Lots of good advice has been given here. I agree with those who say to get what people are calling “SPD” type (more on this in a minute…) shoes/pedals. They are MUCH easier to walk in, and once you get used to them, they are just as easy — if not moreso — to get in and out of. The obvious advantage is the recessed cleat which is great for off-bike experiences. Road cleats suck for walking on, and although you can buy rubber booties for them, they are just plain clumsy. Compare the two, and decide what you want on the bottom of your shoe: The biggest disadvantage is that the smaller “MTB” cleat generally doesn’t provide as much shoe contact with the pedal, which leads to a “softer” stroke, and potentially wasted energy. They also have varying degrees of float, which could be good or bad, depending on how much you rotate your foot during the pedal stroke. Having two bolts vs three impacts that as well. Now the trick is, be careful what you purchase.

SPD just stands for Shimano Pedaling Dynamics. So if you bought, say, a Bontrager shoe, it may not say “SPD” on it. A quick visual inspection will make it perfectly obvious. Also, road pedals are often marked “SPD-SL”, you know, just to be confusing.running shoes for boxing Also, if you are buying your pedals (which usually come with their own cleats) online, make sure you get shoes that can accommodate them. running shoe store floridaPreferably from a bike shop who will help you ensure a proper fit. vans shoes sales ukIdeally, you should support your LBS, and buy the whole kit and kaboodle there. nike skin shoes price

But I won’t give you that guilt trip… Anyway, your 30 mile+ distance is interesting to me. That is about the point where my feet start to get a little achy. I have found that the larger platform greatly relieves foot pain for me on rides of that length. best tennis shoe for standing all daySome folks struggle because their shoes are too stiff-soled.nike womens shoes size chart At the end of the day, the best shoe is the shoe that feels the most comfortable to you, while providing adequate support. Customized shoes can be made to fit, but can get rather expensive. Stick with names like Sidi or S-works. They put a lot of time into making great footwear. Adjustability is also key, as your feet will swell (you’ve probably noticed this already) on longer rides. Get something lightweight, with a medium stiffness to them, and go for the ratcheting type buckles — they’re super easy to adjust on the fly.

I personally own road-cycling shoes and I've never owned mountain-biking shoes, so I probably can't give definitive answer. That being said, I would reckon it depends largely on what kind of riding you plan on doing and if you plan on only using the bike shoes for biking (i.e. switching them for regular shoes whenever you aren't biking) or if you plan on wearing the shoes all day long, even when you aren't biking. For example, the road-cycling shoes I own are very stiff and great for cycling, but they aren't very comfortable to wear for casually walking around. When I used to ride to work by bike, I would end up keeping a pair of sneakers at the office that I'd switch into when I arrived and switch out of before my commute home. REI has a great guide to biking shoes here that is definitely worth a read: This past year our friend Reid Hemsing of Two Wheel Gear, invited Momentum Mag to come and share an office with him. What began as two bike industry related companies sharing office space became an awesome cross pollination of ideas, contacts, friendship and an expanded perspective of what bike gear our readers might be interested in.  

And after rolling our eyes a few times and being skeptical, Reid convinced us that it’s time to at least talk about whether or not we need them. We hope you enjoy Reid’s guest blog post. Intro to Clip-In Bike Shoes: Do I Need These? We all know that commuting by bike is a great way to stay fit and be active. For those that do it regularly having the right equipment can greatly improve your experience. This can include having a good set of pedals. For the stop and go commute that is riddled with traffic lights and stop signs clipless pedals may not be the best option, but if you have ever considered giving them a try hopefully my experience will help you in your decision making process. I’m an urban bike commuter.  I am not a performance oriented rider.  For as long as I can remember a pair of flat, stiff soles was all I needed. In August, I traded a Two Wheel Gear bag to a new friend at  & Pearl iZUMi and was able to give clipless pedals a try (but you actually ‘clip-in’…what?).

