Choosing The Right Shoes For Your Bike Tour

There are so many options when it comes to shoes and pedals for bicycle touring it can be confusing. Do you need cleats and special shoes? Sneakers and toe clips? What are the options anyway?

The most fundamental question you will have to answer in this area is about the footwear you want to use. Do you want special, cleated shoes you’ll wear only for cycling? Or do you want one all-purpose pair of shoes? There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Cleats: Many cyclists find they are more comfortable in dedicated, hard-soled cycling shoes. These are designed with rigid soles to transfer energy to the pedals more efficiently and cleats to hold your feet firmly on the pedals. You will be able to pull up as well as push down, using your entire pedal stroke to power your bike.

Cleated cycling shoes are designed in such a way that they maximize the energy transfer from your legs to your pedals, with very little energy being lost in the shoe. They will also last longer in that they are reinforced in all the right places for use on the bike. At the end of a long day in the saddle, your feet with thank you and not be so tired – the pressure will have been distributed throughout your foot all day rather than concentrated on the ball of your foot.

That efficiency and comfort will come at a price, however. You’ll find the stiff shoes very difficult to walk in. Each time you stop at a grocery store or walk across a bridge or take a quick hike to a waterfall, you’ll have to change your shoes. Your first task at the end of the day will be to put your other shoes on. You may end up missing photo ops as it’ll be too difficult to climb an embankment with your cycling shoes.

Hybrid shoes: One alternative to the stiff-soled cycling shoes is mountain bike shoes. These have more flexible soles, but are still stiff enough to make your pedal stroke fairly efficient. Mountain bikers use these shoes as they need the rigidity of cycling shoes, but still need to be able to get off and run on a regular basis.

They have recessed cleats which makes walking much easier and you’ll be able to go for short hikes in them. You will be able to walk comfortably around grocery stores or on short hikes without changing your shoes. You may opt not to change into other shoes in campgrounds.

Some people, however, don’t find mountain bike shoes comfortable on long walks, and need to carry other shoes for hiking or long sightseeing trips in cities. If you find yourself walking in mud, the cleats will get clogged up and you’ll need to scrape them clean with a stick.

Regular sneakers: Still other cyclists prefer the simplicity of regular shoes. With this option your pedaling stroke won’t be as efficient, but you won’t have to deal with changing shoes. Look for trail running shoes that are designed for flexing in one direction for walking, but not to flex down over rocks or pedals. Salomons and Keens have been well tested on the bike.

If you opt for this choice, you’ll have to decide what to do about holding your feet on the pedal. Some cyclists go with toe clips, others with Power Grips, and still others simply use pedals with spikes to prevent their feet from slipping off. You will not have the advantage of using your upstroke, but many cyclists find they are perfectly comfortable without that.

The decision on what type of footwear to use for bicycle touring is a very personal choice and there is no one right or wrong way. I’ve tried them all – started with regular sneakers, switched to dedicated cycling shoes, and now find myself right back where I started. Try a variety of options and see what feels best for you!

Nancy Sathre-Vogel started bicycle touring 30 years ago. Later she toured with her husband, and now travels with their two kids and is an expert on bicycling with children. For tips on planning your own family bike tour, check out www.familyonbikes.org.