Cycling Shoes

Why bother with cylcing shoes and what should you expect them to do for you? Shoes that are design and constructed specifically for will dramatically improve comfort and increase performance. While the technical aspects need to be considered, it is of utmost importance that the shoes are fit properly and are comfortable.

Cycling shoes are designed to protect your feet both internally and externally The internal protection refers to the elimination of sweat and the proper air flow, while the external one means water and wind screening. The material the shoes are made of needs to be breathable, since sweat accumulation increases the risk of fungal infections and skin rashes.

The best shoes are those that allow moisture travel from inside the shoe to the outside resulting in keeping the feet warm and dry at the same time. Typically you want to look for a shoe with a synthetic upper that is easy to clean. A material that can be brushed free of dirt and sponged clean is ideal. The incorporation of mesh panels will improve the breathability and speed drying time if the shoes get wet.

Mountain bike shoes are the exception. These shoes need to be durable and resistance to dirt, mud, and abrasions. These shoes will generally have rubberized sections on the toes, heels and mid foot. Easy to clean materials like poly coated leather, synthetic leather, rubber and plastic are typical, but some mountain bike shoes may not include nylon mesh panels for ventilation because of the need to keep water and mud out.

The construction of the soles of shoes is extremely important. The type of sole selected is dependent on the type of pedal your bicycle has. This connection is the link where your power is transferred to the bike. Road pedals are for the long miles and extended hours of cycling. These pedals have a large cleat that provides more support and distributes pressure evenly across more of your foot.

This is different from the off-road and recreational pedal which has a smaller cleat that can be recessed into the sole of the shoe. The recessed cleat makes it easier to walk and most mountain bike pedals have some means to clear out mud and debris.

Sport or recreational shoes have a semi-flexible sole that is adaptable to walking while still providing plenty of stiffness and support for pedaling. Almost all of the shoes in this category have a recessed area for a 2-bolt cleat (commonly called SPD). shoes for road trips will have a fully stiff sole made of nylon, composite plastics, carbon fiber or any combination of these. For road the whole goal is to make a light weight shoe that is very stiff for efficient pedaling. Road shoes are made to accommodate larger surface area road pedal cleats and generally no provision is made for walking, other than a small heel pad to put down at stop lights.

Most top model road shoes will have a full carbon fiber sole for the ultimate balance of weight and stiffness. There are several different bolt patterns for road pedals and you must be sure that your pedal system is supported by the shoe you purchase. The cleats that engage into the pedal are sometimes sold with the pedal. The most common bolt pattern for road shoes is LOOK (a 3 bolt pattern). There are also a number of pedal systems that are not produced by the LOOK company which use this bolt pattern to attach to the shoe. Some shoes utilize the same SPD (2 bolt) pattern used on Sport and Mountain bikes.

Mountain bike shoes are somewhat of a hybrid and will have either a fully stiff sole like a road shoe or a sole with some flex to it like a sport shoe. Generally, if you are racing or doing mostly XC riding where walking is rare the stiffest soles are best. Mountain bike shoes will have a very aggressive tread pattern on them for traction when walking on rough or muddy terrain and the cleat area will be recessed into the bottom of the sole.

For mountain bike shoes SPD 2 bolt drilling is the only common bolt pattern and almost all mountain bike pedals use this bolt pattern. Entry level models will have a rubber cover or plastic plate over the cleat area so that they can be used with clips and straps if needed.

Remember shoes are for and not for walking. Take care of them and they will last you a long time. Clean them frequently and take extra care to be sure they dry out thoroughly if they have gotten wet. Be sure to clean the soles and keep the cleats free of dirt and debris. Just like your bike, your shoes are an investment in your experience, too.