I discovered barefoot style shoes a few years ago, after suffering a few back-to-back running injuries. (I've fairly wide feet and just can't fit into "normal" shoes - even the wide versions of Hokas and Brooks don't work for me.) I now exclusively wear barefoot style shoes: Vivo, Xero, Lems, Splay, and Ohne. These are all zero drop, with wide toe boxes, and no midsole. I even take out the insoles for the best ground feel and flexibility. I enjoy Splays for riding; they have a few models that have Vans-like waffle soles that grip my MKS Gamma pedals really well.
On Friday, October 24, 2025 at 4:29:57 PM UTC-7 Patrick Moore wrote: > Thinking out loud, but perhaps “barefoot” shoes would work best with > rubber block pedals? In India many riders rode in “chappals,” thin-soled > leather slip-on sandals, either with or without heel strap; in more modern > China, in flip flops. And I’d guess that there’s no better pedal for riding > in leather-soled street shoes. > > [image: image.png] > > https://simplybprints.com/pedal-blocks-for-bikes/ > > [image: image.png] > > FWIW. No warranty either express or implied. > > > > On Fri, Oct 24, 2025 at 5:17 PM Adam <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi all, >> >> Not Riv-specific, but I'm guessing folks here may have thoughts. >> >> I've recently gotten obsessed with minimalist/barefoot style shoes and am >> loving the feel and what it does for my feet. Finding shoes that are good >> for cycling is a bit more elusive though. I wouldn't really care except >> that I end up wearing whatever I bike in most days just because that's how >> I get around. >> >> What I'd love to find is something that has the soles of a FiveTen >> trailcross but without the midsole and a very wide toebox. Any suggestions? >> >> I've tried Vivobarefoots, which are workable, but the sole feels like it >> will be destroyed by the pedal's pins. Also tried some Altras that have a >> more substantial sole (too thick) and are really slick when wet. Both work, >> but neither is ideal. >> >> Ideas appreciated! >> >> Thanks >> >> Adam >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/835895d0-c17f-488e-8897-0be1bc9026a5n%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/835895d0-c17f-488e-8897-0be1bc9026a5n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > > > -- > > Patrick Moore > Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing > services > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* > > *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* > > *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/a3ae8fdf-1192-4fee-8a2c-9e4ae43fac41n%40googlegroups.com.
