CyclistStiff competition: Are stiffer-soled shoes really faster?How much does sole stiffness really matter?All else being equal, stiff soles stop us having to use as much muscle in our feet to get the power into the pedal when we pedal hard, says Tony Corke, bike-fitter and founder of Torke Cycling. Its more efficient, so we can pedal harder for longer. Then, the harder you push if youre a WorldTour rider, say the more stiffness matters.Yet contrary to this theory, says Corke, for most of us stiffness wont impact performance. He points to research comparing stiff-soled cycling shoes with more flexible shoes, which finds little difference in efficiency when pedalling well below maximal intensity.But dont stiffer soles transfer power better?At higher power outputs, softer soles can indeed flex slightly under load. A stiffer carbon sole resists that movement, creating a more stable interface between rider and pedal, meaning less energy is lost to the flexing of the sole and hence more energy goes into turning the pedals. Riders operating at the highest power outputs, where soles are most prone to flex, stand to benefit most.Track riders are all about milliseconds, says cycling podiatrist and founder of Mik.Fit, Mick Habgood, who has worked with Team GB, Japanese and US track teams, and EF Pro Cycling. We dont want to lose out by having a shoe thats soft.Shimanos S-Phyre RC903 shoes.Lizzie CrabbSo are stiffer, pricier shoes only relevant to professionals?Yes and no. Habgood points to Shimanos mid-range RC7 shoes (10 out of 12 on Shimanos stiffness scale; 239.99) and flagship S-Phyre RC903 shoes (12/12; 349.99) as an example. He believes that while the average rider wont feel the difference in stiffness, they may benefit from the S-Phyres more refined materials, which wrap the foot more comfortably and precisely and wont stretch over time. Corke agrees.The more the foot moves in the shoe, the more delay there is in response on the pedal, he says, explaining that as you produce more power, you pedal in a more circular motion, pushing over the top of the stroke and pulling through the bottom.Having the upper of the shoe hold the instep and heel, and having the metatarsal heads held in place is much better for performance.Thus the stiffer S-Phyres may be the better option, but for reasons of foot stability, not stiffness. To that end, Corke adds that a pair of 100 shoes that fits well will perform better than 500 shoes that fit poorly.Can I improve my fit?Yes, using aftermarket insoles. Corke refers to the process as foot activation, involving having custom insoles made to support your arch shape and help stabilise the foot in the shoe.This is how to maximise force transfer and is much more effective than stiffer soles for improving performance, he says. With foot activation, riders are able to create better power, particularly at the end of the ride [where they are most fatigued]. They are not leaking watts.However a great custom insole cannot compensate for an ill-fitting shoe, and custom insoles can cost nearly as much as shoes, so the best place to start is finding a shoe that fits properly in the first place.How do I do that?It starts with understanding foot shape. Different brands use different lasts (foot-shaped moulds that dictate the inside of a shoes shape), and different lasts suit different feet. Some riders need shoes with a wider forefoot, others need narrower heels or lower-volume uppers. Most brands claim their designs are based on years of fit data from customers, and more recently this has led to a shift to wider toe boxes. But theres a new technology that might push fit beyond aggregated data.Lore Threes Legend Pro shoes RRP ,649 (approx 1,215).Corke points to the latest generation of 3D printed shoes, such as Lores custom models, which use foot scans to create rigid uppers that are precisely shaped to the riders feet.Some riders are seeing 5-12% more sprint power in these shoes, he says.Habgood has also developed fully custom cycling shoes for elite athletes, including riders who went on to win medals at the Paris Olympics. In those shoes the orthotic support (the sort provided by a custom insole) is effectively built into the shell itself.Its a complex and often incredibly expensive solution a pair of Lore Three shoes starts from $1,649 (approx 1,215). Plus, at any rate, for most cyclists the takeaway is much more simple: sole stiffness matters but is a distant second to fit.The post Stiff competition: Are stiffer-soled shoes really faster? appeared first on Cyclist.