Cycling Shoes
Many people have been asking about the advantages of wearing cycling shoes to spin class. Although not necessary, they do provide some advantages, such as:
- A more powerful, efficient pedal stroke – because of the firmer shoe, power goes from your leg into the pedal rather than being absorbed into the cushion of your running shoe.
- Allow for optimal foot position on the pedal. Feet vary in width and length and can move around in the baskets, but a clip minimizes movement, increasing alignment and thus avoiding injury to hip, knees, and ankles.
- Allows you to engage your core, glutes, and hamstrings more. The clips allow you to generate power pulling up as well as on the downstroke. Pedalling smoothness will improve and your endurance and speed will increase.
- Allow for sudden sprints without slipping or power loss.
SPD-MTN are compatible clips for our Keiser M3i bikes. You can buy spin shoes at any cycling store, including MEC, West Point Cycles, Giant, etc. Take some time and choose a shoe that feels comfortable. There are many different price ranges based on materials and closures, but what matters most is comfort. Make sure the sales person spends some time with you explaining the differences and giving you the opportunity to try a couple of different pairs so you can compare fit. The shoes will last you a while – make sure to dry them out between rides. We like to take out the liner and ensure the fasteners are open to allow the shoes to dry thoroughly between classes.
