng the clipless when we do one of the longer 15 to 20 mile rides this season.


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## bvibert (Mar 30, 2009)

severine said:


> You guys make me laugh, though. Last year, you were all about clipless, so I jumped on that bandwagon. Now you're all about platforms. You're worse than women!



I'm not planning on switching any time soon.  If anything clipless gives me an excuse to skip stunts when I'm feeling like a wuss, which is always.


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## sLoPeS (Mar 30, 2009)

bvibert said:


> I'm not planning on switching any time soon.  If anything clipless gives me an excuse to skip stunts when I'm feeling like a wuss, which is always.



HA!


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

Okay, so if I go with that Sette/Wellgo combo, I'll probably want to grab shin guards. These seem like a good deal:

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/16...ective-Gear/Sette-Impact-Knee/Shin-Guards.htm

Anyone have any thoughts on the nylon ones?

http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/16...ective-Gear/Sette-Strike-Knee/Shin-Guards.htm


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## gmcunni (Mar 30, 2009)

i think my first purchase of the MTB season will be shin guards.  i like the freedom of platforms (read = scared of clipless) for the skill level i'm at but nothing sucks more than slipping off the platform and slashing your shin.   :-(  

At close 2nd is going down a fast rocky decent and losing grip on the pedals :-o


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## bvibert (Mar 30, 2009)

Greg said:


> Okay, so if I go with that Sette/Wellgo combo, I'll probably want to grab shin guards. These seem like a good deal:
> 
> http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/16...ective-Gear/Sette-Impact-Knee/Shin-Guards.htm
> 
> ...



I'd probably go with the second ones, but then again I don't know anything about them.  They just look like they'd be lighter, more flexible, more comfortable to me.  The other ones look like overkill if your main objective is just to prevent pedal shin bang.


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## gmcunni (Mar 30, 2009)

bvibert said:


> I'd probably go with the second ones, but then again I don't know anything about them.  They just look like they'd be lighter, more flexible, more comfortable to me.  The other ones look like overkill if your main objective is just to prevent pedal shin bang.



i was thinking of picking up a cheap pair of used soccer shin guards at a place like "Play It Again Sports".  very light and i i'm too worried about my knees at this point.


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## o3jeff (Mar 30, 2009)

The shoes I got are up on Tramdock right now


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

bvibert said:


> I'd probably go with the second ones, but then again I don't know anything about them.  They just look like they'd be lighter, more flexible, more comfortable to me.  The other ones look like overkill if your main objective is just to prevent pedal shin bang.



They just seem like they would be too warm. At least the hard ones are ventilated, but I'd imagine there is still padding underneath.



gmcunni said:


> i was thinking of picking up a cheap pair of used soccer shin guards at a place like "Play It Again Sports".  very light and i i'm too worried about my knees at this point.



If I wasn't considering platforms, I was still going to get something for my knees. Too many times last year where I flew forward and crushed my knees on my bars. I need to preserve them for mogul skiing. :lol:


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

o3jeff said:


> The shoes I got are up on Tramdock right now



Tramdock? Really? Isn't it tough to pedal in these?


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## o3jeff (Mar 30, 2009)

Greg said:


> Tramdock? Really? Isn't it tough to pedal in these?



Maybe a little tough in those! Check Chainlove, but looks like mostly smaller sizes.


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## Jisch (Mar 30, 2009)

If pads aren't comfortable you aren't going to wear them, then what good are they? 

I have worn the Roach/RaceFace FR knee/shin pads for the last 2 years. I love them, they stay in place, have saved my knees more times than I can count and are not TOO hot, but realistically pads are going to be hotter than not wearing them - I don't wear them in the hottest weather. Unless its super hot I don't even notice that I am wearing them anymore.

I've heard good things about the newer Fox pads - my wife has a set of them and likes them, though she has to wear cut off socks underneath to prevent chafing. 

I got the Roach pads at Pricepoint for $45 a few weeks ago - my old ones STINK, OMG I swear I am creating a new life form in my garage. 

John


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## MRGisevil (Mar 30, 2009)

MR. evil said:


> One thing to consider is that riding platforms during a rocky technical ride will be much more difficult on a HT than a FS. A HT is going to get thrown around alot making it a hard to keep your feet on the pedal. I am not saying it can't be done as I have never tried it. Even with how much I love my platforms, if I was to take my HT out for a ride I would be using clipless. If you are going to use platforms I would suggest investing in some shin pads, taking one of these pedals to the shins hurts like a MoFo and will chew up your shin real good.



Blah, blah, blah, smear campaign. I do just fine on an HT.


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## bvibert (Mar 30, 2009)

Jisch said:


> If pads aren't comfortable you aren't going to wear them, then what good are they?
> 
> I have worn the Roach/RaceFace FR knee/shin pads for the last 2 years. I love them, they stay in place, have saved my knees more times than I can count and are not TOO hot, but realistically pads are going to be hotter than not wearing them - I don't wear them in the hottest weather. Unless its super hot I don't even notice that I am wearing them anymore.
> 
> ...



