Best cycling shoes of 2023: Reviewed and rated

The best cycling shoes can make your ride more comfortable and more efficient. A good fit is fundamental to your ride and finding a pair that meets your needs, whether that's a super-stiff sole for racing or a more flexible fit for more off-bike use is vital.

Shoes for road biking and indoor cycling typically use three-bolt fittings and work with the best road bike pedals. In contrast, the best gravel bike shoes use two-bolt cleats and work with gravel bike pedals. I've highlighted a pair of off-road shoes below as well as a couple of commuter cycling shoe options with flat soles for use with flat pedals. We have a separate post highlighting the best indoor cycling shoes for use with Peloton or a smart trainer.

I'll explain more about the differences and how to choose the best cycling shoes for your needs lower down. But first, here are my picks of the best cycling shoes that I've reviewed at Cyclingnews. I've also got a section on shoes that I've reviewed but that, for a variety of reasons, didn't quite make the cut.

You can also find my award winners from our recent Cyclingnews awards series.

Quick list

The best cycling shoes available today

Best overall

The basic Giro Empire design has been around for years. You can watch Taylor Phinney looking his trademark cool while wearing them in Therabouts 2 way back in 2015. The latest version is the Giro Empire SLX but the formula is essentially unchanged. Way back then, and now, the idea is to use a seemingly simple construction to make the lightest most exacting shoe possible. If you want a wide shoe, or an ultra stiff sole, you will want to look elsewhere. I almost added BOA dials to that list as well but there is a slightly heavier version with BOA dials if you must go that route. I strongly recommend letting go of that need though. The laces are a light, ever so slightly stretchy material that never comes undone and there's a place to stash them so they don’t get in the way. The laces also mean the exact fit you need in every part of the shoe. 

Either way though, this is a narrow shoe and even I can induce a bit of flex in the carbon sole. That's what makes it great though, it fits like a second skin and practically begs you to stand and dance on the pedals. Despite the endless honing and shaving, you do still have the option of swapping arch support to fit your needs. Consider it the one small concession. 

The downside of all that weight reduction is that there are some things that don't make the cut. The Synchwire upper looks and feels great but it doesn't stand up to toe rub and adding a plastic protector would have added weight. I suspect it's a somewhat similar story as to why there's no adjustability in the cleat placement beyond what is allowed by the cleats themselves.

Read more details in our Giro Empire SLX gallery.

Best budget shoe

The Fizik Tempo Powerstrap R5 is going to be somewhat controversial. BOA dials dominate the options for modern cycling shoes and these shoes have none. The problem is that BOA dials cost money for a brand to use. That cost impacts budget models by putting dual zone adjustment out of reach. Fizik gets around this challenge by just leaving BOA dials off the design and instead uses an innovative system of big straps and Velcro. 

The straps that Fizik uses aren't like what you find on other brands of shoes. Instead of a stiff strap that pulls the the opening above the tongue closed, Fizik connects the straps of the Tempo Powerstrap R5 all the way down to the base of the shoe. The strap material is also different and it's both strong and flexible with no pressure points. The whole system sits close to the shoe, making it fast and simple to get the fitment perfect, and if you need to pull some kind of cycling overshoes on, there's nothing to get in the way. 

The downside of course is that there is no BOA dial. It's still pretty easy to adjust mid-ride if you have to but it will never be as simple, or precise, as a BOA dial. The shoes are also a bit on the warm side as they lack a vent through the sole of the shoe. 

Fizik frequently creates two shoes that are exactly the same other than one will have a two bolt cleat interface and tread and one will have a road specific base. That’s the case with the Tempo Powerstrap R5 as well, so if you prefer walkability for your road bike, or if you need a gravel shoe, check out our review of the Fizik X4 Terra Powerstrap.

Best cycling shoes for wide feet

The Bont Vaypor S was one of the shoes I was most excited to test. When they finally got to me though, they seemed to be the wrong size. It took quite a bit of examination to realise that the length was spot on. I couldn't go down a size but there was a lot of volume in the front of the shoe. It's unusual and I didn't immediately love it. The way the flap across the top of the shoe limits the adjustability by hitting the lower BOA dial eventually didn't help. 

