Basket
You want to get started in triathlon. Naturally, you are wondering about the choice of equipment to acquire to begin this discipline that combines swimming, cycling and running events. One of the most important questions to ask yourself is how to choose the right triathlon shoes? Indeed, you will need two pairs of shoes: a pair dedicated to the bike and another for the marathon. To help you in your choice, today we offer you an article to discover how to properly choose your cycling shoes for triathlon.
Road bike shoes or triathlon bike shoes?
In a triathlon, the intermediate event is a road bike event that must be ridden alone. Indeed, as in any timed event, drafting (sucking behind the cyclist in front of you) is prohibited under penalty or exclusion from the race.
For this event, you will need to use road cycling shoes that are compatible with your automatic pedal system.
To choose a pair of shoes for the cycling event, you have two options: opt for a classic road cycling shoe or opt for a triathlon specific cycling shoe. Both are obviously possible, but the choice will depend on several criteria: your budget, but also your level of requirement and performance as well as the number of triathlons you take part in during a season.
In any case, whether you opt for one type of shoe or the other, know that there are men's shoe models and women's shoe models. The difference between the two types of models is not only aesthetic, nor only due to the sizes available, which generally range from 36 to 39 for women and 40 to 45 for men. Indeed, the foot is not the same (shape, width, arch, etc.) depending on whether you are a man or a woman. It is therefore an aspect not to be neglected at the time of your purchase.
Why opt for a triathlon cycling shoe?
The triathlon bike shoes were created specifically for triathlon. In this sense, they have been designed in collaboration with triathletes to offer them the shoe that is perfectly adapted to their needs and thus provides maximum comfort and safety.
The bike event takes place right after the swim event. The transition between the two events is the most complicated for triathletes. Indeed, they have to take off their swimming gear and then put on their cycling gear: now, this is not obvious when you are still wet when you just got out of the water.
Triathlon shoes thus have the advantage of being designed for this purpose to allow easy donning, just as they are designed to be donned without socks.
In addition, they offer the possibility of being clipped onto the pedals in advance and thus ease the transition between the two events. To do this, on triathlon bike shoes, there is a loop on the back of the shoe that allows you to slip an elastic band to connect to the rear wheel quick release: this allows the shoe to remain horizontal on the pedals to make them easier to put on once you get on your bike at the bike park.
The gaps during the transition from swimming to biking can be quite large between newbies and regular practitioners used to it. Mastering this aspect well, especially with proper shoes and good technique (this is worked on in training through drills), can therefore allow you to save precious time at this point in the course rather than being forced to start the bike circuit hard in order to catch up during the first transition.
The fact that they are not used to the bike is a good thing
The fact that they are already clipped to the pedals, besides saving you precious time, also allows you to gain in safety: running barefoot next to your bike during transition is indeed much less dangerous than running with road cycling shoes shod on your feet. This could even result in unwanted falls or slips.
At the end of the bike course, before entering the bike park, you will use the same process by lifting your shoes and leaving them on the pedals, while you get off the bike by running next to your mount. Then all you have to do is get to your seat and put on your running shoes to start the marathon ahead of you before, finally, you can cross the finish line.
If you opt for this model of shoes and plan to wear them without socks, remember to study the seams present on the shoe so that you won't be bothered as the miles go by, which could quickly turn into a real nightmare for you in the midst of the event.
Also, choose your shoe size carefully. Even when worn without socks, it is advisable to take at least one size above your usual size because your foot will swell during the effort.
Why opt for a "classic" road cycling shoe?
If you're primarily a road cyclist and only take part in triathlons occasionally for fun and you're not necessarily looking for absolute performance, opting for your traditional road cycling shoes will save you money.
The downside is that you'll lose - a lot of - time when it comes to transitions. Because classic bike shoes are stiffer than triathlon bike shoes, you won't be able to put them on your pedals beforehand, so you'll be forced to put them on in the transition area and push your bike with your shoes on. You won't be able to run or you'll damage your cleats or risk a slip.
In addition, you'll be forced to put on socks because road cycling shoes aren't really meant to be worn without socks. And, because they will be less well ventilated, your feet - wet from the swimming event that just ended - will have a harder time drying inside your shoe.
What type of insoles should you choose?
Whether you opt for "classic" road cycling shoes or triathlon cycling shoes, among the multitude of models available, and depending on your budget, you will have a choice of several types of insoles. The most common are carbon or composite soles.
Composite soles are mostly found on low-end or mid-range models. Less expensive, but also heavier, it leads to a loss of power when pedaling. On the other hand, these shoes will give you better comfort over time due to their increased flexibility.
The carbon soles, found on slightly higher-end models, are much stiffer (and therefore not necessarily suitable for everyone) but as a result allow cyclists and triathletes who use them a better power transfer thanks to this added stiffness. In addition, carbon soles allow for a much lighter shoe. Their only drawback is that they can cause heating in the arch.
What type of clamp to choose
On classic road bike shoes, you'll be able to find different types of tightening: with velcro straps, with micrometric straps, or with a micrometric knob system (BOA tightening). In order, these three tightening systems offer increasingly precise adjustment possibilities. On a shoe, there can be two to three tightenings depending on the models.
The last system (BOA) is undoubtedly the most precise but also the fastest: it consists of a nylon or steel wire that wrap around disks. The tension can thus be adjusted very precisely.
On bike shoes specifically designed for triathlon, you'll usually find tightenings consisting of one to three Velcro straps that thus allow the foot to slip easily into the shoe. Unlike road cycling shoes, the straps tend to fasten inward instead of outward to make them easier to tighten and adjust during the race.
What price for a pair of road cycling or triathlon shoes?
When choosing your equipment, the question of budget inevitably arises.
If you opt for triathlon-specific shoes, there are now a multitude of models, in different materials, with prices ranging from €50 for the low-end to over €300 for the most cutting-edge models.
If you opt for road cycling shoes, the budget will be much the same with prices again ranging from €50 for low-end shoes to over €300 for high-end models. If you buy a pair of road cycling shoes specifically for triathlon, then you will not save any money. This is more of an option for hardcore cyclists and occasional triathletes who want to enjoy themselves at a triathlon event without investing in a specific cycling shoe.
Now you have all the keys in hand to choose your triathlon cycling shoes. All that's left is to complete your equipment before you take on the triathlons and, why not, the Ironman.
