Biking shoes are made to be light and sturdy for efficient pedalling, featuring mesh panels to let your feet breathe in the summer and a clipless pedal cleat compatible sole. Clipless pedals were first launched roughly 30 years ago, based on a skiing concept. When you press down on a given pedal, a little plastic or metal cleat is connected to the heel of the shoes with two, three, or four bolts and engages with it. This lets you transfer power more effectively and keeps your feet in the most ergonomic position possible. If you wish to transition to clipless pedals, you must first select the appropriate bike shoes. You don’t have to wear road bike shoes because you cycle on the road, so keep reading to learn how to make your choice.
Cycling shoes for women
Women’s heels are often thinner than men’s, necessitating shallower bicycle shoes with less elevation between the heel and the upper. Women’s cycling shoes are available in various styles, though not as many as men’s, especially at the upper end. Because women’s feet are smaller than men’s, some manufacturers provide bicycle shoes for women in smaller sizes.
Cycling shoes for the road
Road cycling shoes are the first form of cycling shoes you’ll come across. These include strong nylon, composite, or carbon-fibre soles without a rubber outsole on top, allowing the cleats to be worn externally. They’re built to be efficient, transferring as much of your power as possible to the pedals to move you forward.
These bicycle shoes aren’t meant to be worn for long walks. The firm sole, along with the huge exterior cleat, causes you to stagger rather than walk. You’ll get from your home to the shed to grab your bike, and you’ll be able to stop at a café for a coffee, but that’ll be about it. You do not want to have a flat tyre and have to walk your bike home while wearing these.
Commuting and leisure
This is a broad category; however, all bicycle shoes in this category have a recessed cleat. To put it differently, the cleat is recessed into the shoe’s outsole, so it doesn’t contact the surface when you get off the bike. This means you’ll be able to walk far farther and more easily than you would in road bicycling shoes. Two bolts hold these cleats together. Some shoes can accommodate either a two-bolt or a three-bolt cleat, although most are only compatible with one.
The sole of a leisure cycling shoe is more flexible than that of a road biking shoe, sacrificing efficiency for comfort. These shoes are usually fashioned in a manner dissimilar to racing shoes, resembling hiking shoes or trainers. When you’re far from a bike, many of them won’t look out of place. A leisure cycling shoe’s more supple sole and recessed cleat make it a good choice for commuting and relaxed riding with café stops.
Shoes for the winter
In the winter, the airflow that makes cycling shoes so appealing in the summer can lead to cold feet; therefore, most riders opt for neoprene overshoes whenever the temperature lowers. Overshoes also protect rain and muck.
Another alternative is to wear winter boots. These are, as you might imagine, cycling boots designed to keep your feet dry and warm – or at least drier than they would be otherwise. Some winter shoes are made to fit three-bolt (road) cleats, while others are made to fit two-bolt (mountain bike) cleats.
Speak with the staff at your local bike shop if you want to understand more about bike shoes. Small changes to your cleats can have a big impact on your enjoyment and comfort, so don’t hesitate to talk to a pro about what could be best for you.