indoor cycling shoes also called spinning shoes, the shoes is designed for studios or indoor cycling. These shoes generally need to be used with special cleats and pedals. Unlike typical cycling shoes, these shoes will look more like regular sneakers, and you can wear them as casual shoes when you go out. In the past few years, Peloton, Nike and other manufacturers have launched their indoor cycling shoes, and the trend of indoor cycling has slowly spread from the United States to the world. Whether you choose a spin class or ride yourself at home, a good pair of indoor cycling shoes can make your ride more efficient.
Can I ride with normal sneakers?
Of course, the pedals of the spinning bikes we buy are generally strap-type pedals. You can tie your feet to the pedals, which can also achieve a wearing effect similar to cycling shoes. However, this riding method has certain disadvantages. In order to obtain better fitness results, you need to tightly bind your feet to the pedals. There will be no problems in a short period of time, but over time, it may cause poor blood circulation. , you have to remove the foot from the pedal.
Therefore, for a better cycling experience, more and more people are buying indoor cycling shoes. Although this type of shoe, cleats, and pedals require a certain learning cost, it is a long-term investment, and this type of shoe can also be used as a daily walking shoe. If you plan to ride for a long time, it is worth buying such a pair of shoes.
What cleats should I choose？
If you've decided to invest in a pair of cycling shoes, it's important to choose the compatible cleats. There are currently two types of bicycle cleats on the market, SPD cleats and Delta cleats, both types of cleats need to be compatible with corresponding pedals and shoes, so please check your shoe and pedal type before buying. Some brands will provide cleats in the product package, and some brands need you to buy it separately.
How to choose a suitable cleat? Just look at the number of bolts on the bottom of the shoe to know which cleat the shoe is compatible with. There are three types of soles in cycling shoes. The first is two-bolt shoes compatible with SPD cleats, the second is three-bolt shoes compatible with Delta cleats ，the third is 5-bolt shoes compatible with two types of cleats. Which cleat to choose depends on the shoes you buy, so we recommend that you first identify your shoes before choosing the right cleat.
What Pedal should I choose？
After determining the type of shoes to buy, the next step is to purchase the corresponding pedals. Pedals are divided into two types, clip-in pedals （also called clipless pedals） and non-clip pedals （also called flat pedals）. Non-clip pedals are generally installed on the spinning bikes ，we buy cycling shoes need to be used with clip-in pedals, so we need to purchase additional shoe-compatible pedals. You can replace the pedals by yourself. If you don’t know how to replace the pedals, you can search on YouTube. There are very detailed tutorials on it.
According to the type of shoes that are compatible, clip-in pedals can be divided into two types, one is called SPD pedal, and the other is called SPD-SL pedal or Look pedal. SPD pedals can be used with SPD cleats, SPD-SL and Look pedals can be used with Delta cleats. Please keep in mind that different types of pedals and cleats cannot be used interchangeably, please pay attention to distinguish when purchasing.
In short, a good pair of indoor cycling shoes can help you save money, you can have two shoes for the price of one. When you go out to ride, you don't need to prepare an extra pair of walking shoes, you just need to get off the bike and walk freely. The sleek shape allows it to walk outside like normal shoes, and the quality of these shoes will generally be better than normal sneakers, so buying a pair of these shoes is a good investment in the long run.