I hated full boots for a while, but I got used to them in less than a weeks worth of riding. I was told that riding more on the ***** of my feet could help in relation of the foot's angle to the shifter, and it did. Now I don't even think about shifting, I just do it. I wear Sidi Discoveries. They require no break-in period. I also have some Sidi and Icon hightop riding shoes, they are good for riding on the street and light dualsport rides.

 

I've never tried them but some guys are going for the pivot pegs.
Worth investigating?

 

+1000

There's no way I'd leave the house on a halfway-serious ride without my boots. ****, there's days where I'm dualsporting roads and I wear my boots with jeans and a sleeveless shirt. Boots are a must. I know you're an oldschool rider but I can't believe you are seriously considering racing in tennis shoes. I won't jump my driveway in tennis shoes.

Adjust your shifter. I, too, ride in the Sidi Crossfire boots, and I love them. They're more comfortable to ride and shift in than my sneakers because I've got the shifter set up for the boots (which aren't much taller than the Nikes I usually ride in, honestly). Get a GOOD pair of boots, not those garbage-*** no-namers that every brand sells (the black, soft leather ones with the brown inner leg). They're useless. Get some high-dollar Sidis or Alpinestars. I think a few hundred bucks on good boots is way better than hospital/insurance deductables and lost time at work / in life.

Wear them around the house, and every time you ride around the neighborhood. That's what I did when I learned to ride in my old clunky boots. Just gotta get comfortable in them before you take off down the singletrack in 3rd gear.

IDK... I know I'm a noobtard on a lot of things, but I would NEVER consider any ride without the boots.

 

+ another 1000. Also Sidi Crossfire's here.

mrorgazmo, if you could have seen the bruise on my ankle from a "small" incident earlier this spring, you would be a believer. And that was even *through* my MX boots. Hate to think what it would have looked like with just work boots. Had a similar incident last September where my bike pinned my ankle between the footpeg and the sharp end of a downed tree very awkwardly where I had to put the full weight of the bike and myself on it in order to free myself. Major crushage averted.

Don't do it. I bet everyone who has ridden for even a short while has similar experiences to share.

 

Yep, I got my gear lever caught in some buried fencing wire about 8 weeks ago.
I wasn't going crazy, just one of those things.
Spat me off the high side and I was face down in the dirt when the bike flipped and landed on the back of my foot.
I was 2 hours into a 2 day tour and I thought, thats it, tour over.
Limped through to lunch, a couple of pain killers, and on we go.
Finished the tour.
Got back to town and had it X-rayed.
No breaks just some minor ligament damage.
Its still not 100% right and after a bit of exercise, (sorry about the language), it aches for a few hours.

Just imagine what would have happened with out boots?
Broken foot, weeks off work, etc etc.

 

heres my two cents worth. I couldnt afford boots so I wore steel toe work boots. On the very first rocky hill climb I tried, a rock flipped up somehow and hit my left boot so hard it fold the steel toe into the top of my toes and bruised all my toes on my left foot. I found some tech 8 boots on craigslist and bought new booties for em. I didnt want someone elses foot nasties all over my foot LOL. I rode that same trail this last weekend and YES I false shifted every single time I stood on the foot pegs and went over bumps, Also I kept hitting the rear brake and skidding the tire. Once I realized I need to adjust my foot position, I only upshifted over bumps one or two more times. Once I get used to not feeling nothing at all, I will be golden. Also this last weekend I got nailed by a hidden stump in some deep grass, on the shin. If it werent for the alpinestar tech8's I surely would have been on crutches today.

 

Fine bud, don't wear your boots...you'll be sorry one day.


this was several weeks ago, I smashed a rock. It still hurt with boots on...I simply cant imagine what would have happened with work boots on. I don't even want to think about it. This was just the most recent incident...I have many from over the years.

Theres a glare, but if you look close enough you'll see how big of a dent it is.

 

If you think riding in boots sucks try riding in a cast.

 

ain't that the truth

quote of the day

 

I really like my Sidi Chargers, not as much money as the crossfires and they work great for how much I ride. I never go for a ride with out them!

Dennis