How to choose Halfords road cycling shoes for comfort, efficiency and performance

If you’re looking to make the jump to better riding performance, swapping from flat pedals and trainers to clipless pedals and cycling-specific shoes is, along with a comfortable pair of bib shorts, one of the best upgrades to make.

TL:DR Cycling shoes will allow you to use cleats – either two bolt or three bolt – for a secure and efficient connection to the pedals and will support your feet in a more stable position. A stiff sole will help improve power transfer, while dial or velcro closures will ensure you can adjust the uppers precisely.

Cycling shoes with a well-ventilated upper will keep your feet cool in the summer and you can use a set of overshoes to keep them warm and dry in cooler conditions. Finally, we’ve got some advice on how to set up your cleats.

Foot stability and power transfer

A quality pair of cycling shoes, such as the Boardman Road Cycling Shoes and Boardman Carbon Road Cycling Shoes will ensure efficient power transfer to your pedals. They’ll help hold your feet in a stable position without slipping around and support your arches.

Cycling shoes are designed to fit closely, to ensure efficient power transfer. But some brands have a reputation for a narrow fit, which can prove uncomfortable. The Boardman shoes designed for Halfords have a wider fit that should suit the majority of UK riders. That’s particularly important around the toes, to avoid a scrunched-up feeling and hot foot, where the midfoot becomes cramped up.

The shoe’s heel needs to fit closely though, so that the foot doesn’t move around or slip up and down when riding.

Carbon versus composite soles

A carbon sole will, in general, be stiffer than a composite or nylon sole, which should ensure more efficient power transfer and result in greater comfort when you’re riding further. It is usually lighter too.

You also need to consider the type of pedals and cleats that you expect to use. For beginners, swapping from flat pedals to clipping in can be tricky. A two-bolt pedal system such as Shimano SPD pedals can be easier to use and gain confidence with, as there are binding surfaces on both sides of the pedal.

A road-type three bolt system, such as Shimano SPD-SL or Look Keo uses a significantly larger plastic cleat that provides a more stable connection between the pedal and the cleat. It only connects on one pedal surface though, so learning to clip in can be harder. Freeing a foot can also be trickier.

The Boardman Road Cycling Shoes have a composite sole which can accept both three bolt and two bolt cleats, so they’re a natural choice for beginners who may want to start off with a two bolt system while keeping the option to move to three bolt cleats and pedals at a later date.

Choose the Boardman Carbon Cycling Shoes and they’re compatible with three bolt cleats only. You can purchase replacement heel bumpers online from Halfords, which should help extend the shoes’ life.

Closure systems

Dial closure systems have become the preferred option for road cycling shoes. The dial tightens and loosens a cord crossing the shoe’s upper multiple times to allow precise adjustment of the shoe’s fit while riding.

Other options used in some shoes are velcro straps, which tend to be less durable, or laces, which preclude tightening or loosening the shoe’s fit while riding.

Pricier shoes, like the Boardman Carbon Road Cycling Shoes, usually have two dials, so that the fit at the forefoot can be adjusted independently.

The Boardman Road Cycling Shoes and other more economical shoes have a single dial at the top and a velcro strap nearer the toes. It’s a perfectly fine combination, but just doesn’t look as polished.

Ventilation and comfort over long rides

You’re putting a lot of force through your feet, so particularly in hotter weather they can become uncomfortably hot.

Road cycling shoes are typically well-vented to ensure airflow. In the Boardman cycling shoes, this comes in the form of punched vent holes in the front part of the uppers and across the entirety of the tongue. There are further vents in the soles.

Other shoes have mesh panels built into the uppers or are made of woven fabric.

While you’ll want to keep your feet cool in warm weather, once it turns cooler and wetter, you’ll need to keep your feet dry and warm – so invest in a pair of Boardman Cycle Overshoes to protect your feet and your shoes. They add a reflective stripe at the rear too, to increase your road presence.

Cleat positioning fundamentals

With your foot locked to your pedal, where the cleat is positioned is vital for foot comfort. A poorly positioned cleat can manifest itself in foot pain and scuffed cranks, but also result in discomfort at the knee and hip, so it’s vital to get this right.

The cleat’s fixing system allows you to move it forward and backwards on the shoe’s sole and also side to side. You can also alter the cleat’s angle on the sole which will change your toe in/out angle. Some shoes, such as the Boardman Carbon, have a floating plate in the sole that provides even more fore and aft adjustability.

In general, a cleat should be placed at the midpoint between the two prominences on the outer and inner side of the forefoot. You can find videos online showing you how to line up your cleat correctly. There’s a modern trend to fix the cleat a little further back than this classic position though.

It’s a good idea to experiment with your cleat position and see what’s comfortable and efficient for you. Expect to have to make small adjustments between rides until you’re happy with your cleat position. You may want to take an Allen key with you for small in-ride changes.

When your cleats need replacing, mark around them on the shoe’s sole so that you can place the new cleat in exactly the same position.