I would never have pictured myself in any traditional lycra cyclists sporting styles…but here I was with a pair of  with PD-M647 pedals,  I thought I should at least give them a try. At first, I had the normal first hesitations. Do I really need clip-ins? Is it overkill for my city commuting? Will I walk around with that dreadful, stiff, click-click? What if I crash? Let’s start at the crash bit Crashing is going to hurt regardless. It won’t be intensified by being clipped into your pedals. Think skiing to snowboarding. No high speed ejection from your skis will save you now. I know this sounds rudely elementary but just ‘try not to crash.’ You’ll be sore either way and this should not be a limiting factor to trying out the clips.Walking, Clicking and Commuting Overkill First off, clip-ins have come a long, long ways since strictly popularized by professional cyclists and MAMILS (Middle Aged Men In Lycra). I’ve owned 3 pairs of clip-in shoes now (Vans, DZR, Shimano), although I only ever added the ‘cleats’ until I tried this latest Shimano pair.

These shoes are urban enough and comfortable to wear all day. Thick rubber soles provide a great platform regardless of the clips. A rigid sole is a must. The subtle reflective accents are just cool. There is a minor click when walking in between rides. It is a wee bit annoying but these are commuting shoes and not necessarily shopping shoes. The shoe is shaped to minimize cleat contact but you can still expect to pick up the odd squashed berry in the right season. Shimano AM5 Gravity Shoes can be used with or without the clips in just regular shoes. They have a little off-roady look to them, but I think they still fit pretty well in “urban sporty.” I’d say that if you’re look ing for more “stylish” and less “sporty” DZR and Giro offer options. Alternatively, if you have regular shoes, you want to turn into “cycling” shoe, I discovered Retrofitz in my research.  With Retrofitz you can make any shoe compatible with a clipless pedal. When getting set-up out of the box, I took the intuitive newbie route: youtube.

I landed on a video of an industry old timer with a giant pony tail and enhanced gut to match who has been riding with cleats since they came about in the early 90’s….or was that the 80’s. Not elegant in his articulation but his advice is solid and fun to watch. The gist of the video: Now your setup, you need to get used to the action of clipping in and out. Straight from the mouth of Bike Man 4 U, “Don’t even think about riding anywhere just yet.” Position your bike up against something solid and saddle up. How to Get Used to Being ‘Clipped-in’ I practiced this up against my bbq. With each foot (one at a time) practice pushing down (clipping-in) on the pedal until you hear it set. This is awkward at first. Turn your heel to the outside. Your right foot heel goes to the right, your left heel swings out to the left. When your heel swings out, it disengages the cleat and you are free to kick and flail as you please. When clipping-in after awhile your feet will naturally navigate to the correct placement.

You press down and voila, your foot is set. Clip in and out with each foot about 50 times and your muscle memory will start to sink in. (Aside:  Spin class is actually a very handy crash course to clip-ins. Here you can borrow a pair to use on the stationary bike with no risk of an unexpected crash. The Benefits of Clipless Pedals If you are commuting longer distances, coming in from outside the downtown core or battling hefty hills along the way, the clip-in (“clipless”) might be a welcome addition to your daily ride. The pedal stroke is much more fluid and there is no risk of pedal slip jamming your shin on a sharp pedal. With clips you not only get the “push” of the pedal, you also get the “pulling” action which makes your legs twice as efficient. A quick warning that this does engage a new set of leg muscles you’ve likely not used since your pee wee football days. The first few rides, my legs were noticeably more tired. However, now I am quite accustomed to the new action and love the extra boost of the clip in.

Personally, I am a fan of gear and like progressing. Riding with clips is just levelling up with how serious you take your commute and your equipment. It will provide more efficiency, more security and boost your climbing ability. They will make you want to ride further and overall make your commute a little sportier. If you are simply tooting around the inner city with frequent little stops then yes, clips may be overkill and frankly not needed. However if you live a little further out, then you will certainly benefit. I have been enjoying leaning a little more intently into the turns and riding with a little more swagger. However, caution to the wise on keeping the afterwork beers to a minimum. Your clip-in intuition seems to rapidly dissolve and you can easily forget you’re clipped-in when high-fiving your buds leaving the pub. Reid, President of Two Wheel Gear, is an everyday cyclist and creator of the Classic 2.0 Garment Pannier Get your FREE copy of our new guide: Momentum Mag's Bike to Work Guide Bike commuting is practical, liberating, and a great way to integrate fresh air and exercise into your daily routine.