The Tech Behind Cycling Shoes, Spend More, Get More? Read on:
You can pay as much as £450 for cycling shoes but are they worth the expense. What do you get for your money?
The Sole
Possibly the most important part of a cycling shoe. Cycling shoes are designed to be stiffer than say running
shoes which need to bend. Stiffer gives more support for your foot as you pedal. Efficiency is increased, more gets transferred to the pedals, so moving you down the road.
Materials can vary depending on price point, but so is application,different materials for different kinds of cycling.
Nylon
At basic levels nylon composite soles are often used because of the balance between comfort, cost and stiffness.
They are firm enough to support your feet, helping to reduce injury risk and increase efficiency of your pedaling. Nylon composites also have good vibration dampening properties and good for long rides and beginners.
Top ranked endurance cyclists sometimes go for Nylon soles exactly because of this combination.Nylon soles may be cheaper but should not be dismissed.
Carbon
For shorter distance racing, carbon is usually chosen. Very stiff but Lightweight. Carbon is more expensive to produce, resulting in high cost to the cyclist.
Every material must be optimised and weight reduction takes on a new focus. This is partly achieved using carbon over using the minimum amount of material while still retaining the integrity of the shoe.
