Who Owns a Pair of Shoes for 15 Years?

It's been a real long time since my last post, and my soggy shoes have dried out. Last year, I didn't ride much because I was working a lot. At one point, I was juggling 3 jobs and riding my bike wasn't one of my top priorities. I was too tired most of the time and would rather spend the time with my sons.

So this summer, I'm working less and trying to balance my work, family and fun. I'm riding more but not the mountain bike but the road bike. It's because I can, leave the house and just ride as opposed to driving to the trails and riding. It's a big time saver and I can ride longer. My mountain bike is real old. I have had it for 13 years now and it's really showing its age. It's a 26" Turner 5 Spot and it creaks a lot (yes, I have lubed it) but it's showing its age. Just recently my Sidi Dominator shoe has ripped, the buckle portion ripped off the shoe, so it basically flaps around. The plastic thread or lugs on the bottom of the shoe, has worn down so bad, that the bottom of the shoe is starting to look like a road shoe (all smooth) and lastly the the cleats are worn down. I can still clip in but removing the cleats is impossible. Cleats are fairly cheap to buy but if you see in the pictures, they are too far gone.

Several years ago, I purchased on eBay, a pair of used Sidi Dragon mountain bike shoe. I bought them because it was cheap and you can replace the soles. The seller said didn't like the shoe, so it wasn't worn much and the shoe didn't look like it was beaten up, so I bought them. Yes, I bought used shoes. I know, maybe you wouldn't buy used shoes but I know how long Sidi shoes last and I figured I'd never be able to buy a new pair Sidi Dragon shoes, since they retail around $250 to $300. I won the ebay auction for $80!

I have been using Time Atac pedals for a very long time because they shed dirt and mud so well. I have used Crankbrothers Eggbeaters but they were too skinny and I had issues clipping in and out. So I'm thinking about using Shimano pedals because they are somewhat cheaper to buy and I feel like they are more universal. Jenson USA has the Shimano XT Trail PDM8020 pedals, on sale (or clearance) for $57.49. I like the bigger platform because when I don't want to wear my clipless shoes, it would be ok to just wear my sneakers.

So my question to you is, what kind of pedals do you prefer? Are you clipless or using a platform? Also, what kind of brand of shoes, do you wear?

Happy Trails,
DB