Are Cycling Shoes Worth It?

Nice shoes deserve nice socks! Use code MITCH20 for 20% off your first order with Bombas www.pntrs.com/t/3-289181-2762...
I tested three pairs of shoes to see if pro-level cycling shoes can make you sprint faster.
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Are Crocs Worth It? (For Cycling) • Can Serious Cyclists W...
Are Tubeless Tires Worth It? • Are Tubeless Tires Wor...
Are Road Bikes Worth It? • Are Expensive Road Bik...
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[@MitchBoyer]

Thanks for watching! Remember to use code MITCH20 for 20% off your first order with Bombas 🧦

[@RyanTurner]

Ordered some last night. My family is getting into cycling so this will make great Christmas gifts.

[@manji001]

Buys Pro level shoes. Objectively tests benefits. finds Mid level is best bang-for-buck ratio. KEEPS PRO LEVEL SHOE. ;) spoken like a true cyclist. Chapeau! You make us all proud! 🥳

[@MitchBoyer]

😂 Thanks for watching!

[@samvonlagarfeld110]

At some point, high level riding gears are meant for a reason, and it’s for people who can produce a lot of power ! Other than that you can’t experiment the full potential of those gears. So for most people mid range riding gears are enough .

[@svenweihusen57]

It’s the same with aero. The effect gets much stronger when you put in more power. It’s not a linear progression. At 600W the effect would be way lower than at 1000W because the natural support from the feet would have a much stronger effect for the power transfer compared to the effect of the shoe. Aero effects are absolutely essential at 40+km/h and almost irrelevant at 25km/h

[@AConnorDN38416]

When you think about the fact that the pros are all getting on the podium based on a difference of sometimes hundredths of a second, even a marginal increase in performance makes a big difference. But for most people, the difference in how we do in a race is mostly just coming down to our preparation and whether or not we have the best equipment is pretty far down the list of priorities.

[@vasiliipopov416]

My all-time favorite shoes are the cheapest SPD ones from Decathlon. They're super versatile and easy to walk in and each pair lasts 10-15K km (6-10K miles for those who measure stuff with body parts and plant seeds). And they cost about 50 EUR.

[@MitchBoyer]

Sounds like an awesome deal! I love Decathlon. I wish we had their stores in the Los Angeles.

[@bozoldier]

"For those who measure stuff in body parts and plant seeds" ... i'm stealing that. 😂😂😂😂

[@frankiefivethousand]

I’ve run S-Phyres, Rapha pro team, S works 7’s, currently on S works Ares and have stuck with the Ares because they’re by far the most comfortable - more comfort - more training - more faster

[@MitchBoyer]

Comfort is 👑

[@ingnir]

Seeing your joy at breaking the 1200 watt level was great! Entertaining video man!

[@MaxMustermannnnnn]

My first cycling shoes were some €180 italian leather shoes. I believe Chain was the brand. They was worn extreme out after 10.000km so I had massive knee pain. I bought Bontrager XXX road (€300,-) after. I rode these 40.000km so far without any problems. I only replaced the insoles once. In my optinion if you ride a lot go for high end shoes.

[@MitchBoyer]

Wow, that's a huge difference in longevity!

[@Tarpalantir76]

I would say the sneakers deserve an honorable mention for giving the magic ability to average a performance above all individual inputs ;-) Good (and reassuring) conclusion for the average Sunday rider. Thx for the video.

[@urgoing21134]

I was looking for some one to comment that. How does an average number cime out higher than all inputs...

[@MitchBoyer]

Very true! They might not help you put out as much power, but they also won’t try to kill you as you descended stairs 😂

[@petertreadway]

Great review and comparisons. Interesting to see the diminishing point of returns with the high end shoe. I guess if you're a pro, or even just racing regularly, then any extra power is worth it but for your average weekend warrior, the mid range is a more than satisfactory compromise.

[@_cpdchua]

Always love your videos man!

[@MitchBoyer]

Thanks dude!

[@jayspeidell]

I would have added Five Ten flats. I personally think they work great on a road bike. Stiff sole and they stick to the pedals, and when you get off the bike they're just a regular shoe.

[@MitchBoyer]

Lots of comments on the Five Tens. Looks like I’m gonna have to do a second video sometime!

