MTB shoes look like casual skater shoes, but there is a crucial difference from the street sneaker. Shoes for skateboarding acrobatics have the softest, most flexible sole possible, so ollie and pop shove-it work best. The soles for MTB action, on the other hand, are as rigid as possible, so you can pedal efficiently. Why?
Who hasn't had this discussion with friends about flat pedals or clipless pedals on a mountain bike?!
We can't answer this question definitively either and say: the decision is up to you. In our shop you will find bike shoes with and without click system. Shoes without a cleat system usually come with a grippy rubber sole, such as the Stealth® from FiveTen. The pins of your flat pedal grip the rubber particularly well. They offer you a firm grip even on rough downhill sections. The advantage of such shoes is that you can quickly find your footing in case of a fall, even if you have a good grip on the pedals, so that you can possibly cushion and prevent it. Also, many riders like the possibility of their foot on the pedal occasionally change during the ride. This is of course not possible with click shoes, as they are firmly attached to the pedal. So while they allow for more efficient power transfer to the drivetrain, they don't allow you as much flexibility on the pedal. So there is a risk here that you do not always come in time to "click out" when a maneuver or fall forces you to do so.
In general, the choice of MTB shoes remains a matter of taste. Back in the day it was said that downhillers, freeriders & slopestylers ride flapedals and clipless pedals only make sense in cross country. Today, many of the World Cup downhill riders also ride with clicks and in the enduro sector they are widely used. It's best to just try it out and decide afterwards!
In our shop you will find mountain bike shoes in different styles, colors and sizes! So there is no limit to your individual taste!
