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Cycling shoes are
shoe A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from cultur ...
s purpose-built for
cycling Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from ...
. There are a variety of designs depending on the type and intensity of the
cycling Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from ...
for which they are intended. Key features include rigidity, for more-efficient transfer of power from the cyclist to the pedals, weight, a method of attaching the shoe firmly to the pedal and adaptability for use on and off the bicycle. Most high-performance cycling shoes can be adjusted while in use, via a quick-adjusting system that has largely replaced laces.


Pedal systems

Modern cycling shoes are designed to work with
clipless pedal The pedal is the part of a bicycle that the rider pushes with their foot to propel the vehicle. It provides the connection between the cyclist's foot or shoe and the crank allowing the leg to turn the bottom bracket spindle and propel the bicycle ...
systems. Such systems temporarily connect the shoe to the pedal like a
ski binding A ski binding is a device that connects a ski boot to the ski. Before the 1933 invention of ski lifts, skiers went uphill and down and cross-country on the same gear. As ski lifts became more prevalent, skis—and their bindings—became increasin ...
system for maximal efficiency of power-transfer using a cleat on the bottom of each shoe and a matched fitting on the pedal. Several manufacturers produce these systems; consequently, modern shoes usually have threaded holes in the sole in various arrangements to attach cleats from different manufacturers. Broadly there are two styles of clipless pedals: road and MTB. Mountain bike style use a small cleat that sits up inside the sole of the shoe. It enables reasonable walking/running when dismounted. Road pedals use a wide cleat that makes walking difficult but gives good power transfer and is comfortable on long rides. An older system is the toe-clip and toestrap. A toeclip is a metal cage attached to the front of the pedal into which the rider inserts the shoe. There are two methods for using pedals with toeclips. The first is a cycling shoe with a slotted shoeplate. Before the introduction of the clipless pedal, most racing shoes had a hard leather or plastic sole to which a metal or plastic shoe plate or cleat was attached. The shoeplate had a slot that fitted into the pedal. The shoeplate along with toe clip and strap keep the rider's feet firmly attached to the pedals. The drawback is that a rider had to reach down and loosen the toestrap by hand to take his foot out of the pedal and for this reason toeclips have been made largely obsolete by clipless pedals. The second is to use a cycling shoe with a smooth sole or a non-cycling shoe. This had the disadvantage of the rider's feet not being firmly attached to the pedals but had the advantage of being able to release from the pedals without having to loosen the strap by hand, and also any shoe can be used.


Sole material and shoe quality

Soles for cycling shoes are usually divided into three categories. Inexpensive shoes mostly use an injection-molded plastic sole, which is economical but heavier and prone to flexing. Mid-range shoes may use a combination of plastic and
carbon fibre Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...
, plastic and fibreglass, or an all carbon fibre sole. All manufacturers' high-end competition level shoes manufactured post-2002 use carbon fibre soles. The sole material and amount of tread used in a shoe affects its weight; an expensive pair of road shoes with carbon fibre soles can weigh as little as 400 grams, while a budget-priced pair of mountain bike shoes might weigh 850 to 900 grams. Some mountain bike shoes have a little engineered flex in the toe area forward of the cleat mount. This assists in walking and in climbing obstacles while carrying the bike. More expensive shoes usually have less frontal flex.


Variety

Cycling shoes come in numerous variants: road racing, track racing, winter, casual cycling, touring, off-road or
mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...
, and indoor cycling or
spinning Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally ...
. Though many cycling shoe suppliers will have a conversion to American, British, French or even Japanese sizing, most cycling shoes are measured in European sizing. The available sizes range from European 35 to as large as 52. A few cycling shoe suppliers offer selected models wider than the standard "D" width. There are a small number of custom cycling shoe makers that will tailor a shoe to a cyclist's exact foot size and shape.