[@leoherran3013]

@@MitchBoyer Dont forget proper pedals with metal pins or you'll still slip no matter the shoe, you ride clipped-in with good purpose-made pedals after all.

[@miguelstella2]

@@MitchBoyer I would also add a budget clipless shoe.

[@MitchBoyer]

@@miguelstella2 I just posted a video where I test the Five Ten MTB shoes against the Road Cycling shoes and... Crocs. Maybe not the budget shoe you're thinking of, but you might find it interesting. The upgraded pedals helped a lot! Even with the Crocs

[@miguelstella2]

@@MitchBoyer I will check it

[@mpad680]

Nice twist at the end! 😎

[@Aeronwor]

To give the sneakers a fair chance you could have used toe clips. I found that just fixing yout feet to the pedals makes the biggest difference, anything else is safety and ergonomics.

[@chappy24]

honestly i rode around with sneakers all summer and am just switching to road bike shoes. While sitting its harder to maintain power, also the power you put into the pedals caused my btwn pedals to crack, both from sprinting and putting more force into the pedals. The shape of the shoe and weight is also paramount as well imo. your leg muscles will work better with bike shoes. Fixing your feet in the pedals is cool i get that, but if your looking to ride your fastest most efficiently then it would be best to go with road shoes - there was a 300 watt difference from the tennis shoes to mid level shoes during the sprint. I found myself sprinting much more to maintain speed with tennis shoes, rather than being able to efficiently pedal with bike shoes. Thats my problem when i start racing against people with bike shoes they are much more efficient.

[@Helldivers2Guy]

Congratulations! Subscribed! To celebrate your accomplishment!

[@iRollWithPunches]

great review mate, cheers! sneakers need straps or cage pedals imo

[@TestAutomationTV]

Nice video, thanks for making it.

[@arifazhari7598]

The issues with expensive shoes is better comfort , looks and pride. 😁😁 Even my Shimano XC7 is night and day difference between 5 and lower stiffness shoes in Shimano line up.

[@notl33t]

I currently wear two flat pedalling shoe pairs, Ride Concepts LiveWire and adidas Five Ten FreeRider. I have had plantar fasciitis before and the roads here in Boston have a ton of potholes, so getting shoes with some stickiness to the bottoms and a full hard sole to ride on is key.

[@MitchBoyer]

I’ve heard really good things about the Five Tens. Might have to give them a try!

[@notl33t]

@Bebo Yeah, definitely when I bike on nicer roads, I would prefer float over stick. I need a lot more stick for Boston, although we're pretty flat, these potholes are not fooling around! I think if I was more interested in going faster, I'd probably go for Vans: way lighter than either of these even though there is less protection.

[@go2filip]

I'd love to see you go back to mid-level shoes after breaking the 1200W and try to repeat it in those cheaper shoes. I expect it's just as likely to make it pass 1200 after you got rid of the mental blockages... and expectations.

[@MitchBoyer]

That’s a good point! I might have to give it a shot

[@DaveCM]

I have the Fizik Vento Powerstrap shoes too. I replaced an 8 year old pair of Fizik. I wish they hadn't changed how they sized their shoes as I like better how the old ones fit. I do love them though. Especially in the hot and humid N.C. summers. I can feel the air moving through them. (The old ones are narrower and I have somewhat narrow feet.)

[@MitchBoyer]

Oh I didn’t know they were even more narrow in the past. Both of my pair are less than 3 years old. Glad to hear they are summer tested and approved!

[@wayfarin]

my whole life i scoffed at amateurs buying the best version of a thing designed for pros. then after replacing countless sub par parts/clothes before their reasonable lifespan, i came to realize that sometimes its very much worth it and the high end thing pays off if you plan to maintain the hobby for a long enough time. cycling shoes are one such case.

[@dvs70]

We had a similar conversation a few days ago. I have an entry shoe & 2 pair of Fizik. A pair of Decos & a pair of Overcurve R4. I have to try this one day. I went on a shoe bender.

[@MitchBoyer]

😂 I feel you. Which do you like the most?

[@CamNicholls]

1200+ watts YEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOW!

[@MitchBoyer]

Finally got it!

[@ramonpeekel]

You were losing grip on your Nikes because you are riding on standard reflector type pedals. When riding on flat pedal shoes the pedal itself makes a massive difference.

