The Most High-Performing Cycling Shoes, All-Terrain Challenges
Tags: Cycling, Riding, Bikes

Want to find a high-performing pair of shoes to maximize your cycling experience? Check out our list of the best cycling shoes for 2021!

Whether you’re a gravel grinder, a road rider, or a singletrack shredder; high-performance cycling shoes are of utmost importance. These lightweight, specially-designed shoes will secure your feet, maximize your push energy to pedals, boost your overall performance, and help you conquer every terrain challenge.

So how can we choose the right shoes to upgrade our cycling experience? To help cyclists find a perfect match, we’ve summarized some of the best performance-driven shoes for 2021.

Criteria to buy cycling shoes

Stiff soles

The outsole, or the sole of a shoe, should be stiff; it may not budge when you bend it. The proper stiffness would allow an efficient power transfer to the pedals; therefore, your performance is improved with even less effort.

You also need to pay special attention to shoe soles’ materials. A performance pair of shoes usually use carbon or nylon soles. Strong, light, highly resistant to cracking, and super durable making them perfect materials to be used in the soles. However, while it requires an extremely higher cost to produce carbon, nylon is inexpensive.

Comfortable toe box

Generally, the toe box is the part of the shoe that surrounds the toes. You need to be certain that the toe box section fits your feet, with no cramping or compressing; it means your feet have sufficient space to accommodate movements slightly.

Flat or clipless pedals

Pedals incorporate two basic categories: flat or clipless (also called clip-in).

Flat pedals, which are flat on both sides, are generally more popular. They enable you to jump on and go at once, effortlessly; you can also adjust your feet so that they are placed comfortably on the pedals. Since flat pedal shoes are flat on the bottom, it is not suitable for “clipping-in” to the pedal

Clipless pedal shoes have stiffer soles and “clip-in” to the pedals by the cleats attached directly to the shoe soles. Though a little bit of practice is required, this type of cycling shoe will satisfy whoever aims at performance

Closure system

There are four kinds of closure systems that you can choose from: BOA, Buckle/straps, Velcro straps and Classic:

If you want to improve your overall performance, all four systems above work for you. However, if you often ride in muddy conditions, the BOA will be the best option.

Is there any difference between women’s and men’s shoes?

Although cycling shoes have been varied in sizes and fits, there are still considerable differences between men’s and women’s shoes. The Q-angles of women’s shoes are often wider than the men’s. Plus, shoes created for women usually come narrow in the heel and wider from the toe.

See about: Which Are The Best-Selling Rechargeable Cycling Lights?

Here’s our suggestion of the best cycling shoes specifically for men, women, and both

Top cycling shoes for men

Shimano S-Phyre RC9

Price: $425

Size (Euro): 36–48

Outsole: TPU (cover)

Colors: Blue, White, Red, Black

Closure system: 2 BOA (Li2), Powerzone guide

Along with the flashy design, these shoes offer many bonuses. Their shoe soles are carbon stiff; enhanced hydrophobic materials help limit moisture retention and Silvadur’s patented silver ion intelligent technology would prevent all unwanted odors or discoloration from occurring.

Boardman Carbon

Price: $180

Size (Euro): 40–47

Outsole: Ultra-light carbon

Colors: Grey

Closure system: BOA dials

With the shoe soles being made of carbon, these shoes offer an extremely low price. Moreover, they use a dual dial tightening system which is easy to adjust on the go, and an integrated heel grip would prevent users from slipping.

To me, these shoes are such a great value for male cyclists!

Bont Riot Road+ Boa

Price: $182

Size (Euro): 36–50

Outsole: Carbon-reinforced fiberglass

Colors: Black/Black, Black/White, Blue/Orange, Lime/Charcoal, Pearl/Black, White/Black

Closure system: Buckle and velcro

To put it simply, fitting is the prerequisite of high-performing shoes; as a result, offering a vast range of sizes is a big bonus. Besides that point, these shoes also have innovative attributes, for example, its heat-moldable chassis owing to Bont Cycling’s proprietary resin (a result of 36 years in the making).

This resin is exceptionally stiff but pliable at quite low temperatures so you can make minor adjustments to fit. That feature is different from other brands’ shoes, which makes Bont Riot+ one-of-a-kind.

Fizik Tempo R5 Powerstrap

Price: $120

Size (Euro): 36–47

Outsole: Nylon composite

Colors: Black/Black, White/Black, Navy/Black, Coral/Black

Closure system: Velcro

If you’re finding cycling shoes for long rides, Fizik Tempo R5 Powerstrap is a bright candidate. These shoes are extremely comfortable with even tension, your heel and your toes would be secured whether standing and walking off the bike by their integrated heel and toe bumpers. In conclusion, they fit extremely well, super strong but not tight-toe boxes.

Giant Surge Pro

Price: $385

Size (Euro): 36–47

Outsole: New 100% thermoset carbon ExoBeam

Colors: White, Black

Closure system: BOA

Key performance factors for Giant Surge Pro include a unique slip-last construction, Boa System and the so-called ExoBeam plate.

Their Slip-Last Construction entitles the forefoot to be stiff while allowing torsional rotation of the midfoot and the rear.

BOA Powerzone with direct pull ExoWrap, so every foot and arch type is supported

Thermoset carbon ExoBeam plate builds the stiffest, lightest plate that excels industry standards

However, they’re only available in black or white, which apparently can not satisfy everyone.

