By Amy Schlinger
A breathable, durable, gender-neutral cycling shoe, that not only looks like great, but also feels great, and is compatible with all cycling systems—that’s what’s launching today. The brand new Shimano Indoor Cycling IC1 shoe is everything you could want in an indoor cycling shoe, making it both fashionable and functional. It combines things like maximum breathability and ventilation, easy slip-on design, volume adjustability, and gender-neutral sizing, all for under $100.
Everything You Need To Know About Shimano’s New IC1 Indoor Cycling Shoe
It has superior ventilation.
With indoor cycling, you still get that outdoor cycling experience, sans the elements, which can be ideal when Mother Nature isn’t cooperating. But it also means that there’s no wind and limited airflow (unless you have fans set up), which can mean things get sweaty pretty quickly. That’s why it’s important that your indoor cycling shoes account for this, and the IC1 does. Not only is the shoe made up on one single piece of material, eliminating the possibility of hot spots and chaffing, but it’s also a mesh fabric, keeping the shoe extremely breathable.
On top of that, the IC1 also has a ventilated insole and outsole. You’re probably thinking, “What does that mean?” “On the bottom of the toe, there’s an air intake opening which allows for air to flow in, and on the mid-foot there is an exhaust opening,” explains Jessie Gascon, Shimano’s lifestyle gear product manager. “You need both an intake and an exhaust to essentially create a vent for airflow.” This feature is pretty rare to find in an indoor cycling shoe, and it’s pretty awesome to have as a user.
The entire insole is perforated all the way through, too, which adds to the IC1 being a truly functional indoor cycling shoe.
Its 5-hole design can be used with any and all indoor bikes (including Peloton).
If you’re an indoor cyclist, you either have your outdoor bike set up on a trainer inside, or you have an indoor specific bike. In either case, the concern when getting a pair of indoor cycling shoes is the compatibility with your bike and pedals. The IC1 has a five-hole construction, which means that it’s compatible with all popular pedal systems, including SPD-SL/3-hole/Delta systems, as well as SPD/2-hole systems. In other words, the IC1 is compatible with Peloton pedal systems, SoulCycle pedal systems, as well as your outdoor bike pedals.
It’s easy to walk in and won’t ruin your floors.
When you’re cycling indoors, having a shoe that you can walk in matters. Whether you’re taking class at a studio where you have to get from the locker room to your bike, or you’re at home and you want to throw in some strength training right off the bike, or to be able to run and grab your water bottle, towel, or anything else you forgot mid-ride without the fear of slipping or ruining your hard wood floors, you need a shoe that you can walk in and feel comfortable and safe in.
The IC1 has a wide, stable heel pad, so you can walk around easily without rolling your ankle. “If you look at the back of the shoe, this is where most road shoes or cycling shoes go small in order to reduce weight,” explains Gascon. “If this is your first pair of indoor cycling shoes, weight doesn’t matter as much as being able to walk easily and comfortably.” (And for the record, the IC1 is still incredibly lightweight because of elements like the single-construction mesh upper). Taking a Peloton class that combines cycling and strength? This is the shoe that allows you to go from one to the next without having to change in between.
It’s gender neutral in sizing.
Shimano has always been known for its impeccable design, and the brand prides itself on the fact that they have taken over a million impressions of foot shapes in their product lifetime, which is why they have a good idea of foot shapes and where the volume is for the mass populations (they also use 12 lasts to build their shoes, where as most other cycling companies use only three or four). Because of that knowledge, Shimano was able to make the IC1 a gender neutral that can be worn by anyone.
“The fundamental pedaling requirement of a cycling shoe is that it stabilizes the foot, and the IC1 does that extremely effectively for people with all foot shapes and sizes because of the versatile design,” says Gascon. “The slip-on construction makes is easy for everyone to get the shoe onto their foot, the mesh upper provides elasticity, and the Velcro cross strap is adjustable for arch support, volume control, and to keep the foot from shifting laterally.”
Have wide feet? The IC1 can and will fit your foot comfortably, too.
It has an unbeatable price point.
So you’re probably thinking at this point that you may want to give this shoe a try (who wouldn’t), but because of all the technology that makes it such a versatile and functional shoe, it probably costs a fortune. Lucky for you and everyone else interested, the shoe was also created to be accessible to all, costing just $90. “We needed to make an inexpensive shoe, that still meets all the functional requirements a cyclist needs, and the IC1 is that shoe,” says Gascon. “It’s an all-pedal-system compatible, gender-neutral, breathable, comfortable, well-fitted indoor cycling shoe, at a price that’s affordable.”