Review: Teva Joyride Mid Shoes!!

Yes, I know ... it's been a while since my last post ... again.  The continued battle of balance has found me focusing on many things that don't include writing ... although I actually have been riding a lot over the summer, which is part of the reason there hasn't been a lot of time left for writing.  Excuses aside ... I'd like to share a recent discovery with you that has brought a great deal of happiness to my feet.

In case you haven't heard, I'm quite particular about what goes on my feet.  They're fairly wide-ish and strongly built, but at the same time, they're sensitive and have a tendency to get uncomfortable on long rides. If I'm walking or riding in sandals, I'll occasionally feel what I swear is a giant jagged rock under my foot, only to find it's the tiniest single grain of sand.  Lots of "normal" shoes don't work for me because they're just too narrow and tight ... and yet a lot of the "wide" width shoes are too sloppy and clunky.  Basically, it's pretty hard to find shoes that really work for my feet ... so when I trip and stumble across something that works, I get pretty excited.

Enter a new series of shoes from Teva.

Here's my disclaimer: None of the products reviewed here were provided to me by the manufacturer or any retailer for evaluation. Nope. I'm not one of those famous bloggers who gets stuff for free. I purchased everything with my own money, and without any sort of special interweb journalist discount, so you can rest assured that the opinions expressed here are unbiased and come purely through my own experience ... good, bad, or otherwise. That being said, should any manufacturers out there wish to provide some cool bike-related products for ... ummm ... testing and evaluation ... I would likely be open to offering my honest review. 

Teva has been well-known for many years for their adventure and water shoes and sandals, as well as their Mush flip-flops, and has experimented with lots of other casual styles.  I've been a fan of their sandals, and wear them daily, but to be honest, the shoes just haven't been a good fit for my feet.  Over the past year, they've been introducing shoes for bike people, which seems a natural progression for the company, given their reputation for adventure and outdoor sports, and the sandals are worn by many cyclists.  The shoe line was initially geared toward BMX and the more hardcore mountain bike style, the first two models looking like beefed up skate shoes with heavy padding and a stiffer outsole.  Nice, but not quite the ideal for me ... nevertheless, I tried a pair of the Pinner model to see if they might work.  They didn't.  The tongue is so heavily padded that the entire shoe is very tight.  Plus, the whole shoe just seems very small, both in length and width ... but going to a larger size would not have made the fit better, just clunkier.  I understand this kind of shoe may be just the ticket for a BMX rider ... but not for me as a general-purpose wherever rider.

Other models began to appear, however, and my interest was again drawn to the line.  The new models didn't have the heavy padding, nor were they all of the same skate styling.  Some of them even looked like retro sneakers, made with leather.  Hmmm.  But still ... I hadn't had much luck with their shoes fitting well, and I wasn't sure the styling was quite right for a man of my age.  After all, I'm not exactly a hipster.  I browsed the line many times as they sent email messages of announcement, gazing with happiness that a company like Teva would offer focus to bike shoes that can be walked in and worn all day, and that don't require (or offer) physical attachment to lock the shoe to the pedal.  Just good, all-around shoes designed with bike-riding in mind.  I always ended the browsing being confident they probably wouldn't fit my "special" feet, and would probably make me look silly.

One model continued to catch my eye, though, and was relentless in its subliminal question of "what if".  Teva calls it the Joyride.  It's offered in both a standard low cut (Joyride) and a mid-ankle height (Joyride Mid).  In a moment of weakness, I ordered a pair of the Mids, assuring myself that if they didn't fit, I could promptly return them.  That was months ago.  They are now almost the only shoes I wear when I ride.

Here they are:

They're offered in the dark brown shown here, as well as black.  You can't really go wrong with either color, so I flipped a coin and the brown won.  The uppers are made of waterproof leather, and are very soft.  I did get caught in the rain on one occasion, getting soaked from head to toe, and the shoes are absolutely no worse from the experience.  While the leather did get wet, it dried quickly and was not affected by the water.

I did add a set of DIY LaceKeepers, shown in the photos.  Out of the box, there is no provided means for securing the laces.  This really isn't a big deal, since the laces aren't really long enough to get caught in the chainring when tied.  However, the lacekeepers I added make sure the laces STAY tied.  An untied lace is not a good thing on a bike.

The shoes wipe clean easily and don't look abused from scuffs.  I'm not exactly thrilled about the creamy white trim on the sole and toe bumper (would have preferred something darker), but it's very much in line with the retro styling, and has actually grown on me with time.  They have a sole that Teva designed specifically for mating with the surface of a bike pedal, which they dubbed PedalLink.