[@chrisharper2658]

Would seem only right that if your going to use sneakers that you would use traditional pedals with toe-clips and straps. You might surprise yourself. I do find that narrow sneakers work best.

[@kaushikmohan3304]

Nice video. I wish you had tried a SPD version of the shoes to also test difference from different clipping mechanisms

[@MitchBoyer]

Youre gonna love the video I have coming out next month then!

[@CameronPriceJ]

I have wide feet so cycling shoes have alway been a pain but I eventually splurged on 300€ SIDI Mega, the wide models and they are almost wide enough but are fine. I find I get massive cramps in my feet from the stiff carbon soles but the trade-off is blazing speed! Mostly now with the new steel tank, I am just back in my Luna Sandals like a bike dirt bag 😄 But comfort is primo!

[@a1white]

Simple toe clips on the flat pedals would likely add 100 watts or so to the sneakers, as it would stop your feet from sliding around on the pedals so much

[@MitchBoyer]

Looks like I need to try it again!

[@ashbody000]

Yep, as a fellow cyclist working in tech, I concur with the motto always invest in gears than ourselves 😂

[@trev-trev]

What tool were you using to input the data? I loved the micro animations when you placed the stars in. And the fire 🔥 emojis spewing out of your cursor at the end.

[@tanqinxiang]

Most of us recreational cyclists dont even have that much of watts as you, so defnitely mid level shoes! Great video.

[@MitchBoyer]

Thanks for watching!

[@gabrielruiz5813]

Now I can see the importance of cycling shoes, thanks!

[@MitchBoyer]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching 🙏

[@MrDado937]

Hi, just a couple of points of discussion concerning the objectivity of some testing criteria/methods. feel free to comment :) : - Power testing: isn't testing with sprints a bit odd as 1. Sprints are super volatile by nature, 2. if you do 3 full-out sprints even within the same day the power usually goes down by the time you reach the expensive shoes? I don't know whether you did more than one take per sprints also but potentially yes. - Function: the most expensive shoes you chose are summer shoes. If you pick e.g. the Fizik R1 the material is far better, works 4 seasons etc. - Basic cycling shoes: the gap you found between the normal shoes and the mid-tier ones would be filled by the basic cycling shoes with rigid plastic soles. The clipping itself gives an incredible boost in wattage. In any case the best bang for the buck I believe remains the mid-tier (owned all of the 4 levels). Nice video overall in any case :)

[@MitchBoyer]

Thanks for watching, John! I agree with all your points. At the end of the day, I’m just a KZbinr with his bike connected to a video game. It’s never gonna be a perfect test, but hopefully it got you thinking and was fun to watch!

[@MrDado937]

@@MitchBoyer absolutely it was. And I believe it is really useful for beginners. My girlfriend just went for a mid-range from normal running shoes, so indeed she also agrees with your reasoning :)

[@letheal]

You might be near 1300-1400. I loose about 130 watts with carbon bars / stem. I also lose about the same from running 175 cranks instead of 170s because the 170s are easier to spin faster.

[@RobLandauer]

I'd like to see these compared to cycling-specific clip-free shoes (eg. Five Ten Freerider) with flat-but-good pedals (eg. Chester Race Face)

[@MitchBoyer]

Sounds like a good idea to me! I've been thinking of restoring my Dad's early 90s Specialized Hardrock and I'll probably need to find the best flat pedal/shoe combo for the job 🤔

[@MasterOfTheRealm]

I’d say you’d have to try the flat pedals with good upgrades pedals. Raceface Chesters help your shoe grip so it’s not slipping like you mentioned. They are about $50 but make a world of difference.

[@MitchBoyer]

They make a huge difference--I used MTB shoes + RaceFace Chesters in my Crocs video and they were pretty close to the road shoes!

[@user-sd9ng6cn9z]

If u get some pedals with spikes so u get more grip on your fooy

[@drsus0]

great test, man! it is a tricky one..i think using something like the Garmin power pedals with cycling dynamics to tell the full story of your pedal stroke efficiency would also help, be a more complete picture of whether or not you're using enough of your pedal stroke to get the benefits of the stiffer shoe? i don't have the most efficient pedal stroke myself, it's about 60%L-65%R so I don't tend to bother too much with super stiff shoes, its a waste on me.

