# Good shoes with composite road outsole for gravel/commuting **URL:** \ **Category:** What to Buy\ **Created:** [September 6, 2026, 6:01pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/good-shoes-with-composite-road-outsole-for-gravel-commuting/5878 "2026-09-06T18:01:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stochastic](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/stochastic/32/9678_2.png) [@Stochastic](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/Stochastic)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 6:01pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/good-shoes-with-composite-road-outsole-for-gravel-commuting/5878/1 "2026-09-06T18:01:41Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![JC1979](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/jc1979/32/2145_2.png) [@JC1979](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/JC1979)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 7:40pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/good-shoes-with-composite-road-outsole-for-gravel-commuting/5878/2 "2026-09-06T19:40:37Z")
Check out Lake. Loads of options, and they do wide versions that are actually wide. ---
**Author:** ![Gregory\_Thomas](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/gregory_thomas/32/3386_2.png) [@Gregory\_Thomas](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/Gregory_Thomas)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 10:40pm UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/good-shoes-with-composite-road-outsole-for-gravel-commuting/5878/3 "2026-09-06T22:40:35Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Gregario](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/gregario/32/7894_2.png) [@Gregario](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/Gregario)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2026, 5:02am UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/good-shoes-with-composite-road-outsole-for-gravel-commuting/5878/4 "2026-09-07T05:02:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Stochastic](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/stochastic/32/9678_2.png) [@Stochastic](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/Stochastic)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2026, 1:28am UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/good-shoes-with-composite-road-outsole-for-gravel-commuting/5878/6 "2026-09-08T01:28:07Z")
yes! I had a pair of these a longggg time ago and they were too big. do you feel like they run a little big? they definitely have the correct build for what I’m looking for. i had totally forgotten them ---
**Author:** ![Gregario](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/gregario/32/7894_2.png) [@Gregario](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/Gregario)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2026, 3:36am UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/good-shoes-with-composite-road-outsole-for-gravel-commuting/5878/7 "2026-09-08T03:36:23Z")
In my experience, possibly a touch big, The great thing is they have increments of 0.5 euro sizes. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Lein](https://community.escapecollective.com/user_avatar/community.escapecollective.com/max_lein/32/3138_2.png) [@Max\_Lein](https://community.escapecollective.com/u/Max_Lein)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2026, 6:35am UTC](https://community.escapecollective.com/t/good-shoes-with-composite-road-outsole-for-gravel-commuting/5878/8 "2026-09-08T06:35:19Z")
> [@JC1979](#): > > Check out Lake. Loads of options, and they do wide versions that are actually wide. 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.