Why You Need Cycling Shoes to Ride a Spin Bike (and How to Pick Some Out)

You may be used to riding bikes in your sneakers, but if you start spending a lot of time on spin bikes, you'll notice everyone is wearing special shoes that clip onto the bike. Pelotons, for example, ship with Delta LOOK-compatible pedals, and you'll need a shoe to match. It may be intimidating to try a new type of shoe, but there's a reason why they are the right tool for the job. The shoes I'm talking about have a cleat that clips into a special socket on the pedal. Besides the Delta cleats on Peloton, the other popular style is the SPD cleat that's commonly used on both road bikes and spin bikes. (There are others, but you'll most likely end up using one of these two types.) When I got into the habit of going to spin classes regularly, I wasn't sure I wanted to use the shoes, but they were required at the class I went to. I’ve written before about how I struggled those first few spin classes , trying to get the hang of using the rental shoes. It wasn't until I got a spin bike to use at home that I realized, after a few rides in sneakers, I really missed those shoes. You May Also Like Why do cyclists use shoes with cleats? Serious cyclists use cycling shoes because of how well they transfer power from your legs to the pedals. This isn’t a big deal when you’re casually biking around town, but if you expect to be able to sprint hard in a spin class or stand up from the saddle, you’ll definitely want your shoes to be up to the job. Wear thin-soled shoes, like Chucks, and you’ll feel the outline of the pedal pressing uncomfortably into your foot. Wear flexible sneakers, like running shoes, and you’ll notice the sole bending during those out-of-saddle climbs. I ended up using hiking shoes before I finally gave in and went shopping for actual cycling shoes. With the proper shoes, all the force of your legs goes efficiently into the pedals, not into bending or squishing your shoes. The cleat also allows you to do more than just push down on the pedals. You can trace a circle with your foot, applying force all the way around the pedal stroke. You'll find yourself engaging your glutes and hamstrings, not just your quads. With cycling shoes, you get a better workout and your feet feel more secure—no slipping off the pedals, even when you're pedaling fast. How to clip cycling shoes in and out It doesn't take long to learn how to get your shoes into and out of the pedals. Dedicate five or 10 minutes of your life to that task, and you'll be all set. But some people don't bother learning, which is just silly. As I once heard Peloton instructor Camila Ramon say: "Baddies don't leave their shoes attached to the bike." To get onto the bike, you put the front of your cleat into the front of the socket on the pedal. Then just push down, as if you're pedaling, and the back of the cleat will pop right in. Once you're used to it, it only takes an extra second or two as you're hopping on the bike. You'll do it without even thinking. To unclip, just turn your heel away from the bike, and the cleat unlocks. Some types of pedal are adjustable, so if you have a hard time clipping in, look for a tiny screw on the pedal that you can turn to make the connection tighter or looser. Your cycling shoes and pedals need to be compatible Cycling pedals and shoes are not universally compatible. If you look at the bottom of a pair of cycling shoes, there’s a metal and/or plastic attachment called a cleat. This is what locks on to the pedal. There are a bunch of different cleat systems. Peloton uses a large, triangular cleat called LOOK Delta, while road cyclists often like Shimano’s SPD cleats, and will debate over whether the SM-SH51 or the SM-SH56 is the better one to get. (If you’re riding outdoors and you’re new to cleats, get the 56. It’s easier to unclip. For a spin bike, it doesn't matter so much.) The pedal/cleat/shoe situation can get complicated if you’re riding a bike outdoors, especially once you start considering whether you’ll also need to walk in the same shoes. This is where spin bike owners can breathe a sigh of relief. You’ll only need to walk from wherever you put your shoes on to the bike, and you don’t have to worry about how quickly you can unclip in an emergency. You just need something to connect your foot to your bike. I chose my first pair of cleats by searching Amazon for pedals in my price range, and ended up with a pair of pedals that have a toe cage on one side and an SPD-compatible attachment on the other . I kept that in my shopping cart while I looked for shoes to match, and found a pair that could take SPD-style cleats. If you already have either the shoes or the pedals, take stock of their requirements and get matching parts. Not sure what to search for? These cleats and pedals are sometimes called “clipless," even though people talk about “clipping in.” That's to distinguish them from toe clips.