[@MitchBoyer]

Thanks, Nic! Interesting though! I wonder if stiff soles might be even more effective with a less efficient pedal stroke because they would make up for inefficiencies in the power transfer. But also there’s been a lot of research that pedal efficiently doesn’t really matter so who knows ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@drsus0]

@@MitchBoyer ah, didnt know that pedal efficiency didn't affect power output, interesting.

[@MitchBoyer]

@@drsus0 yeah it really surprised me when I learned about it. Dylan Johnson has a really good video breakdown of the studies. I think it came out last year if you wanna try to find it. The big takeaway was basically pedal however feels natural to you.

[@jsem94]

I'd love to see a larger sample size - sprint power can vary tremendously. Also, what about a sustained longer efforts to see if the same power output leads to differences in HR? Could also be telling.

[@MitchBoyer]

great ideas! I might have to try a few out in a future video. Thanks for watching!

[@jsem94]

@@MitchBoyer cheers

[@FoolingAroundMyPlace]

Suprising you were going with the red look pedal plates. Had no problems with accidently clicking out in sprints ? I would always drop out of my pedals as a kid. Always needed the black ones...

[@MitchBoyer]

I haven’t had a problem yet 🤞

[@oldmandice2731]

If you're going to sprint on flat pedals with "regular" shoes you really need toe clips.

[@SyLens1]

for people who do race and dont have a massive budget and deal often with damage etc, the mid level shimano shoes are one of the best go to shoes. You can also easily get them customized with some paint and some artistic skills, they arent worth much so your money isnt wasted.

[@MitchBoyer]

I’ve seen a lot of love for those Shimano shoes!

[@Playmaker_08]

Hi Mitch. Great video. Nice bike. Were you blinded to your power data during your runs (you recorded your zwift screen whilst you were riding but you could not see your data until after all the runs were completed)? On a different note, you should consider riding RAGBRAI next July in Iowa. Ride across the state with 20,000 other cyclists over the course of a week. Cheers

[@MitchBoyer]

Hi Devon 👋 Yeah I was so concentrated on the sprints, that I didn't look up at the screen until after I had finished the effort. That, combined with the lag in power display on Zwift kept me in the dark until the end of the ride! RAGBRAI seems like a fun ride! I might have to check it out 🤔 Thanks for watching!

[@Said5OMG]

love the figma screens :D

[@tomasvicherek4677]

You are Sebastian Vettel's twin😅 ...by the way, great video.

[@gengen5607]

on my experience, you can only really appreciate the cleats shoes on climb.

[@andrewzach1921]

Fun video, what pedals were you using to measure your power?

[@MitchBoyer]

Favero Assioma Duos! I've bought both their road and MTB pedals and swap them between bikes.

[@alexc1105]

Just to be clear... the nike's didn't clip in? On pedals made for clipping in?

[@user-ox5ok4bf2d]

I am not trying to break anything but you forgot to mention clip-on pedals, for leisure cycling, I prefer Nike Challenger OG at $52.97 can't go wrong!

[@devdroid9606]

If you just want to break a big number of watts for a second or two, drop down a few cogs on the final seconds of your sprint. Your cadence is too high and you are losing some power bouncing around. With a lower cadence and a higher torque you can squeeze a few more watts out. Sprinting takes a lot of core stability and good technique in order to channel your energy into just the direction of movement of the pedal. You can do more watts with just improved the technique and no greater ftp.

[@MitchBoyer]

I’ll try it out!

[@MrRafaztar]

Bombas is bombs in Portuguese, now you know. Also that pronunciation is hilarious 😂

[@jxpowers]

You should try this video again with proper mtb flats with pins, those cheap plastic ones aren’t good for gripping the shoes

[@MitchBoyer]

I think that’s a great idea!

[@Fatbutnotflat]

Yeah, if you slip even once on sprints, you need (more) pins. And proper bearing on the flat pedals.

[@elsaltodelgallo286]

Exactly, with proper flat pedals your feet are totally fixed and won't slip at all. I'm curious to see a test with those.

