Best cycling shoes

Best cycling shoes
(Image credit: Venzo)

One of the key contact points between you and your bike is at your feet. In the 1970s and 1980s, companies like Cinelli and Look developed the first popular clipless road bike pedals, which allowed shoes to clip in and out of pedals without the need for the previously-common toe-clip. This was achieved using springs in the pedal and plastic cleats on the soles of the shoes, and it helped to improve pedaling efficiency and power transfer.

In the past three decades, clipless pedals and shoes have been used almost exclusively at the top of the sport and various shoe brands have emerged to further improve pedaling efficiency with the introduction of stiff carbon fiber soles and various fastening systems for improved power transfer.

Mildred Locke

Mildred joined as Reviews Writer for Cyclingnews and BikePerfect in December 2020. She loves all forms of cycling from long-distance audax to daily errand-running by bike, and does almost everything on two wheels, including moving house, and started out her cycling career working in a bike shop. For the past five years she's volunteered at The Bristol Bike Project as a mechanic and session coordinator, and now sits on its board of directors.

Since then she's gone on to write for a multitude of cycling publications, including Bikeradar, Cycling Plus, Singletrack, Red Bull, Cycling UK and Total Women's Cycling. She's dedicated to providing more coverage of women's specific cycling tech, elevating under-represented voices in the sport, and making cycling more accessible overall. 

Height: 156cm (5'2")

Weight: 75kg

Rides: Stayer Groadinger UG, Triban RC520 Women's Disc, Genesis Flyer, Marin Larkspur, Cotic BFe 26, Clandestine custom bike