How to choose the right cycling shoes

 How to choose the right cycling shoes

No one is going to stop you if you ride a bike with tennis shoes, but if you compare that to wearing cycling shoes, there is nothing we can tell you that does not become evident as soon as you put them on: the difference in weight, the feeling of being one. with your bike, how everything responds better and more efficiently; It is much more important than you would think.

A bicycle shoe is distinguished more than anything by its rigidity, try to walk with its solid soles and you will see what we are talking about, they also adapt to your needs with better ventilation and a mechanism that holds them to the pedals of your bicycle, in words Simple, each of its parts, from the closure mechanism to the materials, are there with the purpose of making it easier for you and your bike to be a winning team.

- How to choose the right cycling shoes and products

As always, the clearer you have what you need in your preferred cycling mode, the better; For that we created this guide that will be very useful for you differentiating the different types of shoe and what would be optimal for you.

What separates shoes for mountain, road, triathlon and urban bikes?
It is clear that you have to secure the pedal in some way, and each shoe handles it differently depending on the cycling discipline you practice. There is nothing wrong with crossing gear from different types of cycling, but if something was designed with a specific purpose in mind, it is best served.


To make this point clear to you, we list the characteristics that distinguish each shoe for each discipline:

Road Cycling: The best road shoes have as a priority to improve your performance, and they achieve this by being rigid, light and perfectly transmitting your pedaling to the bicycle.
The transmission of forces is achieved by fixing your feet to the pedal, road bikes need you to be much better secured than on a city or mountain bike, where you must surely get away often to ride correctly.

If you are a road cyclist, you will most likely not walk much, so the fixation will be external on your shoe, instead of receding (we will explain the difference in a moment), you can notice this in the cleats that protrude from the sole, to give you better grip.

As in everything on the route, aerodynamics is the key, your shoes must be light, well ventilated and have a simple design, with an impressive variety of closing mechanisms; all to slide without resistance to the wind.



MTB / Mountain biking: To help you on those more rural terrain, the mountain shoes will have recessed cleats (hidden inside the sole) and studs for a good grip; You will most likely get on and off often when riding in mountains, and this extreme environment design does come in handy when hiking in swamps and hillsides.
Every part of your hiking shoe will take this into account, that they are not made for clean roads or cities, but to dive into mud and dirt, so cleanliness and water resistance are a very important factor. Even if they take into account the stiffness of the sole for the same pedaling transmission, this category does not take it as much into account as in road cycling, because they know that you will need to walk more, have a good grip with the terrain and ease Keeping them clean is your first challenge to overcome.

MTB / mountaineering shoes take the closure mechanism as much into account as road shoes, but for different reasons, while aerodynamics are a priority on the road, in the mountains it is important to keep your feet protected from dirt and water, and from the occasional stone that bounces in your direction.

Another feature that separates them from the rest is the channel that some include to secure you to the pedals, thus making the process of fixing and removing your feet from their position when riding more efficient, and on the way they give you a solid platform between pedal and foot when they are not fully insured.

Keep in mind that with all these security and protection measures, the weight increases a lot, up to double in some cases, and its profile grows in the same way, it does not matter so much the speed, but that you can ride without tripping with each pedaling.

If you prefer not to be fixed on the pedals, there are versions of mountain shoes designed for platform pedals, they are almost always very similar to the ones that fix you, but they change the channels and cleats for rubber soles with excellent grip that perfectly accommodate the pedal outline.


Triathlon: At the extreme of speed, triathlon shoes are unrivaled, their soles are the stiffest, their construction the lightest and the contact between your foot and the pedal is more assured than ever; So much so, that even in the closing mechanism they prefer that your foot leaves the shoe easily before removing it from the pedal.



They do this with velcro straps or other simple systems to make sure the transition is as quick as possible; For this reason, it would not take you long to notice the prominent grips on the heel, so that your feet are in and out in a matter of seconds.

Another thing that differentiates triathlon shoes from the rest is their incredible ventilation, after all, triathlons are a summer sport, and you will surely be soaked after a stretch of swimming.


Urban Cycling: Back to shoes that put comfort and safety before speed we have urban shoes, here you will find soles similar to those of the mountain, but with less emphasis on design to ensure you, very discreet studs and cleats, because in The city is walked much more than in any other cycling environment, and the last thing you want is to walk entire blocks with mountain biking coves.
The soles are also more flexible to move with your foot when you walk, not the other way around, think of these shoes as the casual version between any tennis shoes and specialized shoes.

Pedals

Before going into the matter with what you should look for in a shoe that suits your needs, it is important to us to clarify how much the cleats and pedals affect when we talk about transmitting your pedaling force to the bicycle, according to your discipline of course .

The pedals are what translates everything you do on your bike into motion, you simply fit your feet into them, and the cranks will do the rest.

