The most common types of cycling cleats are the SPD or two-hole and the SPD-SL, which are wider and have three holes, and it’s essential to know the difference when buying cycling shoes. Unfortunately, not all cycling shoes work with every cleat, but that is a good thing.
Different cleats work best for other riders, and there’s a lot of variety. Do cycling shoes come with cleats?
Cycling shoes do not come with cleats but rather a place to attach the cleats to your shoes. When you buy cycling pedals that use cleats, they usually come with the cleats to ensure ideal compatibility. However, there are several different cleat styles available and clipless shoes, so not all cleats work with all cycling shoes.
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Table of Contents
Do New Cycling Shoes Come With Cleats
New cycling shoes do not come with cleats. The only time you are likely to find cycling shoes and cleats sold together is secondhand or as a unique package deal where you get the shoes, cleats, and pedals together, but both are relatively rare.
There’s a lot of confusion about where the cleats come in because bike shoes are advertised as with or without cleats based on whether they can use them, not because they have them already.
Do Road Cycling Shoes Come With Cleats
Road cycling shoes do not come with cleats. However, it is common for road bike enthusiasts to want several sets of shoes that are compatible with their pedals for comfort or convenience. In these cases, you have to buy separate cleats.
I recommend the SHIMANO SPD-SL Cleat Set from Amazon. These wildly popular road bike cleats are the wider three-hole style that has become more common among riders.
The plastic of the cleat will wear out instead of your pedals taking damage over time. More importantly, they are durable and reliable.
Try out a set on your three-hole cleat compatible shoes by clicking right here.
Do Shimano Cycling Shoes Come With Cleats
Shimano cleats come in several varieties based on how much float they offer. For your convenience, Shimano color codes their cleats so you can tell at a glance.
Below are the 3 standard styles and how much float each color indicates.
- Yellow: 6 degrees offers a lot of motion and is the best choice if you are prone to foot cramping on longer rides.
- Blue: 2 degrees offer minimal motion but are still a good option for newer riders.
- Red: 0 degrees is also known as a fixed cleat.
Do Muddyfox Cycling Shoes Come With Cleats
Like most brands, Muddyfox shoes do not come with cleats. Moreover, this brand only sells a couple of styles of cycling shoes.
Muddyfox is an incredibly well-known and respected mountain bike company that is mainly known for its bicycles.
Do Indoor Cycling Shoes Come With Cleats
Indoor cycling shoes usually don’t come with cleats. However, it is helpful to know that most gyms that offer spin classes use the SPD format for their pedals.
When seeking out a good pair of cycling shoes, always ask what cleats you will need and check to ensure they are compatible with the correct style.
I recommend the Shimano SM-SH51 SPD Pedal Cleat Set from Amazon.
These two-hole cleats will get you through any indoor cycling session, whether at the gym or home.
Moreover, they come with the 4mm Allen Wrench you need to install and adjust the cleats included.
You can learn more about Shimano SPD Cleats when you click here.
Why Do Cycling Shoes Have Cleats
Cycling shoes prevent you from moving your feet out of the optimum riding position.
Once your shoe clips into position, the cleat, and rigid shoe bottom work with the pedal and your legs to make you put all your power in the right place.
This is vital if you want to win races or merely wish to get the most out of every ride in terms of distance and speed.
Do You Need To Buy Cleats With Cycling Shoes
Most cycling shoes do not come with cleats. Instead, they come with a place to put them, leaving you free to choose your own cleats.
In short, yes, you do need to buy cleats with cycling shoes, but not quite the way you might expect. Some cycling shoes are made specifically not to have any cleats.
Otherwise, typically, the cleats you need come with your bike’s pedals, not the shoes. If you have a secondhand bicycle or your clip-in pedals do not come with cleats, you may need to find them separately.
How Should Cleats Be Positioned On Cycling Shoes
For optimum power transfer between your leg and your crank to power your wheel, the cleats should be positioned so the ball of your foot lines up with the center of the pedal.
When you ride a bike, you are like the battery that powers the machine. Your body literally does all the work, so from a physics standpoint, biomechanically, this is the best position.
Cycling shoes with integrated cleats or a place to bolt them on will already be set up so you can adjust left, right, forward, and backward.
Don’t just drop your cleats in the center and call it ‘good enough.’ Make sure the center of the pedal and ball of the foot is coming together as they should.
If not, adjust. That’s why cleats have the option to make minute changes.
If you want to see a visual demonstration of setting up your cleats, I recommend this video from Cyclist.
In it, they give great tips and show you how to get them into the proper position.
Helpful Tips To Know About If Cycling Shoes Come With Cleats
It’s important to look at both the shoes you want to wear and the pedals you plan to use and check them for compatibility.
While cleats are widely compatible, they come in a handful of different styles, so it’s not a universal fit.
Here are more helpful tips to know about if cycling shoes come with cleats.
- Float is the amount of room you have to move or wiggle your foot when your cleat is attached to your pedal. Less is generally considered more efficient, but some cyclists prefer a little more float. Furthermore, if you are new to cycling with cleats, you may want to start with a set that offers more float.
- Poorly installed cleats that aren’t set up right can cause pain in your legs and back. Always read the instructions or watch a video on any new style or brand to ensure a proper fit. If you still have trouble, you are either pushing your body too far, there’s trouble with another part like the angle of your bike seat, or you need a different cleat.
- In addition to their other qualities, cleats prevent foot slippage. This will prevent wear on your pedals and shoes, plus it keeps our connection to your bicycle consistent.
Final Thoughts
Cleats do not come with cycling shoes, and they aren’t universal. Before you shop for cleats, you need to check the soles of your shoes to see if they have two, three, or five holes.
That way, you’ll know if they are compatible with SPD, SPD-SL, or both the most common styles of cleats.
You can also get cleats with new pedals sometimes or by themselves for when you plan to set up multiple pairs of shoes.
A properly adjusted cleat can maximize your power output, prevent foot slippage and help you go faster.
Meanwhile, ill-fitting cleats can cause you pain, so selecting and adjusting your cleats is essential, so your foot sits on the pedal correctly.