Sidi Wire 2 Carbon WomenTop cycling shoes for women

Price: $500

Size (Euro): 38–43

Outsole: Carbon

Colors: White, Black

Closure system: BOA dials, straps

Wire 2 Carbon Women is designed to fit the female foot perfectly thanks to the innovative woman last mimicking women’s more tapered foot shape compared to the men’s and a lower overall volume. The combination of a soft instep closure system, Tecno-3 push system and Single Tecno-3 push bring out comfort and convenience. Its full-carbon sole efficiently transfers power through your feet to the pedals.

A prominent advantage of Sidi Wire 2 Carbon Women is that it is super easy for users to replace parts that wear out. However, the disadvantages lie in its weight (compared to other goods in the market) and some people may feel that their soles are a little too stiff for them.

Giro Empire ACC Women’s

Price: $299.95

Size (Euro): 36–43

Outsole: Carbon

Colors: White, Black

Closure system: Laces

Empire ACC shoes from the Giro brand stand out with their lightweight, comfortable-fit stiff outsole. Giro has improved the ventilation of these shoes by adding more perforations, so your toes would be kept cool and dry even in summer. The contoured fit to women’s heels makes them one of the brightest options for female cyclists.

With the sleek and uniform profile, the full lacing system combined with the microfiber’s flexibility contributes to a customized fit. Yet, speaking of convenience, laces are still inferior to dials and traps. Plus, because they are women’s feet specific-fit, they are not ideal for wider feet owners.

Scott Road Comp Boa Lady Shoe

Price: $99.95

Size (Euro): 36–42

Outsole: Fiberglass-injected nylon, polyurethane

Colors: Matte Black, Silver

Closure system: a BOA dial + a hook-and-loop strap

As their name suggests, Road Comp Boa Lady Shoe is created to comfort women’s feet and help ladies hit the highest cycling performance possible. For less than $100, these cycling shoes contain plenty of excellent attributes: an ideal stiffness index, a wrap fit design, the adaptive fit upper pattern…

Even though there’ve been some reviews mentioning the hard-to-tightened BOA dial, Road Comp Boa Lady Shoe is a good match for cycling enthusiasts.

Shimano SH-RC100 WOMEN

Price: $90

Size (Euro): 36–44

Outsole: Glass fiber reinforced nylon

Colors: Black, Blue

Closure system: Velcro straps

Synthetic leather, mesh texture, wide heel pads; Shimano SH-RC100 Women cycling shoes are not only ideal for walking but also provide a comfortable fit for bike racers during long rides. The addition of glass fiber to nylons significantly improves the strength, abrasion resistance, stiffness and dimensional stability of the shoe soles.

Despite their strengths, It’s also notable that Shimano’s SH-RC100 Women’s shoes do not perform as well as other mountain bike shoes with off-road bikes. Another negative point is their three Velcro-style straps as it’s usually hard to make adjustments to them.

Pearl Izumi Sugar Road

Price: $130

Size (Euro): 36–43

Outsole: Nylon and carbon

Colors: Black/Black, White/White

Closure system: Laces

Pearl Izumi has such a classic appearance with traditional lace closures, but their shoe soles are made using modern technology: the supportive nylon composite sole incorporates a stiff carbon plate, therefore maximizing power transfer. Nevertheless, some people may prefer more fashionable design shoes, or they just don’t like laces.

Unisex shoes for cyclists

S7 Road

Price: $425

Size (Euro): 36–49

Outsole: Carbon

Colors: White, Black

Closure system: 2 BOA dials, strap

We love Specialized S7 Shoes for their vast range of sizes. They are varied in narrow, regular as well as wide widths with the sizes running from 36 to 49 (Euro sizes). Their sleek, sporty, modern designs are suitable for both men and women.

Besides, they own the lightest and stiffest soles that Specialized has offered thanks to the highly rigid FACT Powerline carbon plate, producing optimum power transmission.

The specialized S7 line of shoes also has a non-slip, replaceable heel tread along with internally recessed screws for safety. Specialized S7 shoes also provide a roomy toe box for riders’ ultimate connectivity and comfort.

Sidi Alba 2

Price: $259.99

Size (Euro): 36–49

Outsole: Carbon

Colors: Black/Black, Black/Red, White/Black/Red

Closure system: Dial and Velcro

Sidi has gained a reputation for producing high-performance shoes. With carbon soles, the closure system contains dial and velcro, they’re also available in different sizes (from size 36 to size 49) and colors to meet the preferences of customers.

Sidi shoes are made of a material known as Politex, and they fit your feet like an Italian footwear firm’s high-end shoes. Yet, the velcro straps are not very secure.

Giro Imperial

Price: $424.95

Size (Euro): 36–48

Outsole: Carbon

Colors: White, Black, Red

Closure system: BOA

Giro Imperial can be considered to be one of the best racing shoes ever produced. They are light, snug yet supple upper with attractive design. However, buyers also need to consider their durability and the width of the toe box.

Louis Garneau Course Air Lite II

Price: $337.76

Size (Euro): 34–50

Outsole: Carbon Air Lite

Colors: White, Black, Blue

Closure system: 2 BOA dials

Louis Garneau Course Air Lite II are cycling shoes that balance weight, comfort and stiffness. Carbon fiber soles efficiently bring power transfer to the highest level. Their insoles are equipped with adjustable arch support. Nevertheless, their heels may be loose and the laces could have been easier to be tightened

Hope you guys find this post helpful!

WellTraining

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