If you’re serious about cycling, it’s important to find the right bike shoes for your needs. While you can ride in all kinds of different athletic shoes depending on your pedal, efficiency comes from a good shoe, cleat, and pedal connection. Bike shoes are specifically designed to enable more efficient energy transfer with each pedal stroke on the bike. Cycling shoes vary in sole stiffness. Shoes are connected to the pedal for the most effective pedaling with a pedal specific cleat. While we complete your shoe fitting, we’ll also talk to you about which bike shoes are best for your specific needs.
Bike Shoe Fitting
in Phoenix, AZ
The good news is that Curbside Cyclery in South Phoenix can help you get the exact right bike for your situation, needs, and budget.
Types of Bike Riding Shoes
Road Bike Shoes
The best shoes for road cycling often have especially stiff soles and pedal specific three-hole cleats three-hole cleats to provide maximum efficiency along with clipless pedals. These shoes are designed for cycling and very little walking.
Mountain Bike Shoes
Mountain bike shoes normally have the two-hole cleats recessed into the sole, and this type of cycling shoe has a little bit more traction for walking on the rough terrain usually found when mountain biking. The soles of mountain biking shoes are stiff, but not quite as stiff as what you’d expect from road cycling shoes. Again each cleat is specific to its mountain biking pedal.
A newer trend in mountain biking is to use stiff but sticky flat-soled shoes with flat pedals. Plat pedals provide a wider platform with shorts spikes around the top edges. This provides a good balance of traction for efficient pedaling and faster movement off the pedal for balance when needed.
Casual Cycling Shoes
These shoes are ideal for anyone who wants some of the benefits of cycling shoes without sacrificing too much of what they like about normal shoes.
City bike shoes normally look more like normal athletic shoes, which is nice for recreational riders and commuters who still want to look stylish when they get off the bike. The soles are softer, and any cleats will be recessed into the sole to enable easy walking.
Bike Shoe Fitting
We’ll take the time to understand your needs and recommend the type of bike shoes that can work best for you. The fit should be snug, but still comfortable immediately. Importantly there should be little movement in the heal.
Cycle Shoes Closure Types
Before making a purchase, it’s also important to think about the different closure styles and how they affect comfort:
- Laces
- Notched Straps With Buckles
- Hook and Loop Straps
- Ratcheting Cables Laces With Dials
Cycling Stores in Phoenix
Curbside Cyclery in Ahwatukee Foothills is your local source for a professional bike shoe fitting. Our family-run business has been serving the area for more than 20 years, and Mike has worked with organizations ranging from the ASU Cycle Team to Ironman events.
Make the most of all of that experience by letting us help you find the perfect bike riding shoe for your needs. Come to our cycling store for your bike shoe fitting, or contact us if you have any questions in the meantime.