Clip in and improve your ride with these spin shoes
Spin instructors share their top picks, plus what to look for in fit and feel.
Shimano Men’s SH-IC100 Cycling Shoe
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$110.00
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Spin shoes are specifically made for using an indoor exercise bike. They have a stiff, hard-soled bottom that supports the foot’s arches and transfers power more effectively from your foot into the pedal stroke, says Jules Peckinpah, the director of education at CycleBar, an indoor cycling studio with locations nationwide.
The soles of these shoes typically have a slot for a cycling cleat. When you slide that cleat into a compatible bike pedal, you’re connected to the bike, or “clipped-in.” That helps you to engage your muscles while pushing the pedals down and while pulling your feet up, activating the calves, hamstring, glutes and quads, says Peckinpah. Being clipped-in can also be safer when pedaling at a fast cadence because your feet won’t accidentally slip off or slide around the pedals, says Alexa Arent, a senior spin instructor and studio manager at Spin City Massapequa (Arent is also an associate producer for NBC Commerce Studios).
I spoke with spin instructors to better understand how spin shoes can change your experience while cycling indoors. Using their advice as a guideline, I chose shoes based on the following criteria:
My top picks come from expert-recommended cycling brands like Tiem, Shimano and Peloton. I list important details like cleat type and sizes offered in the “What to know” dropdown below each recommendation.
Arent recommends these cycling shoes for anyone spinning more than once a week because they do a good job at turning your efforts into speed on the bike. The bottoms are stiff and tough while the upper is breathable and comfortable. Plus, they look a lot like normal street shoes, especially compared to other cycling shoes on the market. The grippy bottoms, slight cushioning and recessed cleat make these shoes easier to walk in and, say, grab a coffee after your workout class.
Peckinpah has owned over a dozen cycling shoes throughout her career and has loved every pair of Shimano shoes she’s used. She finds these C100s snug and comfortable. The upper is made of a breathable mesh, with additional cutouts for ventilation on the bottom of the shoe, according to the brand. They have one long strap that criss-crosses across the shoe to tighten them, and are compatible with both two-bolt and three-bolt cleats (cleats are sold separately).
NBC Select video producer Josh Rios cycles indoors three to four times a week and uses these cycling shoes for all his rides. They are sleek and simple, with a hook and loop strap across the top of the upper. The key feature is the stiff soles, which offer great support across the foot (though the shoe does require some time to break in). Rios never gets arch pain, even when doing intense intervals. They are compatible with two-bolt SPD cleats and three-bolt Delta/SPD-SL cleats.
You can use many clip-in outdoor cycling shoes on indoor exercise bikes since they use the same cleats. These road cycling shoes have a stiff bottom, plus two and three-bolt compatibility. The shoes use a Boa dial fastener, which lets you loosen and tighten the fit by rotating a dial on the side of the shoe. This is easy to adjust while riding in my experience with other cycling shoes that have Boa fasteners.
The Giro Cadets have a breathable upper, but these are still outdoor shoes — they may feel warm compared to indoor shoes with lots of mesh like the Shimano SH-IC100.
If you regularly use a Peloton exercise bike, you may want to pair it with the brand’s own cycling shoe to match. These shoes have two hook and loop straps and one ratcheting clip to make fine adjustments to the fit and feel. Unlike my other picks, these come with three-bolt Delta cleats included.
The shoes are not offered in many half-sizes. If you fall between sizes or have a wider foot, Peloton recommends sizing up.
Moving from flat shoes to clip-in spin shoes can completely change your riding experience, according to the experts I spoke to. At the same time, a shoe that’s too tight, stiff or stuffy can make a ride worse. My experts highlighted a few things to keep in mind as you shop.
Like a good pair of running shoes, the best spin shoes have to fit your foot well. They should fit snug, but not so tight that your toes don’t have room to expand or wiggle during the ride, says Peckinpah. They should be firm in the heel area, with little movement or rolling inside the shoe, says Mary Wolff, a fitness trainer at Obé Fitness, an online training platform.
If you are between sizes, Arent recommends going up a half size rather than down, as most shoes have straps or some other mechanism to tighten them.
Most spin shoes do not come with cleats (the small metal plates on the bottom of the shoes that clip into the pedals). Check what type of cleat your (or your gym’s) bike has and choose a shoe that will fit that pedal. Cleats are sold by a variety of brands, but Shimano SPD cleats and Look Delta cleats are some of the most popular.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
I am a reporter at NBC Select who covers technology and fitness including recent stories on fitness trackers, running shoes and workout headphones. I am also a runner and a cyclist, with hundreds of miles logged on my bike and indoor bike trainer. For this piece, I spoke with fitness trainers and instructors to better understand spin shoes, and got their recommendations. I also spoke with NBC Select staffers who spin or cycle regularly.
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