What To Look For In Road Bike Shoes

Road bike shoes aren’t made to look pretty. They are designed for speed and power to handle long distance riding. When looking for road bike shoes, there are several factors you should consider:

Compatability
The best type of road bike shoes have a clipless system in which a metal or plastic cleat on the bottom attaches to a binding on the pedal. However some clipless road bike shoes are designed for only one type pedal. Always make sure your road bike shoes are compatible with your pedals by looking for specifications such as “cleat drill hole pattern SPD” or “Look adapter plate.” These specifications mean the shoes come with industry standard adapter plates and will fit almost ant SPD pedal.

Stiff soles
On road bike shoes, the sole cannot be bent because of the stiffness. Generally, the stiffer the sole, the more expensive the shoe will be because a stiffer sole helps with power transfer. Make sure your shoes have a carbon fiber sole and that the heel cup surrounds your heel firmly and has reinforced support. Avoid shoes with injection-molded plastic soles which may be cheaper but are heavier and prone to flexing.

Closures
Road bike shoes have 3 different types of closures: lacing, buckles and velcro. The most unique lacing system is the Boa lacing system, which uses a dial to tighten the laces equally over all the lace points. However, lacing systems have become less popular as buckles and velcro closures have become more advanced and adaptable. Road bikes shoes made by such manufacturers as Sidi have replaceable buckles which can be adjusted while on the bike. Other road bike shoes utilize Velcro closures which are designed to provide maximum resistance to slippage and also can be adjusted. Your main concern is to make sure there are no pressure points when the shoes are fastened and that the closures fit securely to provide maximum support.

Type of material
Shoes made of soft and durable leather with cooling mesh inserts, will always outlast man-made or plastic shoes. Besides leather, some companies such as Sidi use a high-tech material based on ultra-fine microfibers and special resins which take on the characteristics of leather. When choosing your road bike shoes, you ultimately want shoes made of material that will be lightweight, comfortable and durable.

Always remember that the quality of road bike shoes is measured by the shoe’s rigidity, durability and lightness. No matter if you are a just learning to ride, or a high-performance, high-mileage cyclist, choosing the right pair of road bike shoes is vital for an enjoyable and comfortable ride.

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