Choosing your cycling shoes carefully is important to ensure you benefit from maximised performance but also to make sure that your shoes fit well to avoid discomfort, pain or even injury. No two pairs are the same and finding the best road bike shoes is often difficult due to the number of options available on the market.
Here, we’re taking a look at some of the top 5 tried and tested road bike shoes to help with your decision – although we would always recommend ensuring that your bike shoe is properly tailored to your riding style, bike, budget and individual requirements before you buy.
Boardman Carbon
With an all-carbon sole and internal padding and ventilation, this all-rounder cycling shoe offers great value for money and comfort when riding. The Boardman Carbon’s sole is stiff for security and precision, while the two-dial adjustment helps you to find the right fit for your feet. With lots of venting to keep the feet cool when riding and lots of additional space which is often hard to find in all budget bike shoes, this is certainly a strong contender for many. The price point sits at just £80 making it one of the more affordable road bike shoes in this list.
Fizik Tempo R5 Powerstrap
If you’re looking for a standout shoe that sits within the lower end of the budget range, then the Fizik Tempo R5 Powerstrap is a great choice. It’s a comfortable shoe offering support and comfort even suited to longer rides. The Fizik Tempo R5 Powerstrap also offers enough tension without being too stiff, and while not the lightest shoe on the market, it rivals in performance with shoes that cost double the price. The Fizik Tempo R5 Powerstrap sits at the £110 / $120 mark.
Specialized Torch 3.0
With two Boa dials and a Velcro strap, the Specialized Torch 3.0 offers great flexibility when it comes to precise adjustments. The fit feels generous and offers plenty of heel cup support. It also offers arch support to keep the foot protected and comfortable when riding. The shoe also helps to prevent slippage making climbing and sprinting even easier. This shoe sits in the mid-range budget point at around £200.
Giant Surge Pro
The Giant Surge Pro is a dedicated race shoe meaning they perform incredibly well under force. They are worn at the WorldTour by Team BikeExchange and are well-known in the industry. They offer adjustable arch support, insoles and the option to tweak tension via unidirectional Boa dials and Velcro. With no pinch points, the material of the shoe offers great flexibility and performance. Sitting again towards the top end of the budget at £299.99 / €360 / $399
Sidi Wire 2
Based at the top end of the budget, the Sidi Wire 2 is a highly rated road bike shoe offering excellent performance and fit. This particular shoe isn’t the lightest on the market weighing in at 660g for 45.5 size, however it offers excellent power transfer and comfort. Some testers found them to be a narrow fit however they offer sizes in 0.5’s meaning if they’re a little tight you can simply opt for half a size up – which is something quite unique to this brand.
