00:00 Are you thinking about buying a pair of road shoes,
00:01 but you're not too sure where to start?
00:03 Well, then this video is for you.
00:05 I'm gonna give you all my tips, tricks, and recommendations,
00:08 so you always put your best foot forwards.
00:10 (upbeat music)
00:13 Road cycling shoes come in all different shapes and sizes,
00:18 but nearly all of them will allow you to clip into a pedal.
00:21 Now, this is done using a cleat,
00:23 which attaches to the bottom of the shoe.
00:26 Clips in shoes, which confusingly,
00:28 are also referred to as clipless shoes,
00:30 make you engage more of your muscles
00:32 throughout the pedal stroke,
00:33 meaning you're a lot more efficient with your power.
00:36 While riding with clips in shoes
00:37 may seem a little daunting at first,
00:39 after your first couple of rides,
00:40 it's fair to say you're gonna feel very comfortable
00:42 with them, and people rarely ever go back to riding flats.
00:46 Now you know a little bit more about road cycling shoes,
00:48 I'm gonna talk you through the different types
00:49 that are out there.
00:50 (upbeat music)
00:55 Road shoes are for those who want to ride
00:57 as fast as possible, and also be as efficient as possible.
01:01 You can pay anywhere from 50 pounds
01:02 all the way up to 300 pounds plus for a pair of shoes,
01:06 but there are some key differences between them.
01:08 Top spec shoes will be incredibly lightweight,
01:10 and will utilize materials such as carbon fibre,
01:13 so they can have a really stiff sole.
01:16 They'll also have built-in ventilation
01:17 to help keep your feet as cool as possible.
01:20 While the upper will be pliable,
01:21 it's still gonna have very little give,
01:23 and that is so all of your effort
01:25 goes into turning those pedals.
01:27 In terms of how they're secured,
01:28 wire dials have become really popular in recent years.
01:31 Now you may have seen these called boa dials,
01:33 however, many brands have their own similar systems,
01:36 which might be called something different.
01:38 Boa dials are quick, convenient,
01:39 and you can rarely go wrong
01:41 with this type of retention system.
01:43 You'll also find shoes with laces,
01:44 which despite their old-school appearance,
01:46 do still do a really good job
01:47 at holding your foot in place.
01:49 Laces might take a little bit longer to put on than boas,
01:52 however, they are really reliable, and often lighter.
01:56 Finally, straps and Velcro
01:58 have been making a comeback in recent years,
02:00 with Fizik releasing a range of models at various budgets.
02:04 When it comes to budget or mid-range shoes,
02:06 they'll often come with either nylon or composite soles.
02:09 Now, that does mean they sacrifice
02:11 a little bit on weight and also stiffness.
02:14 They may also just be a little bit bulkier
02:16 and not as sleek than their top-end counterparts.
02:19 However, the real-world differences
02:21 between mid-range and top-end shoes are marginal at best,
02:24 and only performance-minded cyclists
02:26 are going to be able to notice the difference.
02:29 Finally, it's worth mentioning that road shoes
02:30 only tend to have a tiny amount of tread on the soles,
02:33 and that usually boils down to a couple of bits of rubber
02:35 underneath the heel.
02:37 As you'd expect, this does make them tricky to walk in,
02:39 so if you're planning on commuting or cycle touring,
02:41 then the next category might be best suited for you.
02:49 Commuter and touring shoes share many
02:51 of the same characteristics as road shoes,
02:53 but with a few key differences
02:54 which I think are worth mentioning.
02:56 First up is a different style of cleats,
02:58 meaning they're normally not compatible
02:59 with either road shoes or pedals.
03:02 They do, however, use the same two-bulk system
03:04 that you'll find on many mountain bike shoes.
03:06 The advantage to this is that the cleat
03:08 can be recessed into the tread of the shoe,
03:10 meaning it's a lot easier to walk in,
03:11 which then also means you're not going to damage the cleat.
03:14 Commuter and touring shoes tend to have a more subdued look,
03:16 meaning that they blend in with your normal clothes.
03:19 However, there are exceptions to this
03:20 should you want something a bit more exotic.
03:22 The first thing to look out for is to make sure
03:31 that the bulk pattern on the bottom of your shoes
03:33 matches that of your cleats and pedals.
03:35 Now, often you'll find a three-bulk setup,
03:37 which is common to find for Shimano, Look, and Time.
03:41 However, if you use Speedplay pedals,
03:43 you might want to look for shoes with a four-bulk system.
03:45 However, they are very rare,
03:47 and this is why Speedplay include an adapter plate
03:49 in with the pedals if you want to use their system.
03:52 As I've already mentioned,
03:53 commuter and cycle touring shoes
03:55 will usually use a two-bulk setup,
03:56 so make sure that your pedals are compatible.
03:59 It's also worth bearing in mind
04:00 that shoes rarely come with cleats,
04:02 so do make sure you buy some.
04:03 However, if you are buying pedals,
04:05 then most of the time, if not all of the time,
04:08 you're always going to get cleats in with those pedals.
04:16 When it comes to sizing,
04:17 it's worth knowing that a size 10 from one brand
04:19 will rarely be exactly the same
04:21 as a size 10 from another brand,
04:22 so my best recommendation here
04:24 is to just try them on before you commit to buying them.
04:27 Finally, if you have particularly wide feet,
04:30 there are brands out there that offer wide fit options,
04:32 such as Shimano, Lake, and Sidi.
04:34 So, hopefully you're now a little bit more clued up
04:38 to the whole world of road cycling shoes.
04:40 If you do have any questions, drop them below.
04:42 If you enjoyed the video, drop it a like,
04:43 subscribe to the channel for more content,
04:45 and I'll see you again very soon.
04:47 (motor revving)
04:50 (whooshing)
04:52 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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