Best cycle shoes for spin class?

TheTalkingTurboTrainer

Hi All,

A colleague of mine has done significant damage to a foot and a podiatrist has recommended a stiff shoe for the spin classes she does.

She's looking at a spinning shoe made by Shimano currently.

I don't do spin but was wondering if she was better going with a road shoe because I'm assuming they are stiffer than a shoe made specifically for a spin bike.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

lovestheclimb

aren't the shimano spinning shoes a bit like trainers with space for an spd cleats?
I think she's better off getting a pair of stiff road shoes with plenty of ventilation, for example tri shoes.
the road shoe will give alot more support than those spinning shoes and will probably be more ventilated, so a comfy pair of road/tri shoes best bet

bigmat

Any 2-bolt cleat compatible shoe should be fine. The "spinning" shoes are generally a bit more flexible and look more like regular trainers, I think so you can do normal gym stuff in them as well. I just wear my regular commuting shoes - Diadora MTB shoes. The racier models will have a sole as stiff as most road shoes. Any of the usual brands should do something suitable, easiest way of identifying a stiff sole seems to be to look for a shoe that looks like a road shoe, rather than a trainer! Hope that helps...

bigmat

lovestheclimb wrote:

aren't the shimano spinning shoes a bit like trainers with space for an spd cleats?
I think she's better off getting a pair of stiff road shoes with plenty of ventilation, for example tri shoes.
the road shoe will give alot more support than those spinning shoes and will probably be more ventilated, so a comfy pair of road/tri shoes best bet

Don't most road shoes only take Look / SPD-SL type 3 bolt cleats? Most spinning bikes I've seen have SPD pedals on, so you'll need to make sure the shoes take a compatible cleat (e.g. 2 bolt). Personally I'd avoid a full on road shoe as she'll just end up waddling on 3-bolt cleats, and carving the gym floor up on 2-bolt cleats.

TheTalkingTurboTrainer

Thanks guys.

What you say fits with what my thoughts were. She showed me a pair and I was like "looks like a pair of trainers, you might be better off with a pair of roadie shoes"

And yep, I'm aware that she'll need the SPD cleats. I've already given her a lesson in pedal systems! I don't expect she'd carve up a gym floor though as I've seen guys in the gym in roadie shoes and it's fine.

Thanks again

Cheers

meanredspider

Yup - a well ventilated Shimano road shoe like the R86 (the Star wars Stormtrooper ones) would be good. Comes with both 2 & 3 screw fittings and stiff soles. There are cheaper Shimano shoes if the £70+ is too much but you font want to cut corners where your feet are concerned

Monty Dog

There are some spin-specific shoes which are just well-ventilated MTB SPD shoes. Northwave and Diadora for example do them, but I've not seen then in the UK, only on ebay from Italy.

http://www.northwave.com/eu/shoes_det.p ... d=4&area=4

bendertherobot

Definitely Sidi Ergo 2 and take your own Look Keo Blades.

Monty Dog

^ don't think you'll find many sports clubs / gyms happy about users taking spanners to their bikes

porker33

I did spin/Rpm for about 14 years until I gave it up last year to ride on the road......I have tried quite a few shoes and for me the best were shimano indoor shoes,,,I switched to specialised sonoma, but these were too heavy in comparison.
Little point in using road shoes, as you can't walk around in them and the bikes are a blunt instrument.
The best advice would be to not buy £200+ Sidi road shoes and fit spd, as you will look like an absolute to55er in the spin class!

dirkdiggler69

i'am a gym owner and have been teaching spin for at least a decade.
i've had the same pair of shimano spd mountain bike shoes for the whole of that time and they are just the job.
stiff sole, relatively cheap, comfortable easy to walk in and compatable with our spin bikes.
i have to say in all the years i've taught spin no one has ever pitched up with a spanner and their own pedals however quite a lot of people now have their own spd shoes.
i do think there is a direct link between people having proper shorts and shoes on and enjoying the classes a lot more.