How do you ride with thick sole boots?

Up until now i've just been wearing chuck taylors as I haven't done any serious riding. But now that it's finally nice i'm starting to commute on my bike more. So I tried some actual riding boots yesterday. I found that the sole is so thick on them that I have to lift my foot completely off the peg to down shift as I can't pivot my ankle enough to get my foot above the shifter. Is this a common problem? Or is there some other way around it? I tried moving the shift lever but there isn't a sweet spot that I can upshift and downshift without taking my foot off the peg.

I'd really like to be wearing proper protection but I really hate the feeling of having only one foot on the pegs. Especially when i'm slowing down. So any pointers? Or recommendations for a brand of footwear with at thin sole and is breathable (I have swamp feet).

 

Well you are going form one extreme to another so I suspect you're just not used to the "feel." New riding boots will be stiff for a hot minute until they break in. I can't stand getting new boots but they'll feel like a second skin after you get used to them.

What bike are you riding? That might help some other members post up if they have similar experiences with the same model.

 

Riding a 81 550 Seca. And I agree with you that I'll probably get used to it eventually. I just really don't like having to take my foot off the peg to downshift. Seems unstable to me.

 

Yeah you shouldn't have to do that.

 

The shift and brake levers are adjustable. Adjust them to work with your boots.
You'll also get a greater range of motion once your boots break in.

 

Dude, either ur boot is really frickin stiff, or like k-moe said u can adjust the levers. I wear military tactical boots, and they work great but def needed a break in to get them to bend well.

 

I ride with bramah steel toed boots sometimes after the leather broke in no problems

 

Get yourself some Red Wing mink oil and apply this on the boots. This , with the use of an oven, will get the boots nice and soft.

 

Easy breezy. Do like the people that I see so often (and it makes me crazy).

When you start from a dead stop, keep your feet dangling out to the sides for at least halfway through an intersection . . . But lower them a bit so that the soles of your boots are touching the pavement. In no time your thick soles will be thinner!


DISCLAIMER: the above is tongue in cheek, please do NOT do this.

 

I think we need to know which boots he has before telling him to use mink oil on them. Synthetic leather and oil do not always play well.

 

My guess was real leather and not synthetic. SORRY!

 

very carefully

 

I've been wearing engineers boots, mining boots and para boots for years on various bikes and whenever I get used to wearing proper bike boots, it takes me a few changes and perhaps a couple of missed shifts before I get used to the thicker boots again.
So, it's just a learned pattern - you store it and bring it out again when needed.

 

I have worn really broken in 8" steel toes, 20 year old cowboy boots, my Durango Harness MC boots, and the ones I have only warn a couple times Brand new Combat boots, The combat boots I don't wear much just yet so they are stiff at the ankle and I have to move my hole leg not just my ankle so the foot comes off the peg, this would have happened with the steel toes too but as I said well worn in before I got the bike. I have noticed the combats have gotten better though with the few times I have worn them, so just wear your boots even when not riding to work them in, a good tight boot stays on.and protects the ankle bones. In my opinion.

 

I don't like riding in my steel toed boots, I can but I can feel anything, not that I want to feel concrete or metal in a wreck

 

That's why I bought the Durango's and the Combats (combats worked great on Christmas day kept my feet nice and warm...lol)

 

I try to avoid steel toe-cap boots, as I don't really fancy losing my toes to a slicer. Of the ones I mentioned, the para boots are my fave non-biker boots. Good ankle protection, weatherproof as they need to be and tough as... old boots. Mine are ex-Dutch Army, but they are broadly NATO pattern anyway, though subtle differences crop up between various armies' designs. For years I preferred the W.German ones.

 

I use my old black leather combat boots for riding. They provide ankle support and a thick soul.

 

Wear you boot every chance you get to break them in and you will not need to lift your foot, the ankle leather is just really stiff right now. ☺

 

I don't.

 

It's interesting to see how different people ride. I wear a mesh "slide resistant" jacket, full face helmet, and leather gloves (just ordered mesh gloves), along with boots. I'm looking to add a pair of slide resistant pants to the mix in the future. However, I also see folks riding in just a t-shirt and jeans. I must admit, I am a bit jealous and have thought about going lighter, but one never knows when a car or deer will jump out in front of the bike.

 

ALMOSTall the time I have my vest and my jacket on, often the chaps, too. All that for long rides always....

For shorter local rides, heavy Jean, cowboy boots, and vest.

Short ride on a very hot day....shorts/t-shirt to cool off just a couple mi or so....

Riding to work....everything

AATGAATT

 

The only thing that I always wear when riding is a helmet. I do full gear whenever I'm on a trip, or on the highway when other people are going to be around.

 

just a helmet and a smile ...must be a sight to see

textile mesh jacket gloves helmet hightop leather sneakers skid resistant soles.

deer I wish. I had a moose cut me off on the way home the other night as I was accelerating out of a 85 degree corner . strightened up the bike locked it up and was looking at moose hind quarters aside of me when I stopped then off he ran.
moose are non reflective even the eyes

 

I saw a moose while deer hunting up in the Adirondacks. Amazing animals. I definitely would not want to run into one on the bike.

 

or in a car..... big as horses and tall

 

My only experience with hitting large animals is seeing a friend's Geo Tracker totaled by an elk. The elk lived.

 

BTW DON'T google sandals on motorcycle.

 

I worked in a truck shop as a service writer for a while, saw rigs come in after losing to a moose, definitely not a challenge for a bike.

Helmet, leather jacket, boots, heavy jeans all the time no matter the heat, and when I can afford them chaps and over pants will be worn as well. Safety first for me.

 

Oh and gloves.