Best Road Bike Shoes Review in 2020

 » Breathability

Athlete’s foot, cracked skin, toenail issues. No one wants to experience these, and one of the first things to consider in your cycling shoes is proper ventilation.

Aside from keeping you comfortable on a hot day, proper air circulation helps keep bacteria levels down, shoe smell in check and increases the life of your shoe by inhibiting acidic sweat soaking into the materials.

Air circulation varies in the style of a cycling shoe.  The best road bike shoes typically have some mesh or netting in the upper portion of the shoe as well as holes cut into the soles for complete foot surface ventilation.

For winter road biking or mountain biking you may select cycling shoes that are more of a boot style with a waterproof upper, thick lining and sealing cuffs, thus having less breathability, but a higher level of insulation from the cold and surrounding environment.

» The Shoe Material

Road bike shoes are similar to all other shoes in the aspect you can find them in nearly any type of upper material.

 Enthusiasts claim that the most glove-like and supple feeling comes from high-end leather, but that is also on the high end of the price spectrum and does not offer the same ventilation as other materials.

The thing to keep in mind about the material is how the shoe will be used. Leather upper may feel fantastic road biking in winter, but may be scuffed and damaged easily trekking up rough terrain while mountain biking.

A thin mesh and textile upper offers cooler coverage in summer, and thick materials are better for waterproofing.

» Do Laces Like A Safe Place?

One of the terms you will run across in cycling shoes is the lace garage.  Like it sounds, this is a place you can park your laces to keep them, and you, safe. 

There are lace pockets, straps that cover the lacing bow and cutaways on the side of some shoe tongues to tuck the laces.

Lacing comes in much more advanced varieties than it did twenty years ago with speed lace tabs for mountain bike shoes, non-slip lacing for road bike shoes and an entire assortment of hole placement designs to get you into the best fit possible with a shoestring.

One of the best ways to get a customized shoe fit is the adjustable tightening systems. This includes not only laces but buckles, ratcheting straps, Velcro, and snaps.

Velcro is the lightest weight, soft with no abrasive contact points, reliable and can be exceptionally strong. Velcro is a great fastener, but mountain bike shoes exposed to a lot of mud, gritty sand and water which can weaken it holds considerably.

In contrast, ratchet straps are immune to mud and water, allow easy adjustment on the move and have a firm hold.

However, buckles and ratchet straps can be bulky sometimes and may have an uncomfortable contact point if hit.

If you are unsure about your specific needs, we recommend as a general rule for safe fastening two Velcro straps on the toe end of the shoe and one ratchet strap towards the leg for weather-immune hold.

This is faster and more adjustable than traditional lacing while also providing three holding points to keep the shoe firmly on your foot.

» The Weight of the Shoe

Excepting the case of mountain biking where a durable lugged sole (equals heavier) is a good thing, the lighter the weight of a cycling shoe, the better. Less weight means less muscle fatigue, less drag and more power transfer to the pedal.

The material and treading on the cycling shoe sole is the greatest factor in weight with fibre-soled road bike shoes weighing as little as 400 grams and rubber-soled mountain bike shoes ballooning in at 850 to 900 grams.

» The Eyes Are the Window To The Sole

Perhaps the most important feature of a cycling shoe is the sole.  It is both literally and figuratively the foundation for your shoe performance.  Sole types are roughly broken down into these categories:

Injection-molded plastic –This is an economical answer to carbon fiber, can be molded for a formed fit and is prone to mild flexibility.

Plastic Composites – Carbon Fiber/ plastic combos and plastic/fiberglass combos are more economical than carbon fiber and slightly more flexible depending on the composite mix.

Nylon –Comparable to plastic composite regarding the ability to mold custom forms, but of higher quality making next in line to carbon regarding fit and stiffness.

Carbon Fiber–The cream of the crop. Nearly all of the top quality competition level shoes made in the last 15 years use carbon fiber soles, known for their durability, light weight, and stiffness.

Sole Flexibility –

• Mountain Bike shoe soles have a little flex in the toe area for walking and climbing and are plastic, composite, or rubber based.
• Mountain Bike Racing shoe soles have less flexibility and are primarily carbon fiber based.
• Road bike shoe soles are exceptionally stiff soled.
• Casual cycling shoes are flexible for comfortable walking.

» Cleats and Clipless Pedals

The modern answer to a toe clip and strap that traps your cycling shoe in a metal cage (think Silence of the Lambs for your shoe) on the pedal is the clipless pedal system.

The old strap system was slightly awkward and dangerous owing to the fact the rider had to bend over and manually loosen the strap to remove their shoe from the pedal.

Modern cycling pedals and shoe cleats work hand-in-hand to clip together so that your upward pull on the pedal is as effective as your down-stroke. It means twice the potential power, resulting in more energy efficiency and speed.

Many manufacturers are producing these types of systems so cycling shoes often offer a threaded hole in the sole to attach different cleats for different pedal styles.

The cleats on your shoes will match the specific pedals you are using, and are not usually compatible with different pedal systems.

Mountain bike cleats are generally small and nestle inside the sole of the shoe using a two-bolt mounting system.

They are designed with this recessed cleat to make walking easier when dismounted. Road bike cleats are often wide, giving good power transfer to the pedals, but making walking somewhat difficult.

» Toe Studs, Cleat Covers & Heel Grips

Some cycling shoes offer optional toe studs which come in pairs and are fit on the nose of your sole. You can also purchase screw-in studs or spikes for hiking muddy trails if your mountain bike shoe is compatible.

They give extra grip for smooth-soled cycling shoes for running your bike uphill. Some cycling shoes offer a replacement heel grip because the heel of the shoe grinds away over time if you place your feet down while the bike is still in motion. These are not crucial points in new cycling shoes but a great bonus if they are included.

Another cycling shoe accessory is rubber cleat covers which make walking much comfortable and save your cleats from wearing down when you are forced to get off the bike.

Note: Studs, cleats and heel grips can cause damage to indoor flooring surfaces such as hardwood and tile.

» Other Considerations

Your biggest consideration is how you intend to use your cycling shoes.  Do you ride in town to do quick errands and light grocery shopping?

We recommend casual cycling shoes that resemble sneakers and provide easy cycling and walking. Do you like trekking up rugged dirt trails and stopping to admire the view? We recommend semi-flexible rubber-soled mountain bike shoes with recessed cleats, so walking and hiking is comfortable.

Do you ride in long distance competitions? We recommend stiff soles for high power transfer to the pedals and an overall lightweight shoe.

Figure out all possible scenarios you will put your shoes through and find a pair with the features that will enhance your cycling lifestyle.

The same company that brought you the Freerider Sneaker has designed the Freedrider Contact Bike shoe. 

Known for creating shoes for athletes competing in the world’s most dangerous sports, Five Ten has upgraded theFreeriderVXi to feature their proprietary Stealth Mi6 sole rubber.

The Freerider Contact Bike shoe has a stiff midsole, reinforced toe protection and a Contact Outsole designed for rigorous riding.

The Gavin Elite designed for performance and an exceptional fit.

This cycling shoe has a small adjustable buckle that allows you that extra fine tuning to find the ultimate fit for your personal comfort and improve your performance.

The material is a stylish faux microfiber leather with breathable mesh for airflow and cooling.

The Gavin Elite also features a nylon fiberglass sole with air-flow vents for less resistance and cooling.