How Should Cycling Shoes Fit
Cycling is a healthy outdoor sport. But if you want to take up biking seriously, just any kind of sneakers or sports shoes won’t do. Cycling shoes are the best footwear to have when you need to pedal great distances to reach your goal. They are essential to improving your performance on the road. They also have this feature that not just any pair of shoes have.
These type of footwear have cleats at the bottom. New riders learn how to fit unisex cycling shoes to pedals by attaching the fasteners to its lock. This way, the feet stay on the brakes even if it’s wet due to the weather. It also encourages the efficient use of the leg muscles which results in excellent speed.
Breaking into cycling shoes is very important and making sure that they fit well will reduce the risk of aches and pains as well as getting injuries.
Things to consider before into fitting cycling shoes
- Make sure that the instep feels comfortable with stable pressure and the heel should also be cushy.
- The cycling shoes should not have any flapping material or other wide open spaces other than the entrance itself.
- There should be an allowance of space at the end so that your toes won’t feel restricted and uncomfortable. A pair of cycling shoes should be big enough that it doesn’t feel too tight.
- Cycling shoes may be different from other choices of footwear, but just the same your feet should fit naturally into them with the right support, alignment, and transfer of power.
- Cleat positioning should be correct where the ball of the foot occupies the most extensive area of the shoe. It should be by the shoe’s range of adjustment.
How to properly fit cycling shoes
- Keeping in mind the kind of bike that you have and how you use it, start choosing your cycling shoes. If you’re using road bikes, your footwear should have cleats that are protruding. They are difficult to use for walking, but this type is designed to lend power when in the middle of a race. Footwear for mountain bikers is more comfortable to walk into, making them suitable for those who commute.
- Take the condition of your feet into consideration. The late afternoon is when the foot is at its largest so drop by the bicycle shop at that time to get a proper fitting.
- Some cycling shoes are using international sizing standards. Be sure to ask the staff if they have your size.
- Fit into your first shoe, and if you notice that it feels a bit stiff, it could be because of the hard-line sole. It should have a snug fit, and your feet should feel no pressure or tightness. Be sure that it will feel good because cycling shoes don’t stretch as much as other kinds of shoes do.
- To get a better feel, stand up so that your feet feel like it is at its most prominent. The top end of your toes should have space and not be too pressed. Ideally, only ½ -inch of an area should only be allowed so that your toes have little space to move or wiggle.
- Nobody wants blisters and sometimes, cramping even. Try to walk in your shoes. If it feels like it has space for your feet that you feel like you’re slipping, then ask for a smaller size. The call of the feet should be snug.
- To determine how the shoes would feel at the actual cycling event, sit down and stretch out your legs. Bend them slightly and do a fast pedaling action. You shouldn’t feel any slipping and tightness at all. If you can already tell that you’re uncomfortable in that states, it would indeed not be when you’re actually on the road.
Tip: Lastly, before buying it, inspect the shoes and look for any parts that are out of place, seams that may cause discomfort, if it has thick insoles to cushion your feet against the hard sole, and closures that are not going to cause any pain or irritation.
More tips:
Some shoe stores are allowing the exchange of items even after you’ve used a pair once. It is because trying it out at the store is different than when you’re using it. When buying a pair of cycling shoes, bring the usual socks you’re using to cycle. The level of comfort will depend if you’re cycling at great distances and it might not feel good at all eventually compared to the first few kilometers of pedaling.