Nowadays there are mainly three types of pedal, the clip, mixed and platform

Clip: As weird as it sounds, clip pedals do not have a mechanism that attaches to your shoe, instead they use toe clips to hug your foot and keep it in place.
This more retro option is rarely seen on competition bikes, if you do happen to be around, it will surely be on a recreational bike.

Their biggest benefit is that they allow you to mount and hold your feet in place without the need for specialized shoes, but for this reason you can get caught in them, and it can be more difficult than necessary to dismount.


Automatic (and Mixed): These are the pedals that are surely most familiar to you, you see them on any specialized bicycle, perhaps not so much on those of common use.
Its concept is simple, if your shoe fits firmly into them with cleats, your efficiency will take off; they are in a way very similar to the mechanism that skiers use to fixate on skis.

The clipless pedals are fixed with a little pressure, this fits the cleats of your shoe to the pedal mechanism, to dismount you only need to turn your foot a little, and the mechanism is released.

Mixed pedals are fairly common in MTB / mountain biking, they have one side with this mechanism, and another with a platform, their design was created with ease of grooming in mind.

In the world of road and triathlon, you can find them fully automatic or mixed, and they will normally have a larger surface to better transfer your force, they will also be shorter in extension, to distance your feet from the ground when you go sharp turns competing.

Where mixed pedals really come out is in urban cycling, to give you the ease of choosing between a specialized pedal or a more uncomplicated one, like riding with your everyday shoes.

Platform: This type of pedal is the simplest, without cleat mechanisms to secure you or toeclips to tie them, just a flat platform, any type of shoe works with these pedals.
It's common to find them on BMX, urban, and some mountain bikes, because the last thing you want if you fall off them is for your foot to get stuck on the pedal.

It is also not out of the imagination to find them on hiking bikes or gravity mountaineering, the pedals for these categories are characterized by having a discreetly concave figure, and pins that help you a bit with traction.

Coves

Cleats are what hold your shoes to the pedal. The advantage of using clipless shoes and pedals is the feeling they offer you of unity with your bike, and that they are by far the best way to make your effort worthwhile on the move.

The cleats of each shoe vary in composition, shape and properties depending on their purpose and the type of cycling you like, the key aspects that you must take into account are:

Type: The cleats of your shoes will surely have a 2 or 3 bolt system:
Road bikes use 3 bolts to take advantage of the greater area of ​​their pedals, ensuring good power distribution and stability; Instead, the 2-bolt system is found more on mountain bikes, for easy grooming and access, so you don't end up with jams in the middle of nowhere.

Remember that the cleats of your shoes should always correspond to what fits your pedals, they will usually come as part of a new set of pedals, but you can also get them individual spare parts.


Game: The game of your shoes is measured in degrees, it is how much you can move your feet without the pedal stopping them, to make micro-adjustments to your position.
As a general rule of thumb, the less experience you have, or the more risk you have of injuring yourself, the more game you will need on your set.

Each set of cleats specifies how much play they allow, they even separate it with color codes so that there is no room for doubt in beginner riders, for example Shiman has three varieties of cleats with their respective amount of play, the red one has a tight fit without play , the blue allows you two degrees of play, and the yellow takes into account six degrees of freedom.


Receding or External: As we mentioned before, the cleats can be receding inside the sole or external, this depends on how far you are going to walk with your shoes, because the external cleats can be uncomfortable because they are so rigid, but that is what gives you a perfect assembly with the pedal.
For this reason, the receding cleats are found mostly in MTB or urban shoes, where you will surely be walking a large part of the journey, while on the road and triathlon they will be pronounced external, to transmit all your energy to the pedals.

Dimensions and shape

Before buying those fast, rigid and "best of all" shoes, focus on the main thing, that they fit you well.

Comfort is what truly makes the difference in your performance, more than any other characteristic that your shoes have; Fortunately, cycling footwear has a wide repertoire of widths, lengths, and shapes to accommodate any type of foot, because the "perfect shoe" is different for everyone.

When you are reviewing sizes, having the dimension table and knowing yours helps, but there is nothing like going to a store and measuring them in person, feeling how your heels grip, the space you have for your toes, and having their measurements be the same. more comfortable for you.

A tip to remember is to always measure shoes with cycling socks, preferably the same ones that you are going to use to ride. Doing this will give you an idea of ​​what the ventilation and fit of your shoes will feel like.

If you do not have a pair, in next week's article we will talk about the science of wearing cycling socks and the world of benefits it brings you, such as better grip with the inside of the shoe, fewer pressure points and heat accumulation , and of course, better ventilation and overall performance.

Returning to the topic, each shoe has a different mold, which affects its thickness throughout the length, some will be narrower at the heel to prevent slipping, and others will be wider at the tip if your toes are naturally wide; you should pay attention to this, especially if your feet are particularly wide or narrow.

Your comfort is so important that some brands offer moldable soles that adjust to every detail of your feet, there is nothing more comfortable than what is made to measure.


Closing mechanism

The history of how the shoes are closed is long and complex, each mechanism that a brand chooses has its pros and cons; As with everything else, it's all about the type of cycling you prefer, your goals, and the budget.

