Shoes for stationary cycling

tomatoey
tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
edited November 19 in Fitness and Exercise
I've just been wearing my regular gym shoes (ie huge stability shoes that I wear for most activity, with orthotics). Usually I just adjust the strap so it's a snug fit around the toe/upper foot. I've noticed a bit of pain in one foot while cycling. I know some people wear special shoes for spinning/cycling - are they necessary? What do they do?

Replies

  • Foamroller
    Foamroller Posts: 1,041 Member
    Not necessary, but highly beneficial. More power per round with cycling shoes. Look for MTB + cleats. I waited a very long time to buy mine. Regret.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    OP, is this a spin bike or an upright stationary bike?
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    Yes, if it's a spin bike I'd really invest in some cleats. So much more comfortable/stable and I think a better workout. I got mine on Sierra Trading Post for a good price, well worth it!
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    OP, is this a spin bike or an upright stationary bike?

    It's not a spin bike, just a regular upright stationary bike, sorry, should have been clear! (I hate the seats on spin bikes, also I have wrist issues that make spending the whole time in a forward-leaning posture, leaning on that wrist, very uncomfortable)
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    Foamroller wrote: »
    Not necessary, but highly beneficial. More power per round with cycling shoes. Look for MTB + cleats. I waited a very long time to buy mine. Regret.

    Are these shoes more rigid? Do they support the foot through the movement?
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    sistrsprkl wrote: »
    Yes, if it's a spin bike I'd really invest in some cleats. So much more comfortable/stable and I think a better workout. I got mine on Sierra Trading Post for a good price, well worth it!

    Thanks for the tip - what do you mean by more stable?
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    Cycling shoes have a stiff sole for pedaling. You won't want to walk in cycling shoes so they will be for cycling only.

    I used to have trouble with numbness in my feet before using cycling shoes.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    beemerphile1 wrote: »
    Cycling shoes have a stiff sole for pedaling. You won't want to walk in cycling shoes so they will be for cycling only.

    I used to have trouble with numbness in my feet before using cycling shoes.

    Aha gotcha!! So maybe they're worth it, then... is the sole stiff all through, or more flexible near the heel?
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    edited May 2015
    If you are riding on flats, you do not need shoes with a stiff sole.


    ETA: By "flats" I mean the type of flat pedals you find on BMX or some mountain bikes. They're freaking huge.

    Flats on standard stationary bikes or bikes you buy at a department store are not sufficiently large enough to support your foot enough to ride with soft sole shoes.

    If you wish to ride on a stationary bike in a gym that has small pedals, and you cannot change the pedals to large flats or clipless, then I would suggest investing in some stiff sole shoes that are designed for cycling on flat pedals.

    Brands such as 5-10 would be a good place to start. Since you're in the gym, look for their more minimal styles, such as their Spitfires or Freeriders. The Impact (very popular shoe) would be overkill.

    Also, they're all flat soles, so your orthopedics will fit inside them.
  • mellyhohoho
    mellyhohoho Posts: 3 Member
    They are stiff all the way through. Sierra Trading Post has very good ones often on sale, and Amazon sometimes has pretty good deals too. You will also want to make sure that you get the right cleats for it. The shoes don't come with cleats. There are two different kinds of cleats for two different kinds of pedals - SPD and Look. If you cycle at the gym you might want to check with the people working there to see what kind of pedals they have.

    As for your spin bike issue (I know that wasn't in the original question but that came up in one of your responses) - spin classes always provide a few gel/cushioned seat covers for the bikes. It also helps if you sit as far back onto the seat as you can, this will help with the discomfort. As for your wrist pain, I'm not sure how severe that is, but it helps if the height of your handlebars are level with your seat (depending on the individual). A lot of people start with the height of their handlebars a little higher than their seat, it makes things easier. Technically, you should be comfortable enough where you are not putting weight on your wrist, your core and legs are supposed to be doing all the work.

    Hope this helps!

  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    chivalryder wrote: »
    If you are riding on flats, you do not need shoes with a stiff sole.


    ETA: By "flats" I mean the type of flat pedals you find on BMX or some mountain bikes. They're freaking huge.

    Flats on standard stationary bikes or bikes you buy at a department store are not sufficiently large enough to support your foot enough to ride with soft sole shoes.

    If you wish to ride on a stationary bike in a gym that has small pedals, and you cannot change the pedals to large flats or clipless, then I would suggest investing in some stiff sole shoes that are designed for cycling on flat pedals.

    Brands such as 5-10 would be a good place to start. Since you're in the gym, look for their more minimal styles, such as their Spitfires or Freeriders. The Impact (very popular shoe) would be overkill.

    Also, they're all flat soles, so your orthopedics will fit inside them.

    Ok NOW I get it! Thank you for the extended explanation and advice!! :) Yeah, the bike doesn't have large flat pedals at all. I'm at a bare-bones gym, will ask but I doubt they have the other pedals. So it's totally worth getting these special shoes. Thanks again!
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    mellyhohoho wrote: »
    They are stiff all the way through. Sierra Trading Post has very good ones often on sale, and Amazon sometimes has pretty good deals too. You will also want to make sure that you get the right cleats for it. The shoes don't come with cleats. There are two different kinds of cleats for two different kinds of pedals - SPD and Look. If you cycle at the gym you might want to check with the people working there to see what kind of pedals they have.