Inside the shoe is a light, but very comfortable "Mush-Infused" insole that seems to mold well to my feet.  It's also removable, in case you want to replace them with a different insole.  The shoe lining is soft and quite "breathable" (my feet don't seem to get hot in them).  It's treated with some kind of anti-microbial stuff that's supposed to keep them from getting smelly ... and so far it seems to be working.

Here's what Teva has to say about them:

Riding your bike to work is the perfect way to start your day off on the right foot. But it’s really hard to find a shoe that has the appropriate level of sneaker-ness for biking along with enough seriousness for work. Solving that problem is the Joyride Mid. Hiding beneath the classy leather upper is our PedalLINK Outsole technology, which was developed with Teva Tribe professional riders for grip and feel. So if you’re looking for shoes that work on the pedal or off, the Joyride Mid is for you.

T.I.D.E. GRIP

• Our Spider365 Rubber sole will hold its grip in all kinds of environments
• Our PedalLINK outsole was designed specifically to interface with the unique platform of a bike pedal
• Aggressive tread designs at the toe and heel will grip the dirt when you’re hoofin’ it

T.I.D.E. HYDRO

• Waterproof upper materials can handle getting wet
• The gusseted tongue keeps water out

T.I.D.E. COMFORT

• A Mush® Infused Insole brings the absurd comfort of our flip flops into a shoe
• A rubber bumper will protect your toes
• Waterproof leather upper

Part of what held me back the most was wondering if the style of the shoe was a bit too "young" for me.  I imagined people would think I was going through some strange sort of mid-life hipster crisis, wearing shoes inappropriate for my age ... and in my mind, I saw that guy from the Sprint commercial:

It is I ... your subconscious style insecurity 

However ... I actually do like the retro style very much, regardless of its potential for age-inappropriateness, and when I took them out of the box, I was very pleased.  The material felt great and they appeared to be solidly built.  Even better, they fit great ... even on my wide-ish sensitive feet.  There's decent room in the toe box, and the leather is soft, so it adapts and shapes nicely.  Walking is as comfortable as any good sneaker, and the combination of Spider Rubber and tread pattern provides good grip on all surfaces.

The true test, however, is in how they work on the bike.  I can ride in almost any shoe for a few miles, but not so many of them get past 15-20 miles without causing some kind of discomfort or even numbness, especially if I'm pushing harder in a headwind or up a hill.  The Joyride has been great from the first ride ... like a favorite broken in pair of sneakers that feels great no matter what you're doing in them.  They stick to the pedals extremely well, but are easy to re-position when desired.  While the shoe has plenty of room for my feet, it's also designed with no extra stuff sticking out, so it's easy to keep my feet tucked in close to the cranks, where the power and efficiency is much better for me.  Most wide-ish shoes tend to force my feet out a bit on the pedals.  And here's a puzzling thing for me ... the sole is pretty flexible, which generally doesn't make for a comfortable long-distance riding shoe, but somehow these feel great on the pedals and don't cause any kind of fatigue.  They're also surprisingly light, considering the leather upper.  Not a bit of clunkiness here ...

The "on-the-bike" performance of the Joyride quickly made me forget any insecurity I may have had with the style.  They work so well, I'd wear them no matter what they looked like.  That said, they do look nice, and they coordinate well with everything I own.  It's even better that they're so comfortable for "off-the-bike" applications.  They are truly an all-day shoe.  I can't speak yet for durability, but so far, they've been great ... and I don't exactly coddle them while riding.  They've been through salty ocean spray, dusty dirt trails, rain, and assorted road debris, not to mention a sizable dose of sweaty feet.  They don't stink yet, and the pictures above are what they currently look like.

I'm considering getting another pair in black ... and maybe some of the low cut version, too ... now if I could only find a way to justify the purchase, because the last thing I "need" is another pair of shoes (or three) ... any suggestions?

If you're looking for a pair of comfortable sneakers with style, check the Joyride out, or any of the other shoes in Teva's Bike line.  I think you'll like them ... and if lots of people buy them, maybe Teva will keep making them!  Great shoes for regular pedals and regular bike people!!

Old Dudes Roll!!

It was pretty cool that an older guy, Alexandre Vinokourov, won the gold medal in the London Olympic Road Cycling event.  Granted, 38 isn't exactly OLD, but it's 11 years older than the average Olympic athlete, who's 26.8 years old.  For professional athletes, it's quite a feat for anyone in any sport to achieve the pinnacle of greatness at such an age.

"Get outta my way, punks"

Likewise, Kristin Armstrong won the women's Time Trial (for the second time, mind you) ... and she's also 38 years old ... the oldest person to ever win the gold in that event.

"Don't hate me because I'm STILL much faster than you"

The rest of the competitors were younger ... and yet somehow these "aging" athletes proved that riding a bike isn't just for kids.  To have both men AND women's events won by people who are almost 40 is pretty cool.