[@joriszsz95]

Yes

[@matipetolanza1548]

Please, test de Velosamba from Adidas!! Great video ❤

[@TenSapphires]

You missed one tipe of shoes. Gravel tipe with SPD clipping mechanism. They have more sleek design than MTB spd shoes but have nice walking sole unlike road shoes. I got pair of Fizik Terra Lace for 80euro. Paired them with CrankBrothers pedals. I can walk whole day in them, they look fine. I'm not much slower than my "carbon stifnes 11" 400$ friends shoes. Joy of running or walking everywhere like a man-priceless!

[@Onigure]

I got Spd shoes. I can walk like a man in cafes, enter the woods for a piss and not worry about mud, and make no sound when I sneak out at 5am. 🌝

[@MrHatt7777]

Did a CX race with tennis shoes and it was awful. Not surprised at all by these results.

[@MitchBoyer]

Ooof. That sounds rough! So much lost power

[@annonymouslibertairian9120]

Think you were selling those Nikes short with those plastic pedals. I would re-test them with a more aggressive metal pedal.

[@MitchBoyer]

I think you’re right!

[@drsachinkhedkar9416]

I want use for cycling during triathlone Any suggestions Thank you in advance

[@timescueta57]

is it ok to use velcro strap cleats shoe on xc race? can it affect any performance?

[@amranSK55]

The answer is very simple : Yes, to a level. Upgrading your pedaling to Clipless Pedals & Cycling shoes is one of the best upgrade you can do, but with cycling becoming an elitist sport, you get faced with high price point, but you dont have to go that way !!!

[@jayamplayo1630]

Newbie question... I dont understand this threadmill thing on bikes, i mean they dont have ground resistance when rolling compared on actual road., ground resistance surely affects the output power

[@MitchBoyer]

Great question! rolling resistance affects speed. Power output (watts) is independent of speed, and is the measurement of the power you output to the bike. It can be measured through the pedals, cranks, or hub (like the trainer in this video). On the same road, 200 watts on mountain bike with big knobby tires will result in a slower speed than a road bike with slick tires and a lower rolling resistance, even though the power output is the same. My coach likes to train with power numbers rather than heart rate or speed, because it's more consistent. Hope that helps!

[@jayamplayo1630]

@@MitchBoyer thank you 😊

[@j.k.b9247]

yes

[@iknowzeverything2740]

The jump in power from flats to clipless says more about the rider than the shoes.

[@DiuQuy]

Congratulations on the wedding and breaking 1200 watts! 🎉

[@MitchBoyer]

Thank you!

[@atatoraman9257]

I thought you were gonna say you forgot to do laundry in the intro

[@ivanyhtang]

Holy pasta Batman, 1200 watts! Amazing, Mitch! I can only hit just over half that. Did you always have big power like this or how did you increase your power that much?! Cheers

[@MitchBoyer]

Thanks dude! For a long time I couldn’t get over 800-ish watts (even with the mid range shoes). Long story short, there were some issues with my sprint technique that my coach helped me with and a tip from a friend that pushed me over 1000 watts! From There it’s been all about refining my technique. I have a sprint video where I talked with my coach about sprinting that might be helpful 🫡

[@ivanyhtang]

@@MitchBoyer amazing! 😰

[@charlesjungclaus]

Big kudos on the dozen hundy! I like watching your channel patially because we are similar power - I think I've only hit 1200 once. But you are much lighter so you've got the advantage on me - so far....

[@MitchBoyer]

@@charlesjungclaus “so far…” haha love it! Thanks for watching Charles 🙌

[@tolulopeobe]

Fiziks are not for everybody- I have 3 pairs and they are notorious for having cleat positions too far forward- I hear bike fitters hate them too

[@MitchBoyer]

Yeah definitely not right for everyone. I love mine, but I had to put a disclaimer in there :)

[@aaron___6014]

I couldn't stand the last they use.

[@StezzSquad]

These shoes work with the Peloton bike+ (April 2022), kzbin.infoUgkxGPkov2mNjgZfG33r6Bwvies8jKE4AKZB and are of good enough quality. I have completed 10 rides so far and there are no issues. The first time trying to fit them on the Peloton bike took 10 minutes (even with the help of an experienced cyclist friend who wears the same type of cleats). It took a couple of rides to break in. After the first two rides there were no issues at all.

[@Thvgsbvnny]

But what about aero?

[@Richardlizhu]

I don't bike at all, could someone explain what I'm looking for on his socks at 4:02?

