Just got a new pair of fancy carbon sole road shoes, and unlike my previous road shoes, these are way too precious to use for gravel and all-weather commuting. So, I’m looking at getting a more utilitarian pair of road shoes for gravel and commuting 1 hr each way. I can’t deal with SPD and rubber tread, they all feel terrible to me, and I don’t want to buy SPD pedals.
Any rec’s on a road shoe model with a composite outsole that can take a lot of abuse but still feels reasonably efficient under power? Prefer a wider toe box.
On fancy type SPD shoes like the S-Works Recon, the carbon sole gets scratched pretty easily, and the carbon surface doesn’t contribute much to traction on rocks n such. Therefore, I tend to cover a lot of it with black Shoe Goo. It adheres very well (I prep the surface thoroughly), and it’s surprisingly durable. It’s not the prettiest, though, and every time I try to “smooth it out” here or “do a little touch up” there, it inevitably looks worse because it starts curing so fast. Still, doing that to your 3-bolt road style shoes could be an option.
Rapha Classic Road. Sole with an overlay that protects the CFRP. Incredibly durable. Had mine since around 2019 and both uppers and sole are, almost, as good as new.
Seconded. I have a pair of MX169s, and they are great for a commute. I wear them in the supermarket and can easily walk regular distances. Lake also makes a version with boa dials, which I think I will get next.
I have wide feet (i. e. I typically need wide shoes) and these are plenty wide for me.
Another option that worked very well for me are Northwave, which also makes sneaker-style cycling shoes.