How to pick the best indoor cycling shoes

Indoor cycling is a great way to squeeze all the benefits of riding into a busy schedule in a fun, weather-proof environment. A pair of cycling shoes can enhance your workout – but for many, borrowing the studio’s shoes is essentially the sweatier equivalent of hiring bowling shoes. Here are a couple of tips for buying your own.

Walkable Road Shoes

Look for shoes with a cleat recessed into the shoe base. This will allow you to walk around the studio or your home in comfort, without slipping or scratching the floors.

When you’re trying on a pair for the first time, be sure to walk around in them. Indoor cycling shoes should feel secure, slightly stiff but overall comfortable enough to walk in.

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Dedicated Road Shoes

Typically, stationary bikes at indoor cycling studios are equipped with pedals to support a two-bolt SPD system, traditionally used for clipping in when mountain biking.

However, some studio pedals do support the 3-bolt system, traditionally used for road cycling. If you aren’t sure what system the studio uses, call ahead to ask.

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