These are the most common mechanisms

Velcro: These self-adhesive strips have always been used for their simplicity, the strength of the grip, and their light construction, you can find them in the entire repertoire, from the most basic to the professional, and very often they are complemented with other mechanisms to take that extra step in quality.
The downside of using Velcro strips is that they tend to wear out over time, sacrificing the strength of your grip.


BOA: The BOA system is the most innovative on the market, offering the lightest option, with great force, and avoiding any uncomfortable contact point as much as possible. This mechanism works by tightening elastic cables with dials, allowing you to square your fit with unmatched precision.
You can loop the cables into your shoe in hundreds of configurations, so brands work around the clock to find combinations that eliminate pressure points without compromising secure lacing.


Laces: Laces are re-emerging lately, they are a cheap, safe and simple option to tie your shoes. Because they can be replaced so easily, they give you the opportunity to express yourself with different color and link combinations.
Their only problem really is that they could get stuck in the transmission, and that you can't change their tension as easily as with other mechanisms.


Ratchets and buckles: This mechanism is almost as old as the laces, they are to the point, efficient and with good grip strength.
Compared with the most modern mechanisms, they can be somewhat cumbersome, that is why the BOA system has been replacing them in the high-end options for being lighter and more accessible.

Varying the tension of a buckle or ratchet is very simple, but the tension levels they offer you can be more limited than in other alternatives.

Ventilation
As with helmets, it is important that your feet are well ventilated, if you ride in hot climates it is a matter of time before being trapped causes them to swell, or in cold climates they become numb, both extremes would be very bad news when As you ride, the first rule of cycling is to be as comfortable as possible to give your best performance over long distances.

For cold climates, it is very important that they isolate the heat as well as possible, and in hot climates they must take into account that the ventilation is not filled with dirt when riding; and of course, in both situations a very good resistance to water is necessary.

These types of characteristics depend as always on how you prefer to ride, but something they will always have in common is that the materials will be comfortable and refreshing.

For example, a road shoe will focus more on ventilation and keeping weight light, while a mountain shoe will want to keep swamp and dirt off your feet.

Where these decisions become most obvious is in triathlon shoes, where they assume that you will need the best ventilation possible in the summer, and that you will still be dripping water from the swim stage. To deal with this, they include fiber panels and even windows on the top of the foot to allow the wind to flow freely.

On the other hand, urban shoes do not worry so much about ventilation, they prefer to maintain comfort when you walk, because the safest thing is that you are not on your bike for such long stretches.

Sole stiffness

The sole of a riding shoe is usually made of nylon or carbon fiber; these first ones are cheap, allow good flexibility (to walk in them) and you will surely see them in the beginner to intermediate level shoes (and the vast majority of urban ones).

But when speed is crucial, triathlon, road and some MTB / mountain bike shoes optimize weight, stiffness and the transmission of your force using carbon fiber soles, to give the best possible performance.

The downside of using such hard soles is that they can be uncomfortable, especially if they don't fit your foot perfectly, thus ending up causing hot spots and pressure that shouldn't exist.

So fiber soles are used in the mountains from time to time, where they are most found is on the road and triathlon, because they assume that you will not need to walk a lot on them (so the sole should not be flexible) and they should concentrate on carrying your performance to the max.

Something you must remember is that not only is it enough to have a sufficiently rigid sole, you must also make sure that the cleats connect to the mechanism of your pedal correctly or there will not be a carbon fiber sole that can help you.


Other things to consider

Heel pads: Some premium shoes integrate this extra that provides a firm grip to your heel, so that the shoes do not slip when they should not.
They work by hugging your achilles tendon, you will notice the difference in grip, especially when you are pedaling

Heel pads can be flexible or rigid depending on what you prefer and what you want to invest, if you want to keep your shoe right where it should be regardless of the conditions, this is an option that you should consider.

An alternative to achieve the same is a layer of high-friction material on the back of your shoe, some brands prefer this to the heel, to everyone's taste.

Toe Protection: Very similar to steel toe boots, this protection will be something you will appreciate if you accidentally kick a stone or branch while riding in rough terrain.

Reflective Materials: With your safety in mind, many shoes will include reflective materials to increase your visibility in all conditions.

Bontrager offers us a collection of scientific studies that it has compiled from different places, one of the conclusions that can be drawn from them is that having flashing lights, illuminating moving limbs and using high contrast colors are the best measures a person can take. rider when it comes to being safe on the road, so donning some flashy, reflective running shoes is a good way to keep yourself visible and safe when riding.

Insoles: A good support on the inside of the sole can help you a lot with feeling the greatest comfort in your shoes, for those with high arch feet, an insole can help control heat build-up, and maximize the efficiency of your pedaling. .
We hope this guide is useful to you and now you know what to consider when buying a good pair of shoes to ride your bike

We invite you to visit our selection of cycling shoes on BikeExchange, and to find your local store for further guidance.