CYCLING EQUIPMENT

The right equipment not only makes your ride more comfortable, it makes it safe. Make sure you start every class with a full water bottle, a towel and though cycling shoes are not mandatory I strongly recommend them. If you’re new to indoor cycling you may find you need extra padding on the saddle until you build up a tolerance for it. Gel seats that fit over the top of the bike saddles can by purchased at most department, athletic or bicycle stores. I always have extra gel seats  in case anyone needs to borrow one.

PICKING A CYCLING SHOE 

The human foot has 19 muscles, 20 tendons,

26 bones, 33 joints and 119 ligaments. 

The right shoe makes a good cycling class great. Cycling shoes feature durable, breathable construction and hard soles that help keep your feet stable and secure on the pedals, promote good circulation and minimize strain to the balls of your feet. Best of all, these shoes feature pedal/shoe interface systems so you safely lock your feet to the bike pedals, facilitating a powerful, even, efficient pedal stroke. Cycling shoes are available in a variety of styles and price ranges at most bicycle specialty shops--a few shops are listed below and online. They are not available at sporting goods stores like Sportmart or Big 5.

Keep a few things in mind when shopping for a shoe to buy whether online or from a bike shop: The best shoe is one that fits your foot so ALWAYS try it on first. When the shoe fits correctly you should be able to move your feet forward and back and side to side a little bit but without sliding excessively in your heel. You should be able to wiggle your toes and there should be about 1/4" - 1/2" or so of space between your toes and the end of the shoe. Feet tend to swell at the end of the day so unless you will always be riding first thing in the morning, you can get a more accurate fit if you try them on later in the day. Go to a bike shop and get advice from a salesperson regarding proper fit. Try on a bunch of shoes until you find one that fits then you can shop around for that shoe at a better price online. A new cycle shoe does not come with the cleat already attached so if you decide to buy online you'll need to know if the shoe is being sold with the pedal cleat and/or cleat pods. If not, you'll need to purchase this separately and put it on and adjust it yourself. If you buy the shoes and cleat from a bike shop they will put it on and adjust it for you at no additional charge. If you purchase the shoes and cleats separately elsewhere a bike shop may charge a fee to do this. Some shoes run wider, others more narrow, some have a high cup, others lower...they are all different so take the time to find the right shoe for you.

All cycling shoes feature cleat pods, a small area on the shoe sole where you can attach a pedal cleat. When you purchase a pair of clipless bike pedals, they are sold with accompanying cleats that clip into the pedals to create a secure fit. The pedal design you need to buy for indoor cycling classes is called SPD, (Shimano Pedal Design) which is the most versatile pedal you can purchase. If you are buying shoes from a bike shop, always ask if they will include the cleats and install them for you at no charge. It’s easy to get the hang of clipless pedals and once you do, you’ll never go back.

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