Some advice when choosing your cycling shoes (apparently).

[night cycler]

Below are some tips that I found for anyone buying their first pair of cycling shoes. Personally I`ve always worn soft trainers on the bike. My trainers are ready for revewal, so I`m looking to see what cycling shoes are available if you guys can convince (educate me) of the advantages over trainers please.

My initial thoughts are "what if any extra benefit can cycling shoes provide for me"? A pair of "Hi tech silver shadow" trainers will cost me around £25 or less, and are very comfortable on the bike and a pair only weigh 755g.
Please advise me, including maybe some basic brands to try to see if I prefer shoes to trainers.

OK- Here are shoe buying tips that I came across:
A road shoe is most commonly found with a three hole cleat pattern on the sole. This set-up is suitable for Look style and Shimano SPD SL pedal systems. The cleat is exposed on a flat sole platform and is not suited for walking.

A high quality shoe will have a stiff sole enabling good power transfer. Some road shoes are built around a carbon fibre sole, that is not only stiff but also very light. The fastening system for the shoe is often an adjustable Velcro, strap and ratchet, dial or combination of each. This allows for a varied and comfortable fit.

The upper material for the shoes varies from brand to brand and even model. A leather upper would be more substantial but heavier whereas an artificial, vented fabric offers a lighter option but with less efficiency in keeping out the elements.

Fit is subjective but ideally the shoe should be snug without restricting movement.

When purchasing a road shoe there are few things to consider:

1. Your current pedals (whether three or two hole cleats SPD or Look/SPD SL style).
2. Intended use. A shoe for commuting would ideally be more robust and better suited to wetter weather whereas a racing shoe would be light and stiff with an easily adjustable fastening system.
3. Parts availability. A Velcro strap system is unlikely to require replacing but a ratchet and buckle or dial system may wear and need replacing.
4. Fit. A good fitting road shoe should feel snug but not restrictive. In the first instance always order your regular shoe size unless you have previous experience of a particular brand/model sizing irregularities.

 

[Profpointy]

Are you intending to change to clip in pedals. If not, then I'd just wear whatever shoes I happen to be wearing and not bother with cycle shoes.

I have changed to clip in pedals, but the (one) downside is needing special shoes. If you are willing to accept this then yes, cycle shoes are better. I favour the two bolt so-say mountain bike ones as I can happily walk in the shoes. The 3 bolt "racer" type are unsuitable for walking more than a few yards - but i've not tried it to be fair

 

[User6179]

4. Fit. A good fitting road shoe should feel snug but not restrictive. In the first instance always order your regular shoe size unless you have previous experience of a particular brand/model sizing irregularities.

Do some research on the brand for sizing, for example Shimano shoes come up small , some other brands can be very narrow and not suitable in any size if you have a broad foot .

 

[midlife]

4. Fit. A good fitting road shoe should feel snug but not restrictive. In the first instance always order your regular shoe size unless you have previous experience of a particular brand/model sizing irregularities


...... Shimano shoes seemed to be modelled on Cinderella's glass slipper in terms of size ie tiny!

Shaun

Edited......beaten to it

 

[AndyRM]

The 3 bolt "racer" type are unsuitable for walking more than a few yards - but i've not tried it to be fair

It's not that bad once you're used to it, but you'll soon bugger your cleats!

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I use a cleat cover, you can walk as much as you like in those.

North Wave shoes also come up tiny, I needed two European sizes up from my street shoes.

 

[Mrs M]

Do some research on the brand for sizing, for example Shimano shoes come up small , some other brands can be very narrow and not suitable in any size if you have a broad foot .

That's for sure, my Shimano road shoes are a size 6, trainers are a 5 and everyday shoes a 4.
Best try any shoes on first.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

My initial thoughts are "what if any extra benefit can cycling shoes provide for me"? A pair of "Hi tech silver shadow" trainers will cost me around £25 or less, and are very comfortable on the bike and a pair only weigh 755g.
Please advise me, including maybe some basic brands to try to see if I prefer shoes to trainers.

