Coach's Corner — What to Look for in New Cycling Shoes
Our Coach’s Corner series is your chance to have your biggest cycling questions answered — right from longtime cycling coach Darryl MacKenzie. In these short Q&As, Coach Darryl speaks from his 35+ years of cycling and coaching experience to help you become a stronger, smarter cyclist.
Thinking Cyclist:
Coach, what should I look for in new cycling shoes?
Coach Darryl:
Unless you plan on pedaling barefoot (which I don’t recommend!), you will need some kind of shoes for cycling. There are plenty of options with various pros and cons, and what works for many riders and their cycling style may not work for you.
For instance, some people simply want to pedal a few miles to the store or ride with their young kids. These riders usually don’t need click-in pedals — just their regular walking shoes. But not just any walking shoes. The more flexible the soles of these non-cycling shoes are, the more pressure there will be on the part of the shoe that is in contact with the pedal. That pressure can lead to sore feet at that point. So, if you’re just doing light cycling with sneakers, be sure they have somewhat stiff soles.
Another thing that can happen when pedaling without click-in pedals is that any part of your foot can contact the flat pedal. You might end up putting pressure in the middle of your foot or even toward the heel, especially if your saddle is too low, and that can actually cause pain in the front of your knee. The remedy? Make sure your saddle is the right height to keep your contact point toward the ball of your foot.
Now, if you pedal on gravel or mountain terrain, you’ll want to use mountain cleats and shoes. Many road riders use these types of cleats too, especially if they converted to road riding from mountain biking. While there are numerous types of mountain cleats and pedals, over 90% of these cyclists who come to me for a bike fit use Shimano SPD cleats and pedals. In the past, these shoes were very pliant at the sole, but modern mountain shoes are much less flexible and easier on your feet.
Another benefit of the SPD pedal system is that the football-shaped cleats are recessed into the sole for most mountain bike shoes. This prevents the metallic click when walking on hard surfaces, and even more importantly, it eliminates the “negative heel” you get with some cleats. A negative heel means your toes are higher than your heel, causing more pressure on the Achilles tendon. This frequently causes sore Achilles in riders when they stand or walk in their cycling shoes.
Finally, road shoes and pedals are more appropriate for cyclists who pedal mostly on paved roads. The two most common types are the triangular cleats and pedals — originally created by the French company Look — and SpeedPlay “lollipop-shaped” pedals. Both of these use the same type of shoes, which are almost always stiff on the sole to prevent foot discomfort. However, these cleats are not recessed at the ball of the foot, resulting in a negative heal.
So, what can road cyclists do to prevent Achilles pain when standing in their cycling shoes? I always recommend they stand with their heels lifted slightly off the ground or even put a small stone or rock under the back of their feet to prevent negative heel.
Whichever type of shoe you choose, make sure it’s right for your type of terrain and cycling, and that it’s stiff enough to prevent foot pain. A quick way to confirm that is simply by picking up one shoe, placing the toe in one hand and the heel in the other, and pushing your hands together as if you’re playing an accordion. If you can compress the shoe more than a quarter of an inch, then the shoe is not stiff enough for pedaling. The larger your foot, the more likely you are to notice this issue.
Good luck shoe shopping!
