Indoor Cycling a low impact way to raise your heart rate, burn some calories, and increase your lung capacity.
So if you haven’t given it a try yet, maybe you should get into it now. And when you do, you are going to need to get some proper cycling shoes.
You could use those sneakers that you wear for going to the store, running on the treadmill, and taking your dog for a walk but after your first class wearing proper cycling shoes you will wonder how you ever managed without them.
You have running shoes for running, dress shoes for date night and now it is time to get some cycling shoes for indoor cycling. Before you say “but they are so expensive” take a minute to read the following 10 advantages to owning a pair, then realize that they will last for years.
When you get yourself a pair of cycling shoes make sure they are snug, but comfortable fit.
You don’t have to get the latest model with all the new bells and whistles. A simple Velcro fastener and lightweight are probably the main 2 criteria s you should be looking for.
The indoor cycling class will result in minimal wear and tear to your new footwear.
When indoor cycling first started the indoor bicycles had SPD (Shimano Pedaling Dynamics) cleats on one side and road bike cleats on the other. In those days some riders would bring in their own pedals and switch them with the ones that were on the indoor bikes.
These people either wanted to use their shoes on their own pedals or had shoes that didn’t match the pedals that were supplied. It was much more of a niche fitness trend in those days and the people taking the classes were pretty hardcore bike riders.
These days there are two types of pedals on the indoor cycling bike, SPD on one side and Look Delta on the other side. With a cleat your foot is in a perfect position.
With proper cycling shoes, you will always know you will have a good workout and won’t have to cross your fingers for a good bike when you walk into class
When you buy a pair of shoes, the cleats are sold separately. You can get TRUE Ride to fit them for you if you like. The great thing about cleats is that you can adjust them to the way your legs and feet line up on the pedals.
Ideally they will be straight but maybe you broke your leg and your foot points slightly to the left or right. You can adjust the cleat to accommodate this.
Here are 10 reasons why cycling shoes are the best choice for indoor cycling classes.
1 – The cycling shoes have stiffer soles
Unlike your running shoes the soles of your cycling shoes are stiff. In fact you can have a very stiff sole on your indoor cycling shoe because you won’t be going over any bumps that your shoe has to dampen.
The stiffer the sole the better the power transfer you get when pedaling. This means that less power is lost as the shoe flexes or bends around the pedal so more power goes from your leg to the pedal the faster you go.
The stiffer sole also means you will feel more comfortable and have better balance when you are standing out of the saddle.
2 – Your feet will stay in position
Of course, another important reason to buy proper cycling shoes for your indoor cycling class is that you will look cool! Well you will, but more importantly they will help your feet stay in position on the pedal.
Your foot will not move forward or backward on the pedal so you will have one less thing to worry about as you try to follow the instructor’s directions.
3 – Comfy feet means happy feet
Your feet will be more comfortable. If you wear soft athletic shoes you will get “hot spots”. ‘Hot spot” refers to the particular area of your foot that aches after riding for a while. The stiff soles of the cycling shoes dissipate the pressure of the pedal over a larger area so avoiding the pain associated with “hot spots”.
Your feet will also appreciate the mesh fabric of the shoes which helps with the ventilation. Cycling shoes also have plenty of room in the toe box to avoid any grinding of the toes against the shoe. Also important for comfort is that your cycling shoes will have a more snug fit and your heel will not move from the heel cup.
4 – You get a smoother pedal stroke
Once you use cycling shoes in the class you will realize another huge advantage of having them is the fact that you can help lift your pedals on the upstroke when pedaling. This smooth’s out your pedal stroke.
It takes some pressure off your quadriceps muscles and brings your hamstrings into the exercise. You will soon be pedaling like a professional.
5 – No laces to worry about
Most spinning shoes do not have laces so you don’t have to worry about them getting caught around your pedals. The shoes are tightened very efficiently with either Velcro or a ratchet system. The Velcro fasteners are usually lighter than the ratchet systems.
6 – You can walk with your shoes on
The shoes should have recessed cleats that enable you to walk on the floor of your gym without damaging the floor or your cleats. Your shoes may even have rugged soles which will protect the cleats and the floor and will help you if you need to walk your bike up a trail outside.
7 – You get unmatched control
Having cleats in your cycling shoes will give you unmatched control and after a brief learning period you will find it easy to click in and out.
Once you get used to the click in and click out it becomes second nature.
8 – Your shoes are lightweight
Your spinning shoes should be lighter in weight which will again make you more comfortable and your feet won’t feel as tired. It’s possible to buy very light shoes made from carbon fiber but the price does become a bit high.
Regular cycling shoes are pretty light and still affordable. Unless you are a professional racer the difference of a few grams shouldn’t make too much of a difference in your performance.
9 – More powerful pedal strokes
With no chance of your shoe moving, you will be able to increase your power on every pedal stroke and get even more benefit from the class.
You will be confident that your shoes are in the correct position at all times so all you have to think about is exerting as much power from your legs into the pedal stroke as you can. Your pedal stroke will be stronger.
10 – Your workout and your enjoyment will improve
In conclusion your workout and enjoyment of the class will both improve. Best of all you’re able to try on a pair here at TRUE Ride.
No matter how far you go or where you’re cycling, enjoy every ride with the right footwear. Whether you’re a competitive cyclist, bicycle commuter, or crushing some cardio with indoor cycling, TRUE Ride offers a variety of cycling shoes. These bike shoes offer the comfort, flexibility, and support you need. They also provide ventilated features for complete airflow and breathability, which is essential.
Cycle shoes come in both lace-up and lace-less styles, with many options featuring adjustable straps. There’s also a variety of cycle shoes designed with an SPD-compatible shank with an optimized cleat zone to help you connect to your pedals.
Check out our shoe selection at TRUE Ride. If we don’t have your size, we can place an order and have them arrive at the studio in just a few days.