Pricepoint has Roach shin/knee pads for $40 right now:
http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/13...-Protective-Gear/Roach-Rally-FR-Leg-Armor.htm

They're the same price as those Sette ones that you linked to Greg.  I've heard recommendations for the Roach armour (aside from John), but nothing for the Sette stuff.


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

bvibert said:


> Pricepoint has Roach shin/knee pads for $40 right now:
> http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/13...-Protective-Gear/Roach-Rally-FR-Leg-Armor.htm
> 
> They're the same price as those Sette ones that you linked to Greg.  I've heard recommendations for the Roach armour (aside from John), but nothing for the Sette stuff.



Nice. Thanks Brian. Good reviews on MTBR too, plus some of the weaknesses over there ("Straps not long enough for people with muscular legs") is actually a pro for me given my skinny chicken legs. :lol:


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## MR. evil (Mar 30, 2009)

Greg said:


> Nice. Thanks Brian. Good reviews on MTBR too, plus some of the weaknesses over there ("Straps not long enough for people with muscular legs") is actually a pro for me given my skinny chicken legs. :lol:



I have those same pads, except that are under the RaceFace brand. Pretty sure RaceFace bough Roach. Anyway, they are good pads and I like them alot. If I make the ride on Sunday I will bring them along so you can check them out. I am not sure what size I have, I think they are medium.


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

MR. evil said:


> I have those same pads, except that are under the RaceFace brand. Pretty sure RaceFace bough Roach. Anyway, they are good pads and I like them alot. If I make the ride on Sunday I will bring them along so you can check them out. I am not sure what size I have, I think they are medium.



I might actually own some by then...  Medium is what I'm getting. Now I just need to decide if I want to bust out platforms on day one. :-o


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## o3jeff (Mar 30, 2009)

Greg said:


> I might actually own some by then...  Medium is what I'm getting. Now I just need to decide if I want to bust out platforms on day one. :-o



Bad enough you copy mondeo on all the ski equipment, now your gonna copy Tim on bike stuff?;-):lol:


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## bvibert (Mar 30, 2009)

Greg said:


> I might actually own some by then...  Medium is what I'm getting. Now I just need to decide if I want to bust out platforms on day one. :-o



Yeah, but you probably won't have them in hand by then, unless you do 2nd day air...  It'll give you a chance to see if the order you made was a mistake or not, just before it gets to you.


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## Greg (Mar 30, 2009)

bvibert said:


> Yeah, but you probably won't have them in hand by then, unless you do 2nd day air...  It'll give you a chance to see if the order you made was a mistake or not, just before it gets to you.



2nd day is another 8 bucks for the size order I was looking at so I was planning on that.


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## bvibert (Mar 30, 2009)

Greg said:


> 2nd day is another 8 bucks for the size order I was looking at so I was planning on that.



Gotcha, when you're making an order that big, the quicker shipping isn't as big of a hit.  I had a small order (<$20) that I wanted to do 2nd day on, but the shipping would have almost doubled the cost, so I added more stuff on to make it worth it. :beer:


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## severine (Mar 30, 2009)

bvibert said:


> Gotcha, when you're making an order that big, the quicker shipping isn't as big of a hit.  I had a small order (<$20) that I wanted to do 2nd day on, but the shipping would have almost doubled the cost, so I added more stuff on to make it worth it. :beer:



Naturally. :roll:


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## bvibert (Mar 30, 2009)

severine said:


> Naturally. :roll:


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## Jisch (Mar 30, 2009)

*yep*



Greg said:


> Nice. Thanks Brian. Good reviews on MTBR too, plus some of the weaknesses over there ("Straps not long enough for people with muscular legs") is actually a pro for me given my skinny chicken legs. :lol:



Likewise. 

John


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## Greg (Apr 2, 2009)

Greg said:


> Here's an inexpensive combo at Pricepoint:
> 
> http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/13...es-w_-Wellgo-Wam-B25-Mountain-Flat-Pedals.htm
> 
> Pedal actually gets great reviews on MBTR and the shoe is SPD compatible so I can use them with the clipless. Thoughts?



Shoes and pedals came today. Pedals are slick. Lightweight and low profile. I went a size small on the shoes based on MTBR reviews indicating they run big. Pretty snug, but I'll leave some stretchers in there overnight and I should be good to go. I think they'll work pretty well with the platforms and they also will take my cleats too. Also got the Roach shin guards in a medium. They seem to fit perfectly.


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## bvibert (Apr 3, 2009)

Greg said:


> Shoes and pedals came today. Pedals are slick. Lightweight and low profile. I went a size small on the shoes based on MTBR reviews indicating they run big. Pretty snug, but I'll leave some stretchers in there overnight and I should be good to go. I think they'll work pretty well with the platforms and they also will take my cleats too. Also got the Roach shin guards in a medium. They seem to fit perfectly.



Sweet!  I was busy playing with new MTB gear last night too...


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## Greg (May 4, 2009)

Got a few rides in with the Sette shoes and they're just fine. Happy with the purchase. Definitely a fair price.


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