    As for your spin bike issue (I know that wasn't in the original question but that came up in one of your responses) - spin classes always provide a few gel/cushioned seat covers for the bikes. It also helps if you sit as far back onto the seat as you can, this will help with the discomfort. As for your wrist pain, I'm not sure how severe that is, but it helps if the height of your handlebars are level with your seat (depending on the individual). A lot of people start with the height of their handlebars a little higher than their seat, it makes things easier. Technically, you should be comfortable enough where you are not putting weight on your wrist, your core and legs are supposed to be doing all the work.

    Hope this helps!

    Thanks so much for your thoughts - I'll check out Amazon and stp for those brands :)

    My gym is tiny. We have one regular bike and one spin bike! So not sure they'll have the things you mean...

    My wrist is pretty finicky, but I'll try the position you suggested. Thanks!
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    Update: I tried the spin bike. The clips helped, even with my huge shoes. I got the gym trainer to help me adjust everything so the handlebars, seat etc. fit (the handlebars were just a little higher than the seat, it hurt otherwise). It was still a little much for my wrist, but I just took it off the bars now and then. They did not have a seat cushion, which sucked. I wish that seat could be angled forward just a tad :/

    Tag-on question: anyone have good tips on pedalling mechanics? I've just been doing it intuitively, but is there a "best" way, to activate both quads and hams equally, and minimize knee strain?

    My usual MO is to warm up for 5 minutes, then alternate rpms - 1 minute on at 110-120 rpm, 1 minute off at 90 rpm - for another 25 minutes. (Today that was on gear 7.) If I have time, or if I didn't do some kind of resistance training beforehand, I then continue on for an additional 25 minutes at 90 rpm, at a higher gear (say compared to 8-10 on the spin bike). So I don't know if the gear/speed makes a difference with regard to how I should pedal, does it?

    Thanks so much for your advice, everyone!
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    Envision your feet going in circles, not up and down.

    Picture yourself scraping mud off your shoes as the pedal comes around the bottom of the revolution.

    Try to push and pull all the way around rather than only pushing down which is what most newbies do.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    beemerphile1 wrote: »
    Envision your feet going in circles, not up and down.

    Picture yourself scraping mud off your shoes as the pedal comes around the bottom of the revolution.

    Try to push and pull all the way around rather than only pushing down which is what most newbies do.

    Awesome, thank you! I think I get what you mean about circles, and pushing/pulling through the whole motion. With the scraping mud analogy, am I meant to angle my foot so the heel is down and toes are more up?

    Knees - should I be thinking about them? E.g. trying to keep them tracking over my feet the whole time (I think I do this, but will check next time)?
  • Foamroller
    Foamroller Posts: 1,041 Member
    edited May 2015
    1. Bike. Stand beside bike, adjust seat to hipbone height. Handlebars a bit lower than seat...but it's mostly for people who wanna cycle outdoors (less wind resistance). If you're not gonna, don't bother ;) Do what works for YOU. Keep in mind that a stronger core is able to support a lower bar. Adjust seat and handlebars forward/backward according to your limb and torso length. Important for maxing power in your «stride»! Always check this before cycling. Or it can hurt you or make it less efficient/lose out on power.

    2. Body position. Think movement economy. Good form is about maxing power, but trying to minimize injury as well.

    a) Elbows and knees parallell, straight forward. Wiggliness = lost power.

    b) Pull butt backwards in both sitting and standing position within reason. Check: when standing, you can balance on pedals without tilting too much back or forth. Provided you have enough resistance on the wheels.

    c) Slightly rounded back. Think «shrimp». There's different opinions on this, though. This is what I was taught at college of sports science, so I trust they're updated on exercise physiology.

    d) Form 90°. When you sit, the knees form letter «L».

    e) Neutral «flat» sole. When people get tired they use toes down in standing. Neutral feet are less straining more balanced.

    f) Stable core. A bit more advanced technique. Whether sitting or standing, try not move upper body more than necessary. More wiggling, less power down legs and to pedals. Often people «dance» to a song. If that gets you're groove going...np! But not for people training for hours prepping roadcycling. Movement economy.

    g) Yea, make a circle. Think you're on doormat, brushing off shoes when foot is down at «5 o'clock». Thereby engaging hamstrings when moving pedal up to «12 o'clock».

    h) Don't hang over handlebars, shifting too much weight forward. This is probably what made your wrists hurt. People do this when tired as well. But higher risk injury in arms.

    There are decent form videos on YouTube if you want to get a visual. There are also whole classes on YT, if you wanna get a framework.

    My advice, think about form sure, but enjoy and have fun first! Experiment with different RPM, resistance and positions. Make an awesome playlist. Hustle your friends for good workout songs that make you wanna mooove :)
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