7 Best Road Cycling Shoes, 90+ Shoes Tested in 2022
Whether you want lightweight, efficient power transfer, or superb comfort, we've rounded up the best road cycling shoes that suit your needs and deliver optimal performance. From trusted brands such as Giro, Fizik, and Mavic Cosmic, to name a few, there’s a perfect pair for your riding style and discipline.
If money is not an issue, you’ll find in our fantastic selections the latest top-of-the-line pro models. You will also find a solid lineup of budget-friendly options that perform just as well. We carefully highlight the best of the best in different categories depending on your specific preferences.
With so many road cycling shoes on the market, getting the right one can be time-consuming. To help you save time and energy, we’ve thoroughly tested and reviewed all the models in the database. Check out below our top picks for faster reference.
How we test road cycling shoes
We’ve invested our time testing the shoes and putting in the miles. This allows us to identify the best road cycling shoes for your riding style, performance requirements, and budget. We value our objectivity and unbiased approach when it comes to our in-depth reviews.
This is how we approach our selection process:
- We buy road cycling shoes for wear testing. This allows us the freedom to give our feedback with 100% honesty and transparency.
- We clock in long hours on the road to determine the comfort, power transfer, durability, and overall performance of each shoe on this list.
- We enrich our comparable data by gathering more information from other professional testers and regular road cycling enthusiasts.
In the end, we rank all the road cycling shies using our proprietary CoreScore system. Based on the data we’ve gathered above, the system will calculate all variables and assign each model an overall rating from 0 to 100. We put into our highlights the top-rated shoes in specific categories.
Best road cycling shoes overall
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all cycling shoes.
This shoe has a 7% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn more- Top 11% in road cycling shoes
- Top 14% in Giro cycling shoes
- Top 25% most popular cycling shoes
Pros
- Light
- Breathable
- Fashion-forward
- Glove-like fit
- Easy on and off
- Improves efficiency
- Value-oriented
Cons
- Doesn't hold cleats well
Verdict
Best Giro road cycling shoes
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all cycling shoes.
- Top 21% in road cycling shoes
- Top 25% in Giro cycling shoes
- Top 26% most popular cycling shoes
Pros
- Comfortable for long rides
- Sufficient energy transfer
- On-the-fly adjustment
- Solid craftsmanship
- Easy cleat adjustment
- Good value for money
- Enhanced visibility at night
Cons
- Lack of airflow
- Limited BOA function
Verdict
Best boa road cycling shoes
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all cycling shoes.
This shoe has a 7% penalty on its user ratings because it has fewer than 50 ratings. It also has a 7% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn more- Top 22% in road cycling shoes
- Top 7% in Lake cycling shoes
Pros
- Comfortable fit
- Dual fit adjustment system
- Customizable fit
- Well-made
- Breathable
- Rigid sole unit
- Worthwhile investment
Cons
- Thin insoles
- Limited color choices
Verdict
Best flat road cycling shoes
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all cycling shoes.
This shoe has a 7% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn morePros
- Excellent craftsmanship
- Stylish
- Walkable
- Reasonable price
- No hotspots
- Lightweight
- Molds to foot
Cons
- Flexible soles
- Old-fashioned closure
- Narrow
Verdict
Best waterproof road cycling shoes
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all cycling shoes.
This shoe has a 7% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn morePros
- Attractive design
- Commendable BOA closure
- Exceptional comfort
- Easy to clean
- Excellent quality
Verdict
Best value road cycling shoes
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all cycling shoes.
This shoe has a 7% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn more- Top 19% in Lake cycling shoes
- Top 10% most popular cycling shoes
Pros
- Exemplary comfort
- Excellent energy transfer
- Wide toe box
- Breathable
- Appealing design
- Efficient closure system
- Premium quality
- Great value for money
Cons
- Lack of color options
- Very easy to scuff up.
Verdict
Most popular road cycling shoes
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all cycling shoes.
This shoe has a 7% penalty on its user ratings because it has fewer than 50 ratings. It also has a 7% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn more- Top 14% most popular cycling shoes
Pros
- Offers lasting comfort
- Stiff sole unit
- Excellent craftsmanship
- Efficient closure
- Attractive design
- Customizable fit
Cons
- Holds moisture
- Lacks breathability
