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>Cycling-Specific Footwear
What is the advantage of cycling-specific footwear?

Cycling shoes have a stiffer sole than your basketball shoes or cross trainers.  Because of this, they make your pedal stroke more efficient by transferring more power directly through your foot to the pedals.  This translates directly to comfort on long rides.  Because your feet don’t have to work as hard to make up for a flexible sole on a non-cycling shoe, you will be able to ride longer without getting cramps or achy feet. 

Can you give me more information about cycling shoes and clipless pedals?

This is very important. When you ride platform pedals, you adjust the pressure manually so your feet stay on the pedals, there's no way to use the pulling up motion. When you clip in, one of the big advantages is your ability to apply power throughout the revolution. This pulling up motion means your shoes HAVE to fit well, otherwise the shoe will remain attached to the pedal while your heel moves up inside the shoe - recipe for blisters and discomfort.

Proper fit means snug, not tight. The heel "counter," the cup that cradles your heel, should fit very closely without you having to crank the laces/straps too tight. Laces tend to give a better fit than straps, but don't let this stop you from buying a pair of strap only shoes that fit you. European sizing is used as it gives a wider range of sizes.

The other thing to look for is sole stiffness and lug design. Since you're going to be directly connected to the bike via a small platform, it's essential that the sole be stiff for efficient power transfer and foot comfort. You shouldn't be able to flex a biking shoe sole appreciably with your hands. The tradeoff here is that a stiff sole is great on the bike, but a pain to walk in. If you're going to hike-a-bike or commute, a shoe with a softer sole will give more off-bike comfort at the expense of efficiency. Lugs are important because for a sole to be stiff, the compound has to be hard, meaning that the sole doesn't conform/stick to surfaces like a pair of sneakers would. So big lugs/toe spikes are a good thing if you'll spend much time walking on the dirt.

When it comes to actually mounting the cleats, it’s best to refer to the manufacturer's instructions that come with your pedals. As different types (SPD, ATAC, Egg Beater) have differing instructions.  Bring the Allen/hex wrench with you when you go out as the cleat might loosen the first couple of times you ride.

What’s the difference between road shoes and mountain shoes?

The first decision you'll need to make when choosing a pair of shoes is road vs. mountain. Road shoes are typically smooth and provide maximum stiffness for pedaling efficiency, but minimum traction for walking. Mountain bike shoes are usually more aggressively styled, with a slightly more flexible sole for occasional walking/hiking and lugs or spikes for grip. Casual riders, riders using their bike for errands, etc. may prefer to use a mountain bike shoe (even if the bike is never ridden off road) for walk ability.
 
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>Mountain Cleats

What is different about mountain cleats?

Mountain cleats are typically recessed into the sole of your shoe so that you can still walk or hike comfortably and safely with the cleats installed.  On mountain rides, you may need to hike through particularly rocky, steep, or technical sections, and road shoes/cleats are designed with that in mind.

The most common cleat mounting system used on mountain pedals and shoes is the SPD pattern. SPD-compatible shoes can be identified by the presence of two parallel slots on the bottom of the shoe.  Almost all mountain bike clipless pedal systems are compatible with shoes using the SPD pattern.

Note: the fact that two pedal systems use the same cleat mounting does not necessarily imply that they are compatible. For example, the Shimano M959, Crank Bros. Eggbeater, and Wellgo WPD-813 pedals each use the SPD cleat mounting pattern. However, the cleats themselves are not interchangeable.

How do I install my mountain cleats?

There is a removable panel on the bottom of your compatible shoes that will have slots for cleat installation.  To get the panel out, just use a flathead screwdriver and pry it off.  This may be easier if you heat up the sole of the shoe a little with a hairdryer before prying the panel out.

What is SPD?
It stands for: SHIMANO PEDAL DYNAMICS and it describes all of Shimano's current mountain bike pedals and the shoe sole drilling that their cleats need.

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>Road Cleats

What is different about road cleats?

Road cleats are typically bolted onto the bottom of compatible shoes, and once installed, can be awkward or difficult to walk with.  These shoes are not made for walking – they’re for riding, and it is assumed that you will not be doing a lot of hike-a-bike on road rides.  If you are driving to or from a ride location, we do not recommend that you drive with road cleats either – just take off your shoes in the car.

There are three main types of cleats used on road shoes. The first, the LOOK pattern, can be identified by its 3 hole drilling in a triangle shape. The second, the SPD/R pattern, can be identified by the presence of two slots in the middle of the shoe. Finally, the TIME pattern uses four holes for cleat mounting. Although most road shoes are compatible with both LOOK and SPD/R mounting, you should always confirm compatibility prior to ordering.

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>Shoe Sizing Chart


(This chart is a guideline. Shoe sizes may vary slightly from above)


Manufacturer-Specific Men’s Shoes Sizing Chart

U.S.
661
Diadora
Pearl Izumi
Sette
Sidi
Answer
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
 6.5
-
-
-
-
40.5
40
7
40
-
-
-
41
-
7.5
-
-
40
40
41.5
41
8
41
-
41
41
42.5
42
 8.5
42
-
-
42
43
42
9
43
42.5/43
42
-
43.5
43
 9.5
-
   43.5
-
43
44.5
-
10
44
44
43
-
45
44
10.5
-
44/44.5
-
44
45.5
45
11
45
45
44
45
46
45
11.5
-
46
45
-
47
46
12
46
46.5/47
-
46
47.5
46
12.5
47
 47/48
46
-
48
47
13
48
 48/49
47
47
-
-
13.5
-
-
-
48
-
-


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