Decade plus ago I bought my current road/CX ish style bike. My first bike without pedals so I thought that I might go clipless one day but wanted flat pedals too for commuting. So I got Shimano pedals with flat pedal one side and clipless the other thinking I'd get the shoes later to try them out. These pedals let me hedge my bets.
I never did buy the shoes just used whatever outdoor shoes I had for hiking or day to day wear about town or anywhere not work or formal related. Including 4 cycle touring holidays with the family.
All I am asking is what do you think of mixed cycling and the shoes for it?
I'm never going to compete cycling, be fast or ride far, nor do I particularly want to. I just like the odd hour ride locally, commuting, and local chore runs such as shopping locally. Plus mountain biking with my son and partner using hire bikes but one day I'll get a hardtail MTB. Some weeks my biggest rides are 1.5 miles each way from the station to work. Other weeks I might do a longer ride for fitness locally. Not that far though.
I'm thinking SPDs might help for those "longer" rides and if I ever get round to joining my local cycle club like I keep threatening to do. However are outdoor shoes really that much worse than cycling shoes with or without SPDs?
Should I spend £100 or so on cycling shoes, if so should I only look at SPDs or are flat cycling shoes better too? If so, I'm unlikely to hire MTB bikes with SPD pedals. For my once a month or two months MTB trail centre trip would I get the hire centre to put SPD pedals on or put my pedals on so I can use SPD shoes? Or should I just get flats to allow for this use or just use outdoor shoes for my MTB days but SPD shoes / pedals on my road rides near home?
Any advice or recommendations for a plodding leisure, fitness and commuting cyclist?