Given that I don't have wide feet, I was sceptical of the design. On short rides, I didn't see much advantage although I did appreciate the toe rub protection and the incredibly grippy material on the interior of the shoe. It wasn't until I got the Vaypor S out on a long ride that I really appreciated the extra space in the toe box. It's much more substantial than Specialized despite that brand getting wider in the toe box over the years. Even when my feet swell, I never have issues with pressure anywhere in the shoes. If you need even wider, there are a total of four widths to pick from without having to go for a custom size and you can even customise the carbon with a simple heat mould process. I'm also a big fan of the fully reflective exterior of the Reflex Ghost version.

One thing to be aware of though is that, as the sole is a bathtub design, with carbon sides, if your feet are too wide they are going to butt up against solid carbon rather than flexible material, so fit is paramount. Lake on the other hand also offer shoes for those with wide feet that are more forgiving. 

You can read more details in our full Bont Vaypor S review.

Best cycling shoe when the road isn't paved

We have a buyer's guide specifically covering the best gravel bike shoes, but every time I'm asked to narrow it down to one shoe the S-Works Recon gravel shoe is the one I pick. More than that though, this shoe is making an appearance here on the more general list because the latest version of this shoe is essentially a clone of the S-Works Torch. The whole upper is exactly the same design pulled from the trends seen through over 100,000 foot scans as part of the RETÜL fit system. You still get the same widened toe box and squared off front. You also get the same hard wearing upper that is easy to clean and the same BOA dials that look amazing but don't pop to release. If you ever experienced pain around your ankle from an S-Works off-road shoe in the past, this latest version fixes that issue with a dropped external ankle arch. 

The place where things start to look different is in the sole. It's still ultra-stiff carbon that's perfect for high-intensity all day riding but it's also a two bolt cleat mount and there is some tread so you can walk. The whole design is almost more of an all-road design and it's a perfect shoe for a road rider who jumps back and forth between types of bikes.

Best for cleat adjustment

Shimano and Specialized are, at least in the US, the two most common brands. Just about every bike shop carries both and comparisons are obvious. As you look to decide between the two, the signature difference is how Shimano handles the closure design. Instead of coming from both sides of the shoe and closing in the middle, as you'd expect from a shoe, Shimano wraps one side over the other. It's unique compared to almost everything on the market and it makes for a narrower fit throughout. This latest generation adds more vertical volume at the toe but as soon as you start to head towards the back of the shoe everything narrows out. It's not as narrow as Giro but definitely more so than Specialized and that continues all the way to the heal cup which is even narrower than the Giro Empire. 

Outside of that, the big differentiator for Shimano is how much cleat adjustment the brand builds into the sole. The channel for sliding the cleat mount is roughly 18mm compared to 10-11mm for most brands. It might not sound like a big difference but if you want to get your cleat way back to the centre of your foot, most brands won't do it. Shimano does, as does Fizik, but Fizik is even narrower than Shimano. If getting the cleat towards the centre of your foot is your desire, Shimano will do it and you also get excellent toe rub protection, great mid-foot retention, and incredible colour options. 

You can read more details in our full Shimano S-Phyre RC903 review.

Best budget shoes with a BOA dial

For a lot of buyers, a BOA dial is a must have. If you are shopping for a BOA dial at a budget price, the Bontrager Circuit shoes are a quality option that won't break the bank. There are a few different BOA dial options and the Circuit uses an L6, meaning you can tighten it with a twist, but if you want to loosen things up you'll need to pop it then tighten again. Like all BOA dials, it's warrantied for life and you can swap pieces if anything ever breaks.

Another big advantage to the Bontrager Circuit shoe is in the sole. Trek, under the Bontrager sub-brand, uses a nylon composite that the brand puts at a 7 out of 14 compared to the other options available. That part isn't all that unique for a shoe of this price range but what is very unusual at any price range is the ability to mount your choice of two bolt of three bolt cleats. Even if you use a two bolt cleat you won't get the walkability of an off-road shoe but you do have the option if you prefer the ease of use that comes with a double sided off-road pedal. On top of that, Bontrager puts a vent at the toe which does a great job keeping you cool. 

The big downside is that the lower strap is essentially for show. It's not impossible to tighten it a little bit but the shoe and strap are too stiff to actually get much movement. 

You can read more details in our full Bontrager Circuit review. 

Best of the rest

In case it's not already apparent, I'm a fan of the Fizik Powerstrap system. There's nothing quite like the joy of popping open a BOA dial at the end of a long ride, but aside from price BOA dials are also heavier than other systems. Brands making the lightest shoes available tend to have different closure solutions, and for Fizik that means the Powerstrap system. As with the budget Tempo R5, the Fizik Vento Powerstrap R2 Aeroweave has two big and flexible straps that attach to the sole and close with Velcro. 

