00:00Road cycling shoes come in all different shapes and sizes, but nearly all of them will allow
00:06you to clip into a pedal. Now, this is done using a cleat, which attaches to the bottom
00:12of the shoe. Clips in shoes, which confusingly are also referred to as clipless shoes, make
00:17you engage more of your muscles throughout the pedal stroke, meaning you're a lot more
00:21efficient with your power. While riding with clips in shoes may seem a little daunting
00:26at first, after your first couple of rides, it's fair to say you're going to feel very
00:29comfortable with them and people rarely ever go back to riding flats. Now you know a little
00:34bit more about road cycling shoes, I'm going to talk you through the different types that
00:37are out there. Road shoes are for those who want to ride as fast as possible and also
00:46be as efficient as possible. You can pay anywhere from £50 all the way up to £300 plus for
00:52a pair of shoes, but there are some key differences between them. Top spec shoes will be incredibly
00:57lightweight and will utilise materials such as carbon fibre so they can have a really
01:02stiff sole. They'll also have built-in ventilation to help keep your feet as cool as possible.
01:07While their upper will be pliable, it's still going to have very little give and that is
01:11so all of your effort goes into turning those pedals. In terms of how they're secured, wire
01:16dials have become really popular in recent years. Now, you may have seen these called
01:20boa dials. However, many brands have their own similar systems, which might be called
01:24something different. Boa dials are quick, convenient, and you can rarely go wrong with
01:28this type of retention system. You'll also find shoes with laces, which despite their
01:32old-school appearance, do still do a really good job at holding your foot in place. Laces
01:37might take a little bit longer to put on than boas, however, they are really reliable and
01:42often lighter. Finally, straps and velcro have been making a comeback in recent years,
01:47with Fizik releasing a range of models at various budgets. When it comes to budget or
01:52mid-range shoes, they'll often come with either nylon or composite soles. Now, that does mean
01:58they sacrifice a little bit on weight and also stiffness. They may also just be a little
02:03bit bulkier and not as sleek than their top-end counterparts. However, the real-world differences
02:08between mid-range and top-end shoes are marginal at best and only performance-minded cyclists
02:13are going to be able to notice the difference. Finally, it's worth mentioning that road shoes
02:18only tend to have a tiny amount of tread on the soles and that usually boils down to a
02:22couple of bits of rubber underneath the heel. As you'd expect, this does make them tricky
02:25to walk in, so if you're planning on commuting or cycle touring, then the next category might
02:30be best suited for you.
02:37Commuter and touring shoes share many of the same characteristics as road shoes, but with
02:41a few key differences which I think are worth mentioning. First up, it's a different style
02:45of cleats, meaning they're normally not compatible with either road shoes or pedals. They do,
02:49however, use the same two-bulk system that you'll find on many mountain bike shoes.
02:53The advantage to this is that the cleat can be recessed into the tread of the shoe, meaning
02:57it's a lot easier to walk in, which then also means you're not going to damage the cleat.
03:02Commuter and touring shoes tend to have a more subdued look, meaning that they blend
03:05in with your normal clothes. However, there are exceptions to this should you want something
03:08a bit more exotic.
03:16The first thing to look out for is to make sure that the bulk pattern on the bottom of
03:19your shoes matches that of your cleats and pedals. Often, you'll find a three-bulk setup,
03:25which is common to find for Shimano, Look, and Time. However, if you use Speedplay pedals,
03:30you might want to look for shoes with a four-bulk system. However, they are very rare, and this
03:34is why Speedplay include an adapter plate in with the pedals if you want to use their
03:39system. As I've already mentioned, commuter and cycle touring shoes will usually use a
03:43two-bulk setup, so make sure that your pedals are compatible.
03:46It's also worth bearing in mind that shoes rarely come with cleats, so do make sure you
03:50buy some. However, if you are buying pedals, then most of the time, if not all of the time,
03:55you're always going to get cleats in with those pedals.
04:03When it comes to sizing, it's worth knowing that a size 10 from one brand will rarely
04:07be exactly the same as a size 10 from another brand, so my best recommendation here is to
04:12just try them on before you commit to buying them.
04:15Finally, if you have particularly wide feet, there are brands out there that offer wide
04:19fit options, such as Shimano, Lake, and Sidi.
04:23So hopefully you're now a little bit more clued up to the whole world of road cycling
04:26shoes. If you do have any questions, drop them below. If you enjoyed the video, drop
04:30it a like, subscribe to the channel for more content, and I'll see you again very soon!
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