Why does price tag influence shoe width in cycling?

Posted bymichellearthursbrennanPosted inUncategorized

This question had been irritating me for ages. Surely, pro cyclists don’t have fewer toes than everyone else – and those wanting to spend £100 or less won’t automatically have spades for feet. So, what’s going on?

One shoe brand told me that the difference is intentional because it is believed that beginners will favour comfort over performance and vice versa. And a podiatrist confirmed that beginners might well feel more at home with a more ‘trainer’ like fit whilst racers need to get optimum power transfer which requires firm hold. He did hint at another reason, though, speculating that it’s in the interest of cycling shoe brands for you to spend more for a better fit.

See it here.

Published by michellearthursbrennan

I'm an NCTJ Journalist and work at Cycling Weekly. Previous to this, I was the Editor at Total Women's Cycling. I've also dabbled in marketing and copywriting - having been Marketing Coordinator and Social Media/Content Editor at Evans Cycles. My first job was working on a local newspaper.  I've written for a variety of titles on a freelance basis, too. I got into cycling when I entered my first triathlon in 2010. I now race crits, road races, time trials, and do a lot of track training for not very much track racing.

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