Are MTB-specific flat pedal shoes really worth it?

Dose your last name happen to end in a berg, stein or schmidt?

I have only met one man as adamant as you are about seeking the best price and his last name was Goldberg. :trinity:

If I was half as intelligent with my money as the folks with the heritage you are referring to, by now I would have had a ultra successful money making machine and not actually worry about prices.

this is funny, i'm actually considering going the other way ie flats to clips. i can concur however that 510s are the best shoes to wear with flat pedals.

now to figure out the best clips..

this is funny, i'm actually considering going the other way ie flats to clips. i can concur however that 510s are the best shoes to wear with flat pedals.

now to figure out the best clips..

Yep get a 5.10 or something like it. Nothing wrong with using flats to get used to technical stuff but they suck for technical climbing. It is good training to do XC on flats though. If you want clipless LG go Shimano.

this is funny, i'm actually considering going the other way ie flats to clips. i can concur however that 510s are the best shoes to wear with flat pedals.

now to figure out the best clips..

I'm a crankbros fan, and while the reviews are mixed regarding their durability, after 2-3 years of rough riding, the eggbeaters are the one part of my bike I never had to service and still good as new. Maybe cause I'm a light guy. I also like their inherit float, predictable engagement, and lack of dials to mess with. And absolutely nothing else out-there sheds mud as good. Just plug and go, day in and out.

For my trail bike, I wanted to get Shimanos, but found a set of CB Candies for $25, cleats included. Reviews on them were again very mixed, but for that bargain price I went for them, and very happy with them. Clipping in even easier than the original eggbeaters.

to answer the question from the OP

Are MTB-specific flat pedal shoes really worth it?

if you are riding flat pedals, then yes

skate / bmx shoes and running shoes do not cut it for mountain biking

a big problem with using running shoes for riding on flat pedals is that the canted forwards wedge puts you in a terrible position for riding (I speak from experience as someone who runs several times a week using proper running shoes)

with flat pedal compatible shoes, we are not talking about riding flat pedals to the shops for beer, or dirt jumps or sessions in the local skatepark but proper mountain biking on the dirt going up, along and down the trail, especially in these conditions..

a decent pair of 5.10 or similar mountain bike specific flat pedal shoes, give:- pedal traction / grip, pedalling efficiency, foot support, ongoing wet weather durability and foot protection that even Pro model BMX shoes can only dream of…

worth every $$ and yes, I have owned and extensively ridden many skate / bmx shoes (Vans, Etnies, Orchid, Osiris, Airwalk, etc.) since the early 80s on BMX and MTB before finding the awesome 5.10 shoes to be to my liking! I also use clipless Shimano SPD and SPD-SL pedals for other applications, in comparison

I used to be cheap and used $20 skate shoes from can tire or Walmart, worked okay for a couple months but fell apart pretty quick, and not the same grip/stiffness as 5.10 impacts which are awesome.

I went to MEC this aft to buy the Five Ten Impact 2's which have glorious reviews all over. Also, MEC has a ridiculous return policy, so I could exchange them if I wasn't happy after use.

On first try on the floor, I was not impressed at all. Big, bulky, and UGLY. Damn, that sole was thick. When I had only one of them on one foot, and the other foot in a sandal, I had to raise on to the toes of my sandal foot to stay level. With both of them on, I felt like I was wearing some sort of orthopedic shoes for seniors. I could barely feel like i'm grounded, and I couldn't imagine how this could translate to feeling of security on the bike pedals.

But anyways, I was going to buy them regardless, since 9 out of 10 reviews on them were positive. Unfortunately, or fortunately, they didn't have my size so I looked at other options.

Tried on a pair of Teva Links… the colors probably make me look like a forever-13-year-old, but it was an instant click. Felt very comfortable. Checked some quick reviews. Apparently the "Spider" tacky sole that Teva has is not as grippy as the "Stealth" on the Five Tens… but then the Teva has a pattern of very fine diamond-impression treads designed to lock into the pedal pins. The water-proof fabric on the Teva is a bonus, so is the casual look that I could wear with jeans and everything else.

Rode them through Bridal Path. Very happy with them. The grip, stiffness, comfort, and heel support were all right on. Maybe the Five Tens have a grippier sole, but I wouldn't know. All I know I didn't slip once, and any grippier you might as well be clipped in.

I went to MEC this aft to buy the Five Ten Impact 2's which have glorious reviews all over. Also, MEC has a ridiculous return policy, so I could exchange them if I wasn't happy after use.

On first try on the floor, I was not impressed at all. Big, bulky, and UGLY. Damn, that sole was thick. When I had only one of them on one foot, and the other foot in a sandal, I had to raise on to the toes of my sandal foot to stay level. With both of them on, I felt like I was wearing some sort of orthopedic shoes for seniors. I could barely feel like i'm grounded, and I couldn't imagine how this could translate to feeling of security on the bike pedals.

But anyways, I was going to buy them regardless, since 9 out of 10 reviews on them were positive. Unfortunately, or fortunately, they didn't have my size so I looked at other options.

Tried on a pair of Teva Links… the colors probably make me look like a forever-13-year-old, but it was an instant click. Felt very comfortable. Checked some quick reviews. Apparently the "Spider" tacky sole that Teva has is not as grippy as the "Stealth" on the Five Tens… but then the Teva has a pattern of very fine diamond-impression treads designed to lock into the pedal pins. The water-proof fabric on the Teva is a bonus, so is the casual look that I could wear with jeans and everything else.

Rode them through Bridal Path. Very happy with them. The grip, stiffness, comfort, and heel support were all right on. Maybe the Five Tens have a grippier sole, but I wouldn't know. All I know I didn't slip once, and any grippier you might as well be clipped in.

And the Teva is 4 dollars cheaper.

Why didn't you try five ten free riders? Color wise its just grey and skate style shoes.

5.10 Line Kings for me when Im running flats

Why didn't you try five ten free riders? Color wise its just grey and skate style shoes.

Would have, but they didn't have it in stock.

big clunky thick, etc, some people may hate that aspect of 5 10s but a lot of people like that. i find them supportive and protective in a harsh mtn environment. feet take a lot of abuse, even on a bike, so that thick sole on hard terrain is just right IMO.

it took me awhile to get used to the clunkiness. making a women's style with purple helped. haha.

Impacts are indeed ugly but they sure as hell work well. I'm on Teva Links Mid now and the grip is nowhere near that of FiveTen when things get bumpy in a hurry. I've got two pairs of highly grippy pedals (Spank Spike and Saint MX80) and the grip is passable. Acceptable, but given the choice I would strike the middle ground in one of the flat-soled FiveTen offerings – either the Freeride or Line King.