Because your feet deserve better; comfort with protection
When we talk about essential riding gear like helmets, jackets, gloves etc., one of the most important parts of riding gear that is often overlooked– Riding Shoes! In the event of a crash, your feet are at high risk for injury and hence normal shoes won’t make the cut. So, when buying riding shoes for yourself, what should you look for?
What Are Your Options?
It is important to see what type of riding shoes fit your needs, and most riders don’t prefer to wear a fully fledged offroad boot to your office (I do! BTW), but you need to check out your options as there are a lot of riding shoes that are made for a specific purpose.
If daily commutes is what you are looking for, riding around in the city at fairly low speeds, lightweight and breathable ankle-length shoes will fulfil your requirements easily and these shoes can be used for short rides too.
When touring, where you may pass through a wide range of environmental as well as road conditions (sometimes off road too!) shoes which are waterproof, calf-length and comfortable for long durations would be the ideal choice. Also, you might need to look at shoes with better impact protection when touring to suffice your purpose.
There’s a separate category for specialised shoes for the ‘Track’ and at the other end of the spectrum– ‘Offroading’. The riding shoes for track (calling it boots make much more sense in my opinion), are generally the ones with the most protection offered for impact at high speeds as well as excellent abrasion for letting the rider slide, distributing the impact evenly over a longer patch of ground, minimising the chances of serious injury.
While riding off-the-road, the story is quite different, and you will need heavy boots that are tall to protect your shins, and offer good grip in offroad conditions with loose ground while offering more protection against impacts rather than slides.
What Type Of Protection Should You Get?
The most important and cardinal function of riding shoes is to protect your feet, ankles, and toes from impact in a crash and abrasion when in a slide. You may think your regular everyday sneakers or shoes will do the job, but they won’t. They might seem sturdy enough but lack the strength and the durability needed in the event of a crash.
The first thing you should look for is reinforced toe protection. It might sound a bit obvious, but your toes are extremely delicate when it comes to a crash. A reinforced toe box in your riding shoe/boot will keep your feet out of harm’s way in frontal impacts. TPU (hard plastic) protection around your ankles on both the inner as well as outer side make a big difference when it comes to keeping your ankles and your extremely exposed malleolus bone safe in a crash . Also look for shoes with anti-twist soles that won’t twist and sprain your feet.
Additionally, look for shoes that come with rigid protection for your heel and we suggest you avoid getting steel toe protection as it will do more harm in case of a crash than protect. Under impact, the steel toe could deform, hurting your feet rather than protecting them. Shoes too, like other riding gear, have CE certification and it is generally considered safe to get CE certified riding shoes.
How Should Ideal Riding Shoes Fit?
One of the most important things to note is the comfort and fit of the shoes you buy. An uncomfortable pair of shoes, though they may be expensive, won’t be the ideal protection, in contrast they will act like a distraction that might cause a crash or put the rider in a dangerous situation.
The riding shoes you buy should first snugly to your foot, a loose shoe might come off during a crash while a tighter one may make your feet numb, hampering the control of your bike. We suggest you to avoid buying riding shoes/boots online and personally try it out as they come in a lot of variable sizes, depending on the brand.
Next thing to look for is how your ankles and heels fit into the shoes, your foot needs a slight wiggle room to function properly. Also try them out while sitting on your bike and try to use the functions such as brakes and the gear shifter with the shoes on.
Lastly, check if the shoes have secure fastening, they do come in a variety with velcros, buckles and laces too.
BikeDekho Says
Riding shoes are just as important as the helmets you use and are just an important investment to make. Your legs will provide the support you need if you lose control of your bike and riding shoes will make it much easier to manage a panic situation every single time.
That said, the riding shoes might seem like an expensive investment but are definitely cheaper than the hospital bills they will save. So, don’t be complacent and get a good pair of riding shoes for your precious feet. Ride Safe!
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