Triathlon bike shoes: How should they fit?

Triathlon bike shoe fit is specific to the demands and conditions of cycling in a triathlon, so you can’t necessarily replicate the way your road bike shoes fit you.

In this explainer, we lay out how your triathlon cycling shoes should you fit you and how to tailor the sizing to different triathlon distances. The advice centres on fitting the best triathlon bike shoes, which we think are generally those designed for clipless pedals.

Before reading, make you sure you know how to fit new cleats to your triathlon bike shoes.

How should triathlon bike shoes fit?

Like any cycling shoe, a close fit is essential. Any movement of the foot in the shoe means lost power and efficiency.

Also, if your foot is moving in the shoe that can easily lead to rubbing, soreness and blisters. This won’t help your run split.

Unlike when you’re fitting a regular cycling shoe though, there’s a key tri-specific point to think about. The majority of triathletes tend to ride, specifically on race day, without sock. So you’ll need to take this into account when sizing up your shoes.

I’d always advise trying on shoes in a shop rather than buying blindly online. But go shopping with the lightest and thinness socks you can find.

However, especially if you’re targeting long-course events, don’t go too tight, especially in the toe-box. Ensure that there’s scope for you to loosen off the fit. Your feet could swell significantly over the course of a bike leg.

If your feet are prone to expanding and/or you have broad feet, look for a wide-fit cycling shoe: Lake has lots of options. We’d recommend booking a bike fit to find the best model for you.

Finally, once you’ve got your shoe fit dialled in, pay similar close attention to your cleats. If these aren’t set up correctly, they can significantly affect both foot comfort and cycling performance as well as contribute to injuries.

Nik Cook Freelance bike writer

About

Nikalas Cook is a writer, author, coach and athlete based in the Peak District. He specialises in health, fitness, endurance and adventure sports. Having studied a postgraduate degree in Health and Exercise Science, he worked for eight years as a top personal trainer in London. He was the editor of Totally Active magazine and writes for numerous specialist magazines and websites including 220 Triathlon, Outdoors Magic, Trail Running and Trek and Mountain. He has also edited the British Cycling member’s website, the Insight Zone. He’s written for national newspapers and magazines including The Times, The Financial Times, The Daily Mail, GQ, Men’s Fitness and Red Magazine. But he’s probably most proud of being Derbyshire Life’s beer correspondent. Nik has written two books (Marathon Training: Get to the Start Line Strong and Injury-free; Peak District Trail Running: 22 off-Road Routes for Trail & Fell Runners) and his third, entitled The Road Cycling Performance Manual, was published by Bloomsbury in June 2018. He has also worked with Nigel Mitchell on his book, Fuelling the Cycling Revolution, and with Martin Evans and Phil Burt on their book, Strength and Conditioning for Cyclists. He’s completed numerous cycling challenges including the Trans-Wales MTB stage race, the Fred Whitton, the Raid Pyrenees and both the Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders sportives. Competitively, he likes to combine his cycling with running and has previously won gold in his age-group at the ITU World Long Course Duathlon Championships at Powerman Zofingen.