High-hardness soles are usually standard for high-end lock shoes, which is one of the important prerequisites for achieving high pedaling efficiency. But is the higher the hardness of the lock shoe, the better? Lock shoes with high hardness soles must be suitable for everyone?

In a sport for the purpose of racing, we are usually instilled in the inherent thinking that the stronger the rigidity, the faster the equipment. This is theoretically correct, but it is also one-sided. In addition to rigidity, factors such as cushioning, weight and geometric design of the equipment need to be comprehensively considered. But the structure of cycling shoes seems to be simpler, is it also the harder the better?

There are roughly two points to judge the quality of a pair of lock shoes: ①Whether it fits, ②Pedal efficiency. Fit or not can be assessed from many aspects such as shoe type, wrapping, and support of various parts. The pedaling efficiency is directly related to the quality of the sole. Higher hardness often means better pedaling efficiency. Do we really need a “so” hard sole?

Industry Expert Opinion

Phil Cavill – Bike-Fitter for Trek-Segafredo

The biomechanical effects of cycling have been intensively studied, primarily to improve athletic performance, but also to help prevent sports injuries. Most shoe companies and cycling experts agree that while sole stiffness is important, other factors are equally important.

Phil Cavell, founder of CycleFit, explained: “The selection of shoe materials by shoe brands should be based on the premise of supporting and fitting the foot. In our Fitting philosophy, The first condition for choosing a lock shoe is to meet the length, width and thickness of the foot, and then if necessary, customize the insole or orthotics to support the static foot. Finally, consider the material or brand of the lock shoe.”

Brands can make extremely hard soles of course, but if the shoe is not suitable for the rider, it is completely useless. Frequent foot displacement or foot pain can lead to decreased exercise efficiency.

Specialized

Specialized also agrees with the above point of view. They believe that the hardness of the sole is only a part of the performance of the lock shoe. They pay more attention to the fit of the foot. Therefore, even if it is a pair of lock shoes, they must implement the Body Geometry design concept. When the design and quality of the other parts of the lock shoe are at the same level, the higher hardness of the lock shoe is certainly an advantage.

Giro

Giro never divides the design and positioning of shoes by the hardness of the sole. It is more reasonable to locate a pair of shoes according to needs and riding style. According to their market feedback, many loyal Giro users will tend to buy the lighter, but less stiff SLX shoes, rather than the more rigid ACC carbon sole shoes.

Not all riders are after the ultimate pedaling efficiency.

Lighter and stiffer are very easy to reflect in data, but the comfort of a product is difficult to visualize in data. What’s more, comfort is a very subjective indicator, and what works for others may not work for you.

Field sprinters will choose super-hard lock shoes for the ultimate pedaling efficiency; off-road and XC riders will make some compromises on the sole hardness for comfort; most LSD riders will take comfort as their first requirement.