The R2 Aeroweave isn't trying to be a price leader though. Instead, this shoe is for a rider that loves a lightweight shoe and a narrow fit. The sole is a 10/10 stiffness on the Fizik scale, though there are stiffer soles out there, and there's a large vent at the front. Up top is where the real innovation is though. Instead of a wide variety materials on the market, Fizik uses something called Aeroweave.  Imagine the plastic lanyards, or bracelets, that kids make then imagine using that material to knit the entire upper of a shoe. It's light but it's also so open that you'd better make sure you are wearing something stylish from the best cycling socks list. You can see right through the Aeroweave so your socks are on display. 

The only downside of the Aeroweave is also the only real downside of the shoe in general. The construction seems to limit colour options so make sure you like black. On the upside, it's tough; even a toe rub or two won't be an issue.  

Read more details in our full Fizik Vento Powerstrap R2 Aeroweave road shoes review.

I almost didn't put the Lake CX403 on this list because it's so expensive. There are less expensive options as well though and Lake is offering a shoe unlike anything else on the market. It starts with one of the stiffest outsoles I've ever experienced and plenty of venting. Then, the upper uses kangaroo leather that's luxurious, supple, and available in beautiful colour options. Over the upper part of the foot, where the top BOA dial controls retention, is a carbon fibre fabric from Carbitex. The fabric keeps the upper strap from stretching and allows for even more precise adjustment. The whole ankle surround, a common weak spot for many great shoes, is also exceptionally well padded. 

Looking at all the details, this is one of the most advanced shoes on the market and it's hard to find fault with it. At least as long as you are considering the technology and the performance. There is a downside when it comes to the scale. I suspect that the exceptionally stiff sole is also a bit heavy. Whatever it is though, the Lake CX403 is the heaviest shoe on the list even coming in with more weight than low cost shoes with nylon soles. 

If a little extra weight isn't an issue for you, you'll still want to be aware of the sizing. The size chart was accurate for me but be mindful that the instructions say to add 5mm to the length of the measurement you take from your foot. 

Read more detail in our full Lake CX403 review.

Over the years, Specialized has been shifting the shape of the shoes the brand makes. More and more the toe box is wider with more room. The Specialized S-Works Torch is the replacement for the S-Works 7, and the latest in the many S-Works options the brand makes. As such, it's the most up to date vision of what Specialized believes is the best shape and it's 4mm wider at the ball than the previous generation of S-Works 7 shoe. 

The changes aren't just the work of intuition either. Specialized pulls from the trends seen through over 100,000 foot scans as part of the RETÜL fit system. The same data also guides the particular shape of the central cut-out as well as the angle BOA dials and the way that they sit on the shoe. It's also data you can feel when putting on the shoe. 

Cycling shoes are a balance of performance and style though. There are a lot of great looking shoes but the S-Works Torch takes things to a whole other level by looking incredible with a design that holds up. I love the protection at the toe against toe rub but the exterior is also hard wearing and easy to wipe clean, and the BOA dials are metal. Unfortunately those BOA dials, while looking great and holding up well, do lack the pop to release feature of more advanced models. 

Read more details in our full Specialized S-Works Torch review.

Adidas was once a dominant name in cycling then the brand disappeared. Now there are new offerings, and instead of looking to dominate the market with range topping offerings, Adidas just wants consideration. After spending time with these shoes, I'm happy to say they are more than worth considering.

The Road Cycling Shoe comes priced a little higher than the least expensive options here but still less than half the price of the most expensive options. For that money you get a shoe that feels a lot like it could be a soccer cleat. It has the same bit of upturn at the toe and the laces would also feel at home on pitch as well as a parcours. The upper is a woven fabric made from yarn containing at least half Parley Ocean Plastic content and the rest recycled polyester; it's padded and comfortable just like the tongue. 

For the sole, Adidas chose a fibreglass-reinforced polyamide plate instead of carbon. It's the softest of budget options but it’s completely workable, it's possible to recycle it, and it also helps keep costs down. The front and rear tread blocks are non-replaceable and the whole design is a bit heavy but, again, at this price point, everything seems reasonable. 

I have to also mention the iconic Adidas style. Style matters when it comes to shoes in general but the three Adidas stripes are going to turn heads in a whole different way. Like most Adidas products, colours change pretty often so you might find something different out there but they all have the stripes.