Make the move to clipless cycle shoes
Runners or walking shoes are fine for wearing on your bike for a quick spin to the shops or to the café for a latte, but if your cycling has graduated to something more serious, then perhaps now is the time to consider encasing your feet in a pair of clipless cycle shoes. I can guarantee you will go further, faster, with more efficiency and in greater comfort than when you were wearing your runners.
Runners or walking shoes have soft soles while cycling shoes have very rigid soles giving you a two-fold benefit. Firstly, you can pour power into the pedals as you ride, instead of wasting it every time your foot gives way to the bend in your shoes. You'll be amazed at how much difference in your cycling performance a rigid sole can make. Secondly, the stiff sole spreads the pressure under your foot so that you don't get 'hot spots'. Constant pressure in one area of your foot leads to poor circulation, numbness and/or burning sensation.
By using your cycling shoe with a matching clipless pedal, you achieve several benefits: -
- Your foot is properly positioned on the pedal, giving a more efficient pedaling action.
- You can lift the pedals as well as push down, an action, which is even more efficient.
- Your feet will be much less fatigued on a long ride, which equates to you being less fatigued.
Good quality shoes are not only stiff along the toe to heel axis, but are stiff across the torso as well. This means that they don't twist as you push, so your knees and ankles are kept in better alignment.
Here are a few things to consider, when choosing your clipless cycle shoes:
The Soles. You want that rigid sole. Some shoes, made for casual riding, will look good but maintain an ordinary, flexible sole. These are not for you. To maximize your advantage on the road, you'll want the best foot-to-pedal power transfer you can get. A hard sole that clunks on the floor as you walk, as if you're wearing clogs, is exactly right.
The Upper. A lot of shoes now have a mix of synthetics and leather. Road shoes in particular are usually made with an imitation leather that's easier to maintain and incredibly durable. Mountain bike shoes that are going to take a beating and the highest end road shoes are almost always made from premium leather. Synthetics or leather will work. Consider the price and the conditions you'll be riding in to make your decision.
The Closures. Perhaps the most conspicuous features in cycling shoes are the closures. You'll see Velcro, laces, buckles or a bait-and-switch combo. Almost all cycling shoes with laces will have an extra loop for securing your laces against your foot. Buy shoes with a snug, secure fit.
The name 'clipless cycle shoe' is a bit of a misnomer. Clipless shoes actually attach to a clip-in system on the bike pedal via a cleat in the bottom of the shoe. The rider snaps the shoe cleat into or on the pedal with downward pressure and releases it quickly with a twist of the ankle or foot. The name has been left over from the period when cyclists used toe clips and straps to attach their foot onto their pedals.
The thought of being physically 'attached' to the bike makes some novice cyclists nervous!
The physical act of clipping in and out of the pedal can take some getting used to, although the spring tension on most systems can be adjusted to make it easier.
Because unclipping quickly has to become second nature, there's a learning curve. Some people master it quickly, others take longer. Once you put in the time you need, though, you'll never go back.
I suggest you find a vacant parking lot and practice riding with one foot 'clicked in' at a time, and the other foot lightly resting on your pedal. Just connect and release your foot until you feel comfortable and then attempt the same procedure with both feet engaged. If you are not distracted by traffic worries your learning curve will not be as steep as going straight out onto the road.
I still remember how I brought down a line of riders when I was learning to use clipless shoes. I fell against my riding partner when I could not get my foot out in time as I came to a stop - how embarrassing! My pride was the only thing dented in that accident.
Some riders experience sore knees when they first go clipless and this is often caused by using a system that permits too limited amount of sideways foot rotation on the pedal - called "float". The more float that a system allows before the shoe becomes disengaged, the less stress is placed on the knee joint.
It used to be almost impossible to walk anymore than a few metres in shoes made for clipless pedals because the cleat was raised above the sole. However, more recent designs have the cleat recessed into the sole and you no longer see riders having to waddle like a duck into a shop or café.
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