Road

These have a mostly smooth, rigid and inflexible sole, bent slightly at the ball of the foot. This, and the cleat attached to the shoe bottom, make a clicking sound when they come together and results in the waddle of the walking cyclist. These shoes are designed to function while the user is on the bike and little attention is paid to off-bike use. Most road shoes have a raised and generally different material from the outsole at the toe and heel to make stopping and short walks a little easier. Some road shoe outsoles have additional holes which are claimed to assist in ventilation. Quality can be measured by the shoe's fit, rigidity, durability, construction quality and lightness. Road shoes have molded holes with threaded inserts inside to allow for the attachment of an external cleat. As of 2010, nearly all cycling shoes use a three-hole system for attaching the cleat which is sometimes called a "Look pattern" after the company that popularized the clipless pedal in the middle 1980s. Lake, DMT and Sidi now offer a purpose designed, Speedplay pedal compatible shoe. These cleats attach to a clipless pedal making them even more unsuitable for walking. The 2010 price range for a road cycling shoe in the US is from $70 to over $450. Sizes available range from 35 to 52, with most companies offering sizes ranging from 39 to 46. Most companies offer models in European half sizes in the middle and largest selling size range, and a rare few offer shoes in wider than "D" width in limited models.


Triathlon

Triathlon A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the time transitioning between the ...
-specific shoes are usually a variant of road shoes. The key features include: quick foot entry and exit, sockless, and good drainage. During a triathlon, the athlete needs to change quickly from the swim to bike phase and from bike to run phase. At competitive levels, there is no time for socks or fiddly buckles. The shoes are usually pre-clipped to the pedals and feet are inserted after mounting. The shoes have a single big velcro fastening as opposed to laces or 3 velcro/ratchet straps.


Track

Velodrome A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights. The straights transition to the circular turn through a moderate easement ...
or
track racing Track racing is a form of motorcycle racing where teams or individuals race opponents around an unpaved oval track. There are differing variants, with each variant racing on a different surface type. The most common variant is Speedway which ha ...
is popular in the UK, Australia, parts of the US and the traditional cycling countries of Europe. In the past few years companies have developed track-specific shoes to address the very specialized needs of the track racer. These shoes tend to be very simple and almost traditional with lace closures for best fit with pedal straps yet they frequently use the lightest and most rigid materials. All that allows the riders to apply all their force to their pedals without worrying about the shoes stretching, coming off or coming unclipped.
Keirin – literally "racing cycle" – is a form of motor-paced cycle racing in which track cyclists sprint for victory following a speed-controlled start behind a motorized or non-motorized pacer. It was developed in Japan around 1948 for gambling ...
riders, sprinters and kilo riders and some others prefer a track specific shoe to a standard cycling shoe. Track-specific models are offered by relatively small number of manufacturers such as Riivo, Bont, DMT, Suplest (though named as road), and EZNI.


Touring

The traditional cycling tourist usually used toe clips and straps, but touring shoes designed for use with clipless pedals are now also common, usually with a recessed cleat so that the rider can both walk and cycle effectively. Touring shoes typically sacrifice some rigidity for traction and add treads.


Casual

This type of shoe generally has a soft outsole (as compared with a road shoe) and a molded internal midsole. They are shaped more like a street or trail shoe with a less exaggerated "rocker" allowing a more normal gait. The outsole usually has a lugged pattern which is like a day hiking boot and is a compromise between an aggressive off shoe and an old-style touring shoe. These shoes have a molded midsole which protects the rider's foot from the pedal and transfers energy more evenly without a pressure point at the exact shoe/pedal contact points. It also allows for the attachment of a clipless pedal cleat and can be more or less walked in normally. There is almost always a rectangular cutout in the outsole where a piece of the outsole material is removed by the purchaser or bicycle store, under which is the midsole and two oval slots where the cleats are bolted on. Most of these cleats follow
Shimano , originally and later , is a Japanese multinational manufacturing company for cycling components, fishing tackles and rowing equipment, who also produced golf supplies until 2005 and snowboarding gear until 2008. Named after founder Shozabu ...
's "SPD" system. Other two-bolt cleat and pedal systems for use with casual cycling and MTB shoes are produced by Crank Brothers, Speedplay and Ritchey, to name a few. Casual cycling shoes normally have a US retail price of under $100. Sizes range from 35 to 50 in European sizing.


