I need a new pair of shoes to unicycle in. I have been using a budget-priced pair of SPD cycling shoes that have a pretty stiff sole although they do bend. I have noticed from photos that many unicyclists appear to wear a variety of different types of shoes – cycling shoes, trainers, MTB shoes and even what appears to be walking boots!
Not had too much experience with shoes and not sure if I should go for flexibility or rigidity. Used some running shoes recently just to assess feeling and they were completely different than the more rigid type I have been using. Actually, they felt pretty good as I seemed to have more sensitive feedback from the pedals rather then the more rigid shoes. However I am concerned about possible injury and seems to me a pair of suitable shoes is pretty important.
I normally ride a coker and there is a lot of road riding involved. However I have just bought a 26" MUni but wondered if one pair of suitable shoes would suffice for both activities.
Any feedback on personal experiences would be appreciated
And check this one too: Advice: Five 10 low OR high top pro's and con's
It’s all about Five 10 shoes, but they are really good for muni and cokering. Very stiff and sticky soles and good protection, especially the karvers.
Skate shoes for me but I can’t comment on Cokering. From bike riding I know that stiff is good for road riding, but like you I have found that the direct connection to your uni with your feet, some tactile feedback is a good thing.
I haven’t managed to find the perfect mix of shoe properties. Ideally I’d like something lightweight with ventilation and a decent sole but without laces- like with a drawstring thingy. I’ve got some skate shoes at the moment which have a better sole than my last shoes and they were cheaper but the laces have to be tucked in to be safe. I had some teva’s which let me down in the sole going flappy. There’s another brand I’ve got in mind which I might try next time with a vibram sole.
Practising gliding can be hard on shoes so that is something you might want to consider before spending too much on a pair of unicycle shoes.
I’ve been using skate shoes since i started unicycling. I think I would find a good pair of BMX shoes if I were you though. I know thats the next type of shoes I’m gonna get. I mainly ride street and trials though so i probably don’t know what you will want in a shoe. For me is grip, support, and semi-stiffness.
Skate shoes all the way. I tried a couple different types of shoes when I started and skate shoes were the only ones that had enough grip. Some of em even provide ankle protection.
+1
I have some great skate shoes, but my bmx shoes are a really good blend of skate shoe comfort and function with superior support and better pedal control. They really protect my injured heels too.
(I usually prefer a trail running shoe for riding in muddy, rocky conditions where a flat soled shoe would slide too much when i’m off my uni)
OK so after getting advice from you dudes and doing a little research I bought a pair of 5.10 Impact shoes today. So this post is for feedback purposes only.
Just been out to ‘test’ them and yup they live up to the things I’ve been told. Sticky - once my feet hit the pedals during a mount on the 36 it is difficult for me at present to reposition. Actually it has proven potentially dangerous even! I’m so used to sliding my feet around to reposition after mounting when I stupidly tried it with the 5.10’s I UPD’d spectacularly. Got away lucky with a few scratches, bashed hands and slight pull in the thigh muscle. Anyway after that experience I then went and put all my gear on - 661’s, knees and elbows plus helmet – Pratt!!
Wow now I know what everyone means about these shoes – they’re so confidence-boosting! Yup my feet feel stuck to the pedals but I also feel I am riding better because of it. I hadn’t realised how much I was compensating for my other shoes’ tendency to slip on the pedals – that affected my cadence when trying to go a bit faster. I now need to get out on a decent ride to really assess the extent of improvement.
I have the 5.10 freeride and the impact shoes. The freerides are a somewhat toned down version or street version of the impact. A little less grip, good support. The impacts will be my wet weather shoes as I find them just too sticky in dry conditions. The freerides are my go-to shoes right now, I love them for off road and on road, wet and dry.
For me is grip, support, and semi-stiffness.