What kind of shoes should one wear to ride a bike?

Answer 1

It depends on the type of cycling and the weather. For road (or racing), Lycra shorts and a tight top are recommended - i.e., nothing baggy that can flap around. If the weather is cold or wet you might like to add in a waterproof but light top. Also, clipless pedals demand good cycling shoes with cleats.

If it is more casual cycling or mountain bike then a t-shirt (and a light jacket if cold) and shorts or tight tracksuit trousers with trainers would suffice. Just watch the temperature- outside of spring/summer it can be cold cycling (especially if it rains) but in the summer you need ventilation and good hydration. Many find that fingerless gloves are a bonus and the most important thing of all is - a HELMET!

Happy cycling!

Answer 2

In general terms you want a shoe with a fairly stiff sole that won't slip off the pedal too easy. You can ride in a running shoe, but if you push hard you tend to feel the pedal through the sole which can be a bit fatiguing.

Apart from that depends on your riding skills. Most regular riders use special MTB shoes that attaches to an equally special pedal through a recessed bracket in the sole.

Mostly it's nice because it keeps the foot in place when you're bouncing along, but it also give you a little bit of extra pedalling power by allowing you to pull on the pedal as well as stomping down on it.

Rookie riders or people riding very difficult technical trails tends to favor platform pedals and shoes that basically look like a sneaker with a slightly sturdier sole. The reason being that it's easier to get off the bike, or put a foot down that way.

Intermediate riders sometime use "clips", it's basically a strap that can be tightened down over your foot on top of the pedal. It's better than nothing, but can be a bit awkward to get the foot into after a stop. Can be used with pretty much any shoe, incl running shoes.

Clips are often favored for winter riding, as they allow the use of sturdy boots for warmth.

Answer 3

Depends on the type of cycling they do.

A casual, short distance cyclist will most probably wear regular shoes.

A dedicated road cyclist might use a specific cycling shoe with a stiff sole, a sort of connector that attaches to the pedal underneath and an overall smooth design to help with airflow.

A Mountainbiker might use a similar shoe, but with a knobbly sole to help walking if he needs to get off the bike somewhere.

A downhill MTBer, or a BMX rider would probably use somethink that looks like a skateboard shoe, pretty much like a sneaker.

Answer 4

Most people use a sturdy, flat-soled shoe that looks pretty much like a skate sneaker.

Answer 5

The vast majority of shoe types are suitable for riding a bike. However, sneakers or tennis shoes are generally recommended for the interest of safety.