Sandals

Usually a subcategory of Casual, sandals follow Shimano's "SPD" system. Manufacturers include
Keen Keen, Keen's, or Keens may refer to: People *Keen (surname) *Thomas Keens (1870-1953), British politician Music and song * Keen (band), Italian band * Keen (song), "Keen" (song), a single by That Petrol Emotion * Keen Records, American record ...
, Shimano, and Nashbar.


Mountain bike

These shoes also use the two-slot cleat mounting system like casual cycling shoes but have a more aggressive, lugged outsole for better performance when the rider has to get off the bike to run or to push or carry the bike. Most of these shoes also allow for attachment of two screw-in spikes in the toe area for even more traction in mud or steep trails. The cleats used on mountain bike shoes are also depressed below the treads of the sole, keeping them safe from contact with the ground. Injection-molded nylon midsoles reinforced with
fiberglass Fiberglass ( American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cl ...
, carbon fiber-reinforced injection molded nylon and hand-laid carbon fiber midsoles can be found depending on manufacturer and price range. Prices in the US in 2010 range from $70 to well over $350 for the most expensive models. Sizes are available from 35 to 50, with some companies offering a wider model or two.


Indoor

Often called Spinning shoes, after the company that popularized fitness club classes led by an instructor using stationary bicycles. A few companies have developed shoe models intended to cater to the indoor cyclist, including Nike, Lake,
SIDI ''Sidi'' or ''Sayidi'', also Sayyidi and Sayeedi, ( ar, سيدي, Sayyīdī, Sīdī (dialectal) "milord") is an Arabic masculine title of respect. ''Sidi'' is used often to mean "saint" or "my master" in Maghrebi Arabic and Egyptian Arabic. Wit ...
, Specialized, Exustar and others. These shoes have not been widely accepted due to their limited availability and a fragmented consumer market. US retail prices as of 2010 are generally under $90, with the normal range of sizes available.


Winter

Cycling shoes with insulated, over-the-ankle coverage have been available for a number of years from Lake, Sidi, Northwave, Exustar, Gaerne and others. Some of these companies offer both road and off-road versions of their shoes, and some offer more than one model, with varying degrees of protection from cold, wind and moisture. Lake shoes have been used by riders who have won the Iditabike, which is an extreme adventure race in Alaska.


Overshoes

Overshoes (or "booties") are flexible waterproof shoe coverings for use in wet weather. They are typically made from rubber or a stretchy synthetic and have a zip on the inside of the ankle. The fabric continues under the sole but is not intended for walking on, which would wear it out quickly. Most overshoes have a hole in the sole for clipless pedals. Overshoes are not to be confused with
cleat covers Cleat may refer to: * Cleat (nautical), a fitting on ships, boats, and docks to which ropes are tied * Cleat, Orkney, a place in Scotland * Cleat (shoe), a type or part of a shoe * ''Cleats'' (comic strip), a comic strip by Bill Hinds * Grouser, ...
. Overshoes go on the top of the shoes, while cleat covers go on the bottom.


See also

*
Cycling kit In competitive cycling, the kit (or uniform) is the standard equipment and attire worn specifically by athletes participating in the sport. The outfits differ from other forms of cycling, such as commuting and recreational cycling due to the nee ...
*
List of bicycle part manufacturing companies This article lists bicycle part manufacturers and brands past and present. For a list of bicycle manufacturers, see list of bicycle manufacturers. 0-9 *3T Cycling A *Atala (company) * Avid- owned by SRAM Corporation B *Baisikeli Ugunduzi * Be ...


References

{{Footwear
Shoe A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from cultur ...
Sports footwear