The age old question, what are the best shoes for the MYX Fitness Bike?
A while back I recorded a video and blog post about WHY you should be wearing cycling shoes while indoor cycling, whether you are on a MYX Fitness Bike or some other spin bike. I talked about all the benefits and the real bonus of pedal stroke efficiency when using cycling shoes vs. athletic shoes. You can find that HERE.
The overwhelming majority of the comments and questions were about WHAT specific shoes to buy. That is a question that is almost impossible to answer, because there are so many options at so many different price points, and everyone has different feet.
Instead of talking about specific brands and specific shoes, I thought it would be more helpful to record a video talking about the key elements to look for in when you are making the personal choice about which are the best shoes for indoor cycling FOR YOU. In this video, I will show you the different shoes that I have and which specific ones I use on my MYX Fitness Bike.
Elements to Consider When Choosing YOUR Best Shoes for The MYX Fitness Bike
- Proper Cleat Pattern: Start by determining what kind of pedals you have. Most indoor cycling bikes use SPD compatible pedals, and that is what the MYX Fitness Bike uses. However, if you don’t have a MYX Fitness Bike you need to check that. Some shoes have 3-hole patterns and some have the 2-hole pattern that fits the SPD cleat. Save yourself from having to buy an adapter by choosing the shoes based on this element first. See video for details on the adapter.
- Stiff soles: Unlike sneakers, cycling shoes have stiff soles that prevent energy loss through flexing. Every ounce of your effort goes into propelling you forward.
- Fit Adjustability: You want the shoes to fit tightly, so your feet don’t move around, but comfort is an important factor. If the shoes hurt, you won’t have fun indoor cycling. The more options you have to adjust the fit, the better.
- Flexibility of Use: Consider the option of a hybrid athletic/cycling shoe with a cleat that is embedded in the sole of an athletic shoe. These allow you to transition from the MYX Fitness Bike to the floor for other exercises without changing shoes. My main concern with these is the stiffness of the sole, but that trade off might be worth it for you.
Again, with the exception of the SPD cleat, there are many different options that could qualify as the best shoes for the MYX Fitness Bike. It’s a very personal decision. As you can see from my video, I prefer road cycling shoes because of the stiff sole. That’s my priority. Yours may be different and you should consider the options when making your decision.
Make Sure your MYX Fitness Bike Pedals are Engaging Properly
Since I wrote this post and the related one linked above about why you should be using cycling shoes, I’ve had a few people reach out to me asking why their shoes are not working with the pedals. They are asking if they have purchased the wrong cleats. That’s highly unlikely. There are two types of these two hole SPD cleats, but they are VERY similar and both should work. There are two far more likely culprits. 1) You are not engaging the cleat with the pedal properly; and/or 2) The tension spring on the pedal is set so tight, you can’t get the cleat to engage, or if you can, you can’t get it to disengage. In the video below, I discuss both issues and show you how to properly engage the cleat and how to adjust the tension spring, if necessary.
