Cycling Shoes

Interested in spinning? Are you new to clipless pedals? Are you a seasoned road rider? Regardless what category you fall into, Wersell's has the perfect shoe for you. We carry shoes from Pearl Izumi, Adidas, Louis Garneau, or Lake.

How cycling shoes are different

Cycling shoes have a hard, stiff sole to help with efficient power transfer from your foot into your bike. Most shoes are very light weight to reduce the amount of weight the rider is spinning with each pedal stroke. Many have generous mesh ventilation to keep your feet cool and dry on even the warmest days. Cycling shoes are made to work with clipless pedals, which offer a wide variety of benefits. Only cycling shoes will accept cleats for clipless pedals, and you need to specify if you have road or mountain bike pedals, as some shoes will only accept a mountain bike cleat. For more information on this, check out our pedals page.

Road Shoes

Road shoes use a smooth, hard outer sole for light weight and increased power transfer. This sole is usually made of a very stiff thermoplastic, although some higher end shoes use carbon fiber. This smooth sole design allows for use of a larger cleat, which gives a more positive contact with the pedal and helps prevent "hot foot," a condition in which riders sometimes feel pain or numbness from having their weight concentrated on the small platform of some pedals. Road shoes will also accept smaller mountain-style cleats. While some road shoes have small rubber bumpers to protect the cleats and aid walking, they are not intended for any sort of extensive walking, and are usually rather uncomfortable to walk in, making them best suited only for dedicated road riding or spinning.

Mountain Shoes

True mountain bike shoes are very similar to road shoes, with a few notable differences in the outsole. Mountain bike shoes typically have an aggressive tread pattern on the outsole to allow easier walking and climbing over rough terrain on the trail. Some even accept screw-in toe spikes for quicker sprinting up steep muddy hills. If you plan to ride aggressive off-road trails, this is the shoe for you. The aggressive outsole also makes the mountain shoe a good choice for the rider who wants the stiffness and light weight of a road shoe but the ability to walk more comfortably.

Touring Shoes

A popular third type of cycling shoe is the touring shoe. These shoes are designed to look like normal casual shoes, and feature a full walking sole. These shoes still offer a stiff inner sole for optimized efficiency, but are much more comfortable off the bike. These shoes are perfect for the cyclist who wants to ride to the coffee shop, library, or afternoon class without having to change their shoes. They are available in a variety of styles, and are very popular for spinning classes.