Indoor vs outdoor cycling shoes – what is the difference

Do you need indoor cycling shoes for indoor riding?

To get the maximum pleasure and efficiency in training, it is worth exercising in special cycling shoes. And it doesn’t matter where these trainings take place—outdoors or indoors.

What is the difference between indoor vs outdoor cycling shoes?

• Outdoor cycling shoes should perform other functions, namely – to hold the new one firmly on the pedal, but at the same time it is easy to detach if necessary, to help the cyclist increase the speed of movement by using all the muscles of the body as much as possible.
• Indoor shoes for cycling are thought out and designed in such a way that they meet the requirements of the training as much as possible and bring the maximum effect.

For indoor cycling classes or spinning, are there specific shoes required?

The answer is definitely yes if you want to exert more effort, achieve greater outcomes, and reduce your risk of getting hurt. Although it has advantages over shoes made for other sports, indoor cycling will benefit most from this innovation.

Let’s compare indoor vs outdoor cycling shoes for to find the profits:)

For safe and comfortable riding on different types of bicycles, there is a trick. So, for example, for regular riders on a mountain bike, shoes that are attached to the same special pedal through a folded bracket on the sole are suitable. Beginners and those who go through extremely difficult routes should prefer shoes that look like sneakers but have a strong and stiff sole.

When you’re driving on a road cycling, you also need to choose cycling-specific shoes
with contacts on the sole and a spike on the pedal. Thanks to such road shoes, you can increase the power transfer and increase the speed many times.

Now we will consider in detail what indoor cycling shoe should be.

Pedal Comfort

The pedals of the indoor bikes are designed in such a way that it is convenient to perform exercises, and special SPD spinning shoes are designed for them. There are also pedals with a toe cage. Therefore, for the convenience of indoor riding, it is necessary to choose indoor shoes with a smooth and rigid sole. Due to the firm sole, shoes for indoor training will be more comfortable than with a semi-flexible sole, as for street skating.

Improved Riding Form

Indoor cycling shoes for training on the simulator have been designed specifically to improve riding form and reduce injury rates. Better technique on an exercise bike can be achieved by aligning the foot and ankle due to the tight fit and stiff sole of the running shoe. This is done in order for the cyclist to be comfortable in one position for a long period of time of indoor classes and to reduce the load on the knees.

Pedal Power

Clip-on training shoes help the cyclist increase the power of the pedal stroke by 360-degrees. When you lift your leg up, the pedal goes up with it, because it is attached to the shoe. Constant push and pull together produce better results as the cyclist becomes one with the bike.

If you want to get maximum performance and use more muscles, then use special indoor cycling shoes with clips.

Tread

Mountain biking shoes are not suitable for indoor training because of their soles, which contain a lot of treads. It is comfortable and prevents slipping on dirt and grass, but it does not fit the flat pedals on the simulator at all. Outdoor cycling shoes for road cycling are also not suitable for exercise bikes, as they are distinguished by clips and the presence of protectors around the clip. Indoor cycling shoes have a flat and rigid sole that does not slip on parquet, wood, tiles or laminate. Such shoes are designed specifically for training at home, to protect against the risk of falling after the end of training.

Sole

The biggest and most important difference between indoor vs outdoor cycling shoes is the flexibility of the sole. Indoor cycling shoes are much stiffer and offer less flexibility than outdoor shoes. For the manufacture of indoor shoes, different materials are used, which differ in price, in order to give you the opportunity to choose shoes that suit you in terms of functionality and price.

Today, indoor shoes can consist of the following materials:

• Plastic
• Fiberglass
• Carbon fiber

The plastic soles are the cheapest and have the most flexibility. Suitable for beginners to progress to the next level of footwear.

The fiberglass soles are a good middle ground between these two materials.

Carbon fiber soles are the most expensive and provide the most rigidity of the soles.

In order for riding indoors to be fun and comfortable, choose comfortable specialized shoes according to your financial capabilities.

Weight

The weight of specialized shoes for mountain biking, walking, cycling competitions and indoor training is different. It is due to needs and functionality. A small weight plays the biggest role in competitions, where extra grams are removed in everything possible.

Specialized shoes for outdoor cycling weigh twice as much as for indoor cycling. The lighter weight for shoes for training at home will be those with carbon fiber soles.

Breathability

Indoor cycling shoes should provide good breathability and wick moisture away from the sole to keep feet cool. For this, special mesh inserts are made around the perimeter of the entire shoe to maintain proper ventilation.

Outdoor cycling shoes are designed to keep feet dry. Since the routes can pass in different weather conditions and terrains, such shoes are usually closed as much as possible and the air permeability in them is poor.

Fixation

For outdoor cycling, it is very important to securely fix the shoes on the foot. You can adjust the cycling shoes on the leg using Velcro straps, ratchet fasteners, rubber bands or lacing with BOA technology – this is a unique fixation that allows you to lace up with a simple rotation of a special disc and distribute the pressure as evenly as possible, ensuring a tight fit of the shoe to the leg. But it cannot be said that other closure systems function poorly: all systems have both pros and cons.

Choose based on personal preferences and budget: Velcro straps are usually put on inexpensive shoes. There are shoe models where these types of adjustment are combined, for example, two Velcro and a ratchet. This combination is the safest, because one of the mechanisms can break, and the second will hold to the nearest place for repair.

There are enough Velcro strap to fix the shoes on the exercise bike, usually from one to three.

How to extend the life of shoes?

Thorns are short-lived. The plastic from which these spikes are made gradually wears out, so check them regularly. On average, they should be enough for one season. Cycling shoes themselves will last for 2 years or 10 years, and you can extend the life of your favorite pair.

There is no significant differences in shoe care for indoor cycling shoes or outdoor cycling shoes or caring for regular shoes. For cleaning, use a cloth napkin, warm water and powder. The insoles can be washed by hand or in a washing machine. Do not forget to dry your cycling shoes, and to get rid of the unpleasant smell, use special sprays.

Can I ride an exercise bike in regular sports shoes?

Yes, you can ride an exercise bike in regular sports shoes, but the effectiveness of such training is lower. In the beginning, you can use a special toe cage, but the leg can still wobble because it does not have a proper fixation with the exercise bike.

If you are determined for high-quality and productive training, I recommend using special indoor cycling shoes for this. So it will be more comfortable and safer for you to do sports, especially it will be safer for your knees.

What to look for before buying a pair of indoor cycling shoes?

The main question you should ask yourself before buying indoor cycling shoes is what type of pedals your exercise bike has. If you will indoor cycling only at indoor trainer, then pedals will suit you. But if you plan to go to the gym and train in a group, then you should make sure that the same shoes will suit you. SPD clamps are most often used in gyms, but they may have other options.

Here are the effects that cycling, whether on an indoor, outdoor, stationary, or recumbent cycle, will have on your leg muscles.

More Helpful Info:

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• How long do cycling shoes last?