Whether you are a passionate cyclist or just enjoy a nice ride from time to time, it is important that you feel comfortable while riding your bike. Pain in your feet, knees, hips, rear, back, shoulders or neck can all be related to cycling. If you are a recreational cyclist you will probably be surprised at the number of adjustments you can make to make your rides more comfortable. Some adjustments like adjusting your seats and handlebars seem obvious but other like tire selection and pressure or adequate shoes don’t come to mind right off the bat.
The adjusting of your seats and handlebars seems like a reasonable thing to do if you don’t feel comfortable while riding your bicycle. Another way is to wear the right shoe. A very small number of recreational cyclist would think about investing in cycling shoes. Do you need to buy cycling shoes? This is the question we will address in this article. When it comes to cycling shoes there are four major factors to consider before you pass up on buying cycling shoes. These factors are the Power Factor, the Alignment Factor, the Comfort Factor and the Muscle-Building Factor. Before explaining each of the factors it is important to emphasize the fact that cycling shoes will help you with each and every one of them, so let’s start.
The power factor means that cycling shoes will allow all the power produced by your leg muscles to go right into the pedal. Cycling shoes have a more rigid/ stiff sole, the cushions of your regular shoes will absorb part of that energy. The Alignment factor- your cycling shoes will ‘lock into place’ and you’re more likely to stay aligned. The comfort factor of the cycling shoes allows your feet to stay centered. The Muscle-Building factor means that cycling shoes will help you target your glutes and core better during your workout. So the answer to the question ‘Do you need to buy cycling shoes? is a definite Yes!
If you are contemplating biking to work
you are not alone. Every day more and more people are riding bicycles to work. And why shouldn’t they? there are tons of benefits like saving money, exercising regularly and avoiding traffic jams. Just don’t forget to pack additional clothes so you can change when you arrive at your destination so you can still look fresh, also pay attention to where you leave your bike, you wouldn’t want to lose it.