[@MitchBoyer]

Hi! It's just because you can see the socks through the shoes (so they wouldn't be warm in the winter, or dry in the rain). Thanks for watching!

[@rabonour]

I think this test would have been even better if you had included a pair of flat pedal cycling shoes (and maybe even some SPD sneakers) so that you weren't just comparing street shoes to clipless shoes.

[@MitchBoyer]

I guess I'll have to make another video!

[@marianmariuszb]

@@MitchBoyer I think you need big square real mtb pedals, as wide as long. Those what you have prevent proper energy transfer, and can possibly damage your feet.

[@freburt2772]

Every sprint I was thinking... shift down. One harder gear, I think you would have done even higher #s

[@MitchBoyer]

Thanks for the tip, I’m gonna have to try it!

[@shyamfootprints972]

what was the stiffness index for all the three different pairs?

[@MitchBoyer]

I believe “stiffness index” is specifically a shimano term-not sure if it translates exactly to other brands. I wasn’t unable to find a cross-brand stiffness index that contained all these shoes ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@akaraikiriakatsuki3157]

Can you retest this? the regular sneaker vs a flat pedal specific shoes like (Five ten Freerider $110)

[@MitchBoyer]

I made one comparing Croc to to the Five Ten Freerider Pros! (And normal cycling shoes)

[@hananas2]

I feel like the sneakers didn't get a fair try tho because of those crappy plastic pedals.. Never had problems slipping around with sneakers while sprinting, hopping or anything with alloy pedals.

[@MitchBoyer]

Looks like there gonna have to be a part 2!

[@hananas2]

@@MitchBoyer oh that would be great!

[@alonsoc5562]

The video I was looking for, im a ciclist with 3.7watts/kg and Im using the shimano rc3 and I really want to know if its worth it to buy a top-end cycling shoes

[@MitchBoyer]

Hope it helped you make a decision!

[@anguismemes1666]

My SPD Bike shoes did only cost 65€

[@DanTuber]

What's the weight diff between the mid and pro level shoes?

[@MitchBoyer]

100g exactly! Weighed them but didn’t make it in the video

[@devdroid9606]

A lot of hype and dollars.

[@zptro6316]

0:19 completely crossed chain, wtfff

[@TenTegens]

So Sebastian Vettel abandons F1 for his YT channel :)

[@AlexanderRoelofs]

54 dollars for 3 pair of socks.. Lolll…😂😂

[@alankingchiu]

Sneaker means you don’t need to bring an extra pair of shoes. Connivence should also be a factor.

[@balazsdusek]

just cycle in crocs like a real man

[@MitchBoyer]

I think you're right. Looks like I gotta get some crocs

[@kobe5952]

Where would the Adidas Velosamba be along this range

[@MitchBoyer]

Oh thats a good pair of shoes for a future vid!

[@Stealther]

What was wrong with your socks @ 4:00 ?

[@Yurkevich22]

Unless you are racing there's no reason for mid-level either, following your logic. Also, that's only sprints...is there any benefit at normal/average speed/power? I bet the difference would be negligible. How many of weekend-warrior riders really need to sprint at max power and how often?

[@MitchBoyer]

Bingo. That’s the point at the end of the video :) The real question is, what do you want? Some people like to have a fancy meal or a fast car even though they’re not a celebrated food critic or famous racecar driver. Other people just want something good to eat and a reliable car to drive. There’s nothing wrong with either choice. It’s just depends on what you want!

[@ejgx3334]

the average wattage for the entry level shoes is wrong, how did nobody notice it

[@MitchBoyer]

User error! I missed it in the edit 🤦‍♂️There have been a few comments 😜

[@armored_sandwich]

I prefer sneaks... Then install a toe cage.

[@MitchBoyer]

Good combo!

[@pagonggong]

I’m kinda confused at the beginning where the average of the sneakers is higher than Sprint 1 and 2. Aside from that, congratulations on breaking the 1200.

[@MitchBoyer]

Math error on my part :) Not sure what happened there ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@Dan210871]

How did the "average" of 848 and 884 (for the Nike sneaker) become 886? Is there a different meaning of the term "average"?