It is a fair question. If you are used to trainers you are used to cycling with just any shoe because you can easily walk after getting off your bike and you can use any shoe because it is not pedal dependent. Currently you can get on your bike and go, no matter whether you are wearing high heels, work shoes, wellingtons or even barefoot. Once you switch to dedicated cycling shoes with cleats, you are restricted (pretty much) to pedals that are not friendly to shoes other than those they're designed to work with.

There are benefits to such a system but only you can decide if that fits in with your lifestyle.

The benefits are:

A very secure footing that gives you confidence to sprint, jump, hop, ride rough terrain and never fear that your foot will slip off. There are also some benefits in terms of pedal stroke but this only comes with practice, it is not included in the box, so to speak.
The other benefit is that the sole is usually a lot harder than a trainer's sole and your foot remains flat and painfree on the pedal under big power, rather than fold over like a banana.
The so-called benefits of power transfer is totally nonsense. A soft or hard sole transfers exactly the same power. The hard sole may just give you a little benefit in that it keeps your foot in exactly the right position for efficient pedaling but this can be done without special shoes as well.
Further, clipped-in shoes help to prevent crank scuff and shoe damage in that your forefoot can now no longer rub against the crank. The rear of your foot still can.

The downside of a dedicated system is that you need special shoes to go cycling. You can get double-sided pedals with a platform on the one side and a cleat on the other, but these are a bit fiddly. These special shoes are often (not always) difficult to walk in. If you go extreme-roadie with a system like Look or Time, you just cannot safely walk on smooth floors and you damage them on other surfaces. You can get shoes with recessed cleats which you can walk in. Sometimes they will still scuff hard floors but the chances are minimal.

A clipped-in system does make longer trips better just because you are more secure on the bike and you eventually learn to pedal a bit smoother.

Horses for courses.

 

[ufkacbln]

There is a sensible compromise!

There are a number of cyclist who see themselves as "Tourists" who have the unusual desire to ride bikes, but also walk around a bit

There are a lot of MTB shoes that combine the functionality of the training shoe with the stiffer soles that benefit cycling

Cleats are also recessed, again maintaining full functionality but with the ability to walk like a normal human being


A random example is the Shimsno MT 44

 

[mjr]

The mentioned benefits are minimal compared to grippy flat pedals and firm soled sports shoes.

One disadvantage not mentioned is the ease of failing to unclip and crashing sideways.

I currently wear some tough soled shoes for longer rides but I was wearing some hitec zeroes today for shopping.

 

[Pale Rider]

A firm sole, if only for longer rides, is worth having.

I'm currently using walking/hiking shoes that look like trainers but have a stiff sole.

Sizing is another benefit, I like a bit of room in a shoe for cycling.

Your feet can swell a bit on a ride, and there's space to deploy a thicker or a second pair of socks.

Plenty of choice from the outdoor shops, and no need to pay a fortune.

Mine were about £30 from, if I recall, Great Outdoors.

https://www.greatoutdoorssuperstore.co.uk/mens-shoes-c52

 

[S-Express]

My initial thoughts are "what if any extra benefit can cycling shoes provide for me"?

If you are on flat pedals, then the answer is absolutely no benefit whatsoever.

 

[NorthernDave]

Like several others, I use flat pedals and I wear walking shoes with a relatively stiff sole, currently these:

http://www.karrimor.com/karrimor-hot-rock-low-mens-walking-shoes-183714?colcode=18371418

They have the added advantage of being waterproof (within reason - don't expect them to cope with being out in a monsoon all day) out of the box.

 

[jonny jeez]

I use a cleat cover, you can walk as much as you like in those.

North Wave shoes also come up tiny, I needed two European sizes up from my street shoes.

Do they do cleat covers for spd sl cleats. If so I MUST get a pair. I walk through an underpass under the Thames now and again and every time I do I feel like I need to go and buy a new pair of cleats.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Do they do cleat covers for spd sl cleats. If so I MUST get a pair. I walk through an underpass under the Thames now and again and every time I do I feel like I need to go and buy a new pair of cleats.

Yes, Wiggle have them:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-spd-sl-pedal-cleat-covers/