| When you start running, you get running shoes, right? | | | | but you should also consider light hiking boots or |
| And when you play basketball you wear basketball | | | | trail-running shoes. These are good for mountain biking |
| shoes. Golfers wear golf shoes, and tennis players | | | | because they provide above average traction, are |
| wear tennis shoes. Cycling is no different. There are a | | | | sturdily built, and are often water-resistant, which can |
| number of shoes made for bike riders and plenty of | | | | come in handy when you're blasting though mud |
| shoes that aren't specifically made for bike riding but | | | | puddles. |
| work well, nonetheless. | | | | If you're an avid or competitive cyclist, then you're |
| Most people can get by riding their bikes wearing | | | | probably already familiar with the most popular sort of |
| almost any kind of athletic shoes. Tennis, basketball, | | | | shoe for this kind of riding. Professional-grade cycling |
| running, cross-training, etc. will work just fine for the | | | | shoes feature clips on the bottom which lock into |
| average rider. As long as they have a good sole on | | | | specially made pedals. A quick flick of the ankle will |
| them they'll be fine. It's important to wear shoes with a | | | | release the shoe, but they're held firm during normal |
| good grip because you don't want your feet to slip and | | | | riding so your feet don't lose contact with the pedal, |
| knock your shins off the pedals, which can hurt pretty | | | | which robs the racer of precious power. Clip-on shoes |
| bad and cause you to wreck and do even more | | | | allow you to generate power as your feet are pushing |
| damage to yourself. Another thing to consider is the | | | | down and raising up, which is quite an advantage over |
| stiffness of the sole. A relatively stiff sole allows you | | | | regular shoes. Clip-ons are not generally recommended |
| to keep more of your foot in contact with the pedal, | | | | for mountain biking because you frequently have to |
| which, in turn, gives you more power. Shoes made for | | | | take your feet off the pedals to deal with difficult |
| skateboarding are especially well-suited for the | | | | terrain. |
| recreational rider, as well as BMX riding and freestyling. | | | | Cycling is a great way to get into shape. It's easy to |
| Will you be doing most of your riding on the road or | | | | adjust the activity to each rider's level of fitness and |
| off? This is an important consideration as it will affect | | | | interest. If you're just getting into cycling you already |
| your choice in shoes. If you're going to be doing a lot of | | | | know that your choice in equipment is important. Don't |
| mountain biking then you should wear relatively sturdy | | | | forget that what you wear while riding is important, too. |
| shoes with rugged soles. A solid pair of skateboarding | | | | Part of that consideration are your shoes. A good pair |
| shoes will usually work pretty well for this kind of riding, | | | | will serve you well and help keep you from getting hurt. |