And ... I think it's inspired a lot of people to get out there and ride.  If two near-40-year-olds can win Olympic gold riding a bike, then certainly those in their 50's, 60', 70's and beyond can at least have some fun doing it, right?  True 'dat.

I'm all for people riding and having fun, and I've noticed a greatly increased number of riders who appear to be at least as old as I am (48, as of this writing), and many who are much older.  And there seems to be another "inspired" side effect of the Olympics.  Many of these new post-30's riders have decided that it's "GO" time ... imagining themselves in pursuit of Olympic Gold ... and anyone on the road is their competition.

They got themselves a race bike, race clothes, race helmet, race shoes, race computer, and carry at least two water bottles at all times.  They may not yet understand how everything works, but they're ready to race.  They'll race anyone ... other old dudes on bikes, kids on cruisers, skateboarders, in-line skaters, dog-walkers, pedestrians ... I've even seen a dude racing someone in an electric wheelchair.  And, of course, they race ME ... an aging dude on a non-racing bike, wearing non-racing clothes, and obviously not in a hurry for anything, which I assume makes me appear to be the weak member of the herd, and therefore easy to take down.  This is quite entertaining to me, as well as a little frustrating, since I worked very hard to overcome my desire to race anyone who might pass me, just to prove that I'm not getting old.

Today's race was "brung" by a man who began his approach at the first of three stoplights in the last five miles of today's Ocean Institute Decade-And-A-Half Everyday Epic ride.  I was stopped at the light when he rolled up, gave me and my bike a once-over scan, and continued on, coming to a stop well into the crosswalk and nearly into the intersection to capture the very best possible sprint starting position, as he struggled to unclip his shoe from the pedal.  When the light turned green, he jumped on the pedal, fumbled while attempting to clip in the second shoe, and then proceeded in a wobbly standing sprint as fast as possible away from the intersection.  A quick look back was given to ensure that his breakaway was successful, then he sat down hard on his saddle and began his somewhat slower, rather bow-legged seated pedaling style, which was necessary to circumvent the large round protrusion in the lower half of his jersey, no doubt a reward for the years of beer consumption (I have one of my own that I swear will one day disappear).  I pedaled on at my usual slower-than-most pace, and found myself gaining on him, then passing him within about half a mile.  I rode on to the next stoplight, where it began again ... in exactly the same manner.  And then AGAIN at the third stoplight.  It might have continued, but at the fourth stoplight, he turned into a coffee shop, and I rode the last mile home to likewise drink some coffee.

Perhaps it will be "ON" again tomorrow ...

The Rivendell Question

Owning a Rivendell bicycle is a wonderful experience, not only because it's a great bike to ride, but also because it seems to draw the attention of ... well, everyone.  While my other bikes would occasionally get a "nice bike" or a wave, there's rarely a ride on the Hunqapillar during which someone doesn't stop to look at it and ask about it.  It is, indeed, a beautiful bike, and I certainly have no problem in talking about it with people.

People generally have very nice things to say.  Since everyone's different, it's fun for me to hear the different things that catch different eyes.  Sometimes it's the colors in the frame.  Sometimes it's the cool woolly mammoth headbadge.  Other times it's the bags and racks, or the fenders, or the handlebars and cork grips, etc.

There's one question, though, that seems universal whenever someone who is unfamiliar with Rivendell asks about my bike.  You Riv owners out there already know this question, and are already laughing.  It usually goes something like this:

"Wow ... cool bike.  How old is it?"

I get it ... really, I do.  You see, in our world filled with modern high-tech thick-tubed molded carbon fiber and aluminum bicycle frames, it's a rare sight to see one with skinny steel tubes connected with artistic lugs.  A classically-styled bicycle is ASSUMED to be old, especially one with fat tires, fenders, racks, and bags, ridden by a dude who's obviously not dressed for any kind of training or racing.

"It was built way back in November of 2011."  That's what I tell them.  They're always shocked, having expected me to tell them about how it was passed down to me by my great grandfather who brought it back from Austria during the war, loved it more than life itself, and kept it in perfect condition for the past 75 years ... or something like that.

Sometimes I sense a slight disappointment because I didn't have a better back story of the bike's special history.  More often, though, I find that people are happy to hear bikes like this are not only still being made, but also offered with the perfect mix of classic style and modern technology.

"That looks like pure joy to ride", said one man after looking it over.  

Exactly ... that's the whole point.  It was built to be enjoyed.  Great classic style never truly gets "old", especially when there's as much quality in the workmanship as in the style.  I'm looking forward to the day when someone asks me how old it is, and I can tell them this:

"It was built way back in 2011 ... that was more than 30 years ago now, but I've been riding it ever since ... and it's still going strong ... somebody else will be riding it after I'm gone, I'll bet ..."