Product Thrashing.

Before posting all the great images from the weekend I thought I'd slot this one in.

It would be fair to say my cycling background is as diverse as it is extensive. I've worked in Melburn, New York, San Francisco, London, Vancouver, Berlin as bike messenger as you may now from photos floating around here.  In snow, ice, wind, rain and 40degree heat I've carried all sorts of packages, large and small. I raced mountain bike, track, road even given cross a go, and though I'm a A/B grader at best in those disciplines, when it comes to alleycats, I fear no one. I've done epic self supported bike trips in the UK, French Alps, Australia and Canada.  This year I even rode 600km in 2 days for the hell of it.  I don't know it all, but I know something and hope to inspire people to ride and make their path into cycling easier than my 'learn the hard way' approach.

I get asked to post / spruik all the time.  This is just another example.   I don't like the BSNYC approach to shooting these down in flames, but this was sent directly to me, personally addressed so I figured it warranted a personal reply.

Shifter Dan said it to me.   'Don't get a mechanic to deliver a parcel. Don't get a courier to fix your bike.'

Will I be eating my words?

INBOX

Hello Andy....

‘NIKE SPDs’

Using cycling as my passion and inspiration, I have transformed my pair of NIKEs into cycling shoes compatible with clipless/SPD pedals. By affixing a specific cleat to the sole of my trainers, I have united my Waffle Racers
with my bicycle pedals.

I find that all too often cycling attire is over-designed, resulting in cyclists struggling to find the balance between full-on cycle gear and normal everyday wear for situations where you aren’t just cycling for pleasure. Cycling shoes are generally designed with one purpose in mind; for transferring power from your foot to the pedal, with the most efficiency. On the other hand, NIKE shoes are ubiquitous with fashion and popular culture irrespective of sport, so I have transformed my NIKEs into a pair of cycling shoes that strike the balance between function and aesthetics, creating a pair of functional, yet desirable trainers you can wear both on and off the bike.

I was especially determined throughout not to overlook the functionality of the trainers and was insistent they were to be used and not only be conceptual. Bearing this in mind, and with the sole being very flexible too, I was very conscious to avoid the cleat ripping out the sole from the sheer volume of power transferred between your foot and the pedal. I even found myself recycling heels from my Grandfather’s cycling shoes for greater stability in the sole.

REPLY

Hey Dan

What part of the design did you do?  Adding the cleat?  colourway?

A flexible sole shoe like that would break your foot, they need to be a lot stiffer than regular shoes as you can imagine, but not full carbon like bont's which are too stiff in my opinion.  I have bont's, sidi, gaerne, and have used specialized, look, adidas and pearl izumi road AND mtb shoes, and I race, train, and work on all types of shoes.  I've worked in cowboy boots, gumboots, and I made a pair out SPD's out of old trainers about four years ago for the same reasons you have.

I also had a pair of Nike ACG (can recall the name but it was the world cup/ top of the line model) shoes when I worked in NYC (2004) and they were good, but BOTH pairs I had split in the sole at the cleat rendering them useless.  maybe wrong choice of sole material.

You need to recess the cleat or you'll go through them in a week, not to mention the horrible sound they make on the pavement.  This is a design principle of clipless MTB shoes that has been standard since they're inception.

To me your design doesn't seem that well though out, or am I missing something completely.  Graphic design may be your strong point, but cycling is my strong point and I don't see how this is any better than current nike's. 

SIDI are the best cycling shoes for road and mountain, and they look good.  I see where you are coming from with wanting the trainer aesthetic, AND functionality of clipless but it's a very basic execution of it.

I'm trying to be as constructive as possible, but this doesn't interest me in the slightest, and I can only see the majority of my readers thinking exactly the same. 

I might as well post this since I've spent 10 minutes evalutating them based on the video and images, to be fair to you.

Even my wife, who is not a keen cyclist watched the vid and thought 'does he think no one has heard of cleats before'

best wishes
*TC

Post what you think below.

Thanks to Mik and Sandra (Jekyl and Hyde)  auto-publishing of comments is disabled.