My Louis Garneau MTB Shoes

My close biking friends have always encouraged me to try clipless pedals as they told me the benefits if I were to use one. I was always hesitant in going clipless since I’ve heard various horror stories of riders who got into accidents when they were new to using clipless pedals.

It must have been my longing to improve my biking skills and performance. So sometime December of last year (2009) I dropped by Grant Trail Cycles in Makati which is actually just next door my office and got my self a pair of Shimano clipless pedals and had it installed on my bike. The pedals came with the usual free standard black Shimano single release cleats. I was hoping to get a multiple release cleats but I can’t complain since the cleats were free anyway.

After of couple of days, I dropped by a couple of bike shops in Cartimar looking for an entry level of clipless shoes. After scouring all the shops in cartimar that have an mtb shoe that would fit me, I’m a size 39-40, I settled for the Louis Garneau Trail Grip shoes from Ross Cycles.

I fitted the shoe and I kind of liked how it felt that I somehow felt giddy add to the fact that they gave me a discount 😉

Unfortunately for me, I got into an accident on my first clipless ride using cleat shoes and it took me more than a month before I gained back my confidence in biking.

I recently joined a couple of my biking friends for a bike ride to Kandila in Dona Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan last Oct 23, 2010. The weather was good and trail was fine and while pedaling, I noticed some changes on my kick. I checked my shoes and saw an opening from the sole.

I never thought it was my last ride using my less than a year old LG shoes.

Definitely, I feel sad because my clipless shoes last for 10 months only. I emailed them about what had happened to my shoes and as replied:

Hi Jenny,

Thanks for your email.

First of all you really need to speak with the channel you purchased the shoes through. I am in the United States, so it would be very difficult
for me to do an exchange with you, and since we do not sell direct overseas, this is something we do not normally handle.

I did however pass your comments and pictures along to our product manager and this situation is one we have only seen maybe 3 times ever
in our history.

If you need any more assistance feel free to contact me directly.

Thanks~
Heidi Myers
Communications and Custom Sales Coordinator

As advised, I will visit Ross Bikeshop first and return my LG MTB Shoes and seek for answers but for the meantime, I need to purchase a new pair of Clipless shoes.

How about you? Have you encountered a similar situation wherein your mtb cleat shoes gave up on you?

What brand and model of clipless shoes would you recommend?