Shoes query

[BoyBurning]

Since the early 90s I've always run Onza HO pedals with PooBah shoes, but I'm about to move on to my last pair of hoarded new PooBahs and thought it might be good to try something new.

I'm thinking of changing to more recent [ie. ten year old which I seem to have acquired loads of but never used] Shimano pedals and cleats, and some brand new modern shoes.

I suspect the difference will be pretty significant - whilst I love the PooBahs, they flex a bit, are quite narrow, and the laces can be a faff with the high tongue.

In making the change, a big priority is ease of shoe-putting-on.

I want something by the back door which I can literally stick on my foot and it's done - sort of like my daily Salomons with the quick lace system.

So thinking either ratchet or the dial type fastening, not laces, and ideally not velcro as I want something really solid [but not a deal breaker].

Any suggestions please for a modern shoe newbie?

Price is absolute max 80 quid, ideally less.

Next question, is where to buy from? Sadly LBS isn't an option for me this time so has to be an online order.

CRC have some Gaernes I could get at a push, Wiggle just do my head in when you find something and it's the last pair and they're only in size 36 or something, so anywhere else recommended?

I think a consideration of where I buy from may be their returns policy [ie. free] as it might be that sizes between brands don't match to consistency of Salomon, which I've bought exclusively for 25 years and never had a size problem with...

Thanks in advance, and HNY to all.

 

[My_Teenage_Self]

Something like the shimano ME4 can be had for that money. Sizing may be a bit smaller than your usual shoe size though. you can't really go wrong with shimano shoes.

I've got shimano shoes with ratchets and have used Boa on trail shoes before - both are superior and much faster than laces IMO.

However... As a fellow lover of HOs, I can't say i love the SPDs themselves.

 

[T'boo Ted]

if you have salomon shoes, then maybe try Mavic as until recently mavic and salomon were the same company, so there sizing could be similar (could be, no garantees) (which also is anothor point, CRC and Wiggle are the same thing, so its always odd when they dont have the same stock levels of things)

I have crossmax pro's, crossmax thermo's and ksyrium thermo's, all great shoes.

 

[BoyBurning]

Forgot to update this. Thanks both for the input and suggestions. In the end I went for some pearl izumis, with the boa lock at top and velcro over toes. Quick 5 miles on them has been good but obviously far too soon to give any honest feedback. Getting on and off is fantastic though, such a good system and easy to regulate the fit. Realised I got the wrong bloody cleats though so had to order another pair. First pull up and I was out of them. Who the bloody hell would want such things?! Will fit the new twist only ones and see what happens, but from initial trials I'm still an onza pedal man after all these years. We will see on the next outing...

Thanks again guys for replying with feedback and suggestions.

 

[mattr]

I went HO to a series of shimano (and shimano alikes from Wellgo/RItchey) and then to Time, which are the closest you'll get to the HO feel with a modern, and easily available pedal.

 

[BoyBurning]

Thanks @mattr - would that be the ATAC XC 6 for example, or is the same feeling replicated on their cheaper pedals? They have some starting at 35 quid, but apparently they don't have tension release adjustability. Good to know in advance as I've collected up a few different sets of spd and wellgo / ritchey etc to make my way through trying.

 

[mattr]

I've got an assortment of the XC, trail and DH pedals dating back ~20 years. (I do have xc6 and 8s though.)
They all have a broadly similar feel.
I've never used or needed any tension adjustment.
Some are less reliable than others!