Best shoes for recumbent

I'm researching the best shoes for riding recumbents. Suggestions on where to start would be helpful. I bought 2 pair of different Northwave shoes on eBay and the heal has separated on both pairs. I do work my hamstrings and pull about as much as I push. One pair was carbon soled the other was like a sneaker with recessed clips. In fairness to Norhtwave both pair were manufactured in 1997. I welcome all suggestions. Thanks

 

Pat,

The best shoes are ones that fit your feet. I wear EEEE's and have a devil of a time getting shoes that fit.

I have found Lake to make high quality shoes (that come closest to actually fitting me) and they don't cost an arm and a leg; at least as far as cycling shoes go.

 

It may be difficult to get a good fit when buying over the internet, but Nashbar and Performance seem to always have shoes on sale. I got a pair of Cannondale's that listed for $200 (nobody pays list price) for $80. Cannondales seem to run smaller than regular street shoes for any given size.

Frog cleats were around $40. Stainless steel Frogs run about $120, titanium a little more.

Dave

 

I like Egg Beaters. I use them on my Lake sandals (which is the best type of shoe to ride in summer) and Shamano bike shoes that look like running shoes in winter. Both shoes are very comfortable and by using Frogs or EggBeaters, you can walk normally in the shoes when you get off of your bent.

I did the Bike Virginia last month, and I can't tell you the number of people who looked like walking Penguins at the rest areas because they use Look or other clips that work great on bikes, but you really can't walk in them. The best solution I saw was a guy who had a pair of Crocs strapped to his rear rack. He took off his shoes and wore those at rest areas. He could walk fine, but that seemed like a lot of extra work to me. I could walk just fine in my Lake sandals and Eggbeaters.

 

Sidi Dominators and eggbeaters work nicely for me. The shoe are not cheap but they are good. Got mine through Dana at Bent-up Cycles.

 

can i toss in my penny and a half for the keen sandal? I believe it was called newport but has recessed cleats (is that the correct word) and since i travel a bit i really like the fact they can be worn in the creeks rivers etc without damage.They were great in the heat of the south and worked as well in the cooler northern rockies with a pair of socks...They were $85.00 online and have lasted very well for daily use for 18 months strait...

 

I've had two pairs of shoes I've really liked, both SPD type. One set was made many years ago by, I think, Trek, targeting mountain bikers - they had a somewhat more flexible sole with recessed cleats and a good solid tread on them in case you had to dismount and walk a little ways - not unheard of when mountain biking. Sadly, after many years of service, these shoes fell apart last year. I picked up a pair of Shimano SPD shoes at my LBS, same basic setup, recessed cleat and good rubber sole and tread. They are a little stiffer, and therefore more awkward to walk in than my old shoes were, but they're still much better than the majority of shoes I see people wearing.