I test out my first-ever cycling-specific footwear; are they worth the cost?
Why buy cycling-specific shoes? Well, for those of us terrified at the very idea of clipless pedals – attach your feet to the pedals? What if you lose your balance and don’t unclip in time? – it’s really about power and protection.
The shoes have much stiffer soles than normal footwear, and this transfers more of your pedalling effort directly to the pedals. The more rigid soles and tougher uppers also provide more protection for your feet, which is especially important for anyone cycling on the road a lot. I hadn’t really considered the need for special footwear until I decided to do the London to Cambridge. After some 60 miles of cycling I might appreciate having the right shoes.
I noticed the extra power immediately. For me this translated to higher gears, giving me lots of extra speed. My commute is now under half an hour, and that’s got to be a good thing – a shorter commute means longer in bed! I’m sure I must be burning calories, as well as miles, more quickly, too.
I noticed the extra power immediately – and I’m sure I’m burning calories, as well as miles, more quicklyI love the look of these shoes. Dark grey with pink highlights, they look like trainers. I wanted shoes that I could wear off my bike as well as on, and this pair definitely fulfil that criterion. The hard soles do make walking a bit difficult; you wouldn’t want to go very far in these, but for transitioning between the bike racks and the office, or even popping out to the shops during lunch time, they’re fine. As you’d expect, they’re perfectly comfortable to cycle in.
It did take me a while to get used to wearing these. Those thick, hard soles meant I wasn’t getting the same ‘feedback’ from the pedals as when wearing my usual light walking shoes. I felt I had less control, like my feet were more likely to slip off. This didn’t happen and I feel fine with them now.
The list price is £64.99, but I qualify for a discount with Wiggle and got the shoes for £57.19. Compared to some other pairs out there, this is cheap, but it’s still a tad more than I was planning on paying. However, I do think the shoes have improved my cycling and I’m pleased with my purchase.
Price: £64.99
Available from: Wiggle
Disclaimer: this product was bought and paid for by me
