Stationary Bikes for Dummies

Spin bike

As freelancers flit about the internet looking for something to assault... err, address, apparently it's common for them to run across topics that are somehow related to something they've already covered (if by "covered" you mean, "Copied-reworded-pasted from a more honest source"). Once in a while they even find a subject on which they believe themselves qualified to write, though that doesn't seem to happen often. The problem, of course, is that they expose their limited knowledge as their posts progress. Take, for instance, Demand Media's Meg Campbell: she believes herself a fitness expert (why else would DMS let her write for Livestrong?) but reveals her limitations in "What Shoes are Compatible with Stationary Bikes?" for Livestrong.com.¹

Meg introduces stationary bikes like this:

"Most stationary bikes have two-sided pedals: one side is a platform with an attached toe clip — or cage — and adjustable strap; the other side has a mechanism that fits a cycling shoe outfitted with an SPD clip."

Bzzzzzt!!! No, Meg, you aren't talking about "stationary bikes"; you're talking about spin bikes, aka spinner bikes, a subclass of stationary bicycles. In point of fact, the majority of stationary bikes do not have "two-sided pedals"; they have solid pedals with an adjustable strap. Therefore, everything from this point onward in your answer is off-topic; and some of it's wrong. Any flat-soled shoes from flip-flops to work boots are compatible with a stationary bike, as long as the strap will cinch tight enough or open wide enough. You'd think an experienced "fitness industry" person would know that!

Even when it comes to spinner bikes, Campbell still gets some of it wrong. Oh, she gets the expansion of SPD to "Shimano Pedal Design" right, but she immediately negates that victory by claiming that "These pedals have clips that fit SPD cleats on one side and toe cages with straps on the other." Well, no, Meg: that's the spin bikes again. They're equipped with special pedals that have toe clips on one side and SPD receivers on the others. Lest you're confused, Meg, those aren't SPD pedals and you can't buy them for your road or mountain bike!  Campbell then addresses the shoes themselves. According to Meg, there are several kinds of shoes -- indoor, touring, road and mountain-bike shoes. Meg says,

"All types of cycling shoes — road, mountain, touring and indoor cycling — have models that are SPD-compatible, since SPD is arguably the most utilized clipless system. Some shoes, however, have cleat pods that are specifically made to fit other types of cleats."

We'll grant her that, though you'll very likely find that few road shoes are SPD-compatible these days... where she starts going wonky again is when she begins to describe the shoes:

"Cycling shoes made for road riding are extremely stiff and have a narrow fit. Their soles aren’t rubberized because they’re not meant to be walked in. Cleats aren’t recessed on road shoes, either, which makes them even more difficult to walk in, especially on a slippery, sweaty floor. Cycling shoes made for mountain biking, touring and indoor cycling classes have wider toe boxes and rubberized soles. The cleat is recessed on these shoe types so you don’t feel it as much with each footstep."

We'd like to point out that all cycling shoes have stiff soles; it's just that road cyclists aren't expected to walk so their shoes don't have the tread (or the weight) of MTB shoes. And who cares about feeling the cleat "with each footstep"? Campbell continues to blather about types of shoes and what's good (and what, she thinks, isn't). She even has a nod to the other cleat standard, Look:

"In the rare and unlikely event that the bikes have another clipless system, such as Look, you can shop for shoes and cleats accordingly."

So why do we think Meg's not that familiar with the topic? Well there's a simple reason: all bicycle cleats attach to the shoes with bolts, but Look cleats attach with three bolts in a triangular pattern and SPD cleats attach with two bolts perpendicular to the shoe's last. If you want to attach SPD cleats to shoes for a spin class, the shoes MUST be able to accept the two bolts at the correct orientation and position with a standard spacing. If the shoes have three bolt holes, they are NOT COMPATIBLE!

That's why Meg's our Dumbass of the Day: she didn't know the topic well enough to answer the question with the only sentence that matters! Note: If you bought the wrong shoes, you can still buy a set of adapters from Shimano that attach to the Look bolt pattern and can accept a pair of SPD-style cleats.

¹ The original has been deleted by Leaf Group, but can still be accessed using the Wayback machine at archive.org. Its URL was    livestrong.com/article/352118-shoes-compatible-stationary-bikes/

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