[@MitchBoyer]

Just user error! I didn't notice it until the video was published 😜

[@Dan210871]

@@MitchBoyer Thanks for the prompt reply. Much appreciated. Since I am not a sophisticated cyclist, it would help to get a "translation" for what the additional wattage means in more mundane terms, like average and maximum speed, ease of climbing, whether better shoes amount to being able to ride the same hill on a heavier gear. If you have the time to un-dumb a neophyte in that regard, I'll read your response with gratitude.

[@MitchBoyer]

@@Dan210871 That's very helpful feedback, I appreciate it! I often lean on the numbers as a quick way to show value, but it's hard to qualify the value. In this case, the only real value is quick punchy efforts like sprints at the end of a race (or racing your friends to a sign on a group ride). I doubt any normal cyclist would notice a dramatic difference in effort between the mid-level shoe and the pro-level shoe on a normal ride. Another real-world use case: I like to ride up very steep hills (over 30% grade), where I am often pedaling at my max effort for the duration of the climbs (usually short climbs 20 seconds to 3 minutes in length). Having a stiffer sole that gives me a few extra watts is useful in those extreme examples because I'm cycling at my physical limits. Ultimately, the advantage is that it gets you to where you want to go, just a few moments (sometimes not even seconds) sooner. It's an expensive way to buy time. Training and weight management are probably a much better way to achieve the same results for most people :)

[@Dan210871]

@@MitchBoyer That was a very thorough and helpful response. Thanks again.

[@janeblogs324]

So are the sneakers clip in? Why are they in this test? Why not include some cheap clip ins without the stiff sole aka the video title

[@MitchBoyer]

I think a lot of people to ride with regular shoes before purchasing dedicated cycling shoes, so I wanted to share that comparison. Love the idea of a test some cheap cycling shoes. Maybe a future video!

[@TheIndianCyclist]

@@MitchBoyer just to be clear, you couldn't, "pull up" with the sneaker, but with the other shoes you were pulling up for the test right - like you normally would with cycling shoes? Apologies if you mentioned this in the video - I missed it. Basically looking from a confirmation that the gains were not solely from better power transfer or fit (as between mid and high range), but also (primarily?) because you were able to employ a full pedal stroke? Great video!

[@MitchBoyer]

@@TheIndianCyclist Everyone's pedal stroke is slightly different, but I don't "pull up" on the stroke during my sprints. I'm primarily focused on gripping the bars as tightly as possible, and "stomping down" on the pedals. I think there was a lot of power loss for two reasons. 1. the shoe was not clipped or strapped in, so my foot slid around a lot on the pedal. That loss of contact definitely resulted in a loss of power. 2. The rubber soles of the shoe absorb a lot of power (compared to the nylon and carbon soles on cycling shoes). I definitely want to try this test again with a wider platform pedal and straps to see how close I can get to my max power. As for pedal technique, Dylan Johnson has a really good video, "Does Your Pedaling Technique Affect Your Cycling Performance? The Science" that you might like!

[@TheIndianCyclist]

@@MitchBoyer thank you for taking the time with such a detailed response! Even though I ride clipped in myself (SPDs) I don't pull up either, just can't seem to keep it up for any significant amount of time, though I appreciate the other benefits of being clipped in (and this is just fine, according to Dylan's video - thanks). Great analysis of why the cycling shoes make so much of a difference, when you're going all out on a sprint. Looking forward to your future tests!

[@CamelliaSinensis]

what about toeclips?

[@ambrosethomas5339]

Wow. I had 129 dollar shoes for 4 years. Dam I'm go pro shoe. Here I had option for best shoe right in front of me

[@jevgeniardassov]

Midrange shoe is more comfortable and it lasts longer and prolevel shoes are all very narrow and my feet are very wide like flippers because of doing martial arts half my life with bear feet…😊

[@dylanmacdougall5059]

bare

[@Gufolicious]

If i would only buy what i need the industry would die out. I buy the highend shoe because i want the best.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

I do not care how many Watts I might produce with any shoe, I care for how comfortable, good-looking and easy to handle shoes are. The pro-level shoes in this "test" maybe lightweight but they feature outdated technology using velcro straps for closure. If the mid-level shoe in this had proper full-carbon soles, it's beat the "pro level" by a mile.

[@jacookerbad]

mtb spd are the best for daily bikers

[@Qwerty-fy6fx]

6:41 for the results

[@andyspyrka]

Hate double Velcro! Double duo all the way