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Adidas booster 20 boots | Why use road cycling shoes in the first place

Most people who ride bikes around the world start with sneakers. But here is the problem with sneakers:

• they are floppy
• they get shoe laces caught up in the bike chain
• they don’t allow you to pull up on the pedal with your calf, creating a massive ‘dead spot’ on every pedal stroke! 

So any biker who has pushed into a headwind or up their local hill knows, road cycling is sometimes not that easy. Increased efficiencies on the bike become critical to improving enjoyment, and companies have spent immeasurable hours creating technologies that can be enjoyed by all cyclists. Fortunately buying a pair of cycling shoes is an easy way to upgrade your cycling. Here are the benefits that they offer:

Much like padded shorts, once a biker begins riding in cycling-specific shoes they promise themselves to never go back to sneakers again, the benefits being so great.

Choosing the right pair of road cycling shoes for you

This guide is going to help you understand the three fundamentals next time you’re in the market for some road cycling shoes:

1. The right type… for your riding style.
2. The right fit… for your foot.
3. The right style… for your on-bike performance

Let’s get right into it.

Make sure road cycling shoes match your riding style

Much like bikes themselves, the shoes have been designed to accommodate the riding type as best they can, and there is some crossover. Road cycling shoes are designed to be:

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• Made of fabrics designed to survive outdoor elements, including rain and hot weather
• Easy to take on and off
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• Aerodynamic, to reduce drag - especially useful in a headwind
• With a three-hole cleat system on the sole

When NOT to choose road shoes

On the flip side, and especially compared to their mountain bike, gravel bike, and casual bike shoe counterparts, road cycling shoes:

Finding the right fit in road bike shoes

One of the first things you may notice if you’re in the market for some road cycling shoes is that the sizing system can seem a bit weird; but fear not! There’s a simple explanation…

How does the sizing system for road cycling shoes work?

Road cycling shoes are often sold using Euro sizing, not US sizing

Road cycling has significant roots and traditions stemming from Europe. Think of the big events like the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia - steeped in tradition, these races are considered the creme de la creme of the cycling world; for a biker, they are more important and in many respects bigger than the Olympics. The good news for you and me? The technology in the equipment - including shoes - that these professional bikers use filters down to the everyday road biker. But because road cycling is a European dominant market, with that comes some quirks. 

Most road cycling shoes are marketed around the world using European sizing systems. If you’ve never encountered shoes with ‘Euro’ sizing - sometimes noted simply as ‘EUR’ by some manufacturers - this might seem a bit bizarre but it’s actually pretty simple. Allow me to explain further…

What’s my Euro shoe size?

See shoe size conversion guide for more information on size conversions.

The above chart is a demonstration of how sizing systems work between standard US sizing and Euro sizing, but as you would expect some sizes are different among different manufacturers. Cross-reference your usual US size compared to your Euro size and now you have a good idea of what size you will wear.

Note that Euro sizing does not vary amongst men and women, adults and children; it’s just one number. In other words, it doesn't matter what gender or age you are, your Euro shoe size is your Euro shoe size. Kind of makes sense when you think about it.

See more: How to measure shoe size

Shoe sizing systems amongst brands

In addition to our extensive shoe size conversion guide, we’ve already prepared a detailed analysis of shoe sizing systems from various brands. These pages are an excellent source of reference prior to purchase.

• Adidas shoe size chart
• Bont shoe size chart
• Bontrager shoe size chart
• Diadora shoe size chart
• Fizik shoe size chart
• Giro shoe size chart
• Lake shoe size chart
• Louis Garneau shoe size chart
• Mavic shoe size chart
• Northwave shoe size chart
• Pearl Izumi shoe size chart
• Scott shoe size chart
• Shimano shoe size chart
• Sidi shoe size chart
• Specialized shoe size chart
• Vittoria shoe size chart

Are there women-specific road cycling shoes?

Like any sports and athletic shoes on the market, yes indeed there are women-specific road cycling shoes but - and I’m being brutally realistic here - at this point, it’s fair to say the women’s-specific cycling shoe selection is rather limited. As biking gains in popularity, the available range will no doubt increase with time, but for now choice is low. Sorry, ladies!

But despair not, many of the best female cyclists in the world actually prefer to wear non-women-specific shoes. Why is that? Well, one of the strong arguments for doing so is that cycling is a non-weight-bearing activity, and so the differences in pedaling action between men and women is biologically actually not that much. So, if you’re a woman and leaning towards purchasing some road cycling shoes that aren’t marketed as women-specific you’re in good company… most designs are not very ‘masculine’ so you can easily wear them with pride, and without fear of negative judgment.

Choosing the right style and features in road cycling shoes

Road cycling shoes are characterized by some notable features that are important considerations for all bikers, each of which is something an eager cyclist eye will look for. They are:

• The shoe’s closure (retention) system
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• The fitting system that connects the cleats to the pedals

Retention systems 101

Generally speaking, there are four primary retention systems found on road cycling shoes, each with its pros and cons.

Hook and loop (‘Velcro’) straps

The most economic and arguably simple solution, velcro straps are rather popular. Simple adjustability makes them easy to tighten and loosen (one-handed if needed), they last seemingly forever and their relatively slimline appeals to the modern road biker.

The number of velcro straps is directly correlated to the level of shoe it appeals to. Take note of the following:

Laces

Taking a step out of the history books, road shoes with laces have made a stunning comeback in recent times. As often is the case with fashion, laced-up road shoes appeal to a certain aesthetic inspired by the classic 1960s style of Eddy Merckx.

Laces often help shoes fit ‘just right’ and they offer a sleek design, theoretically more aerodynamic than their counterparts. But they come with a catch - getting your laces caught up between your chain and chainring could quickly turn into a Beige ride, with potentially disastrous consequences.

If it’s aesthetic appeal you’re looking for, shoe laces might be just the right thing to compliment the rest of your kit. But in terms of functionality and practicality, there's a reason why velcro straps and dials are the preferred types.

Buckles

Micro-adjustable buckles were popular from the early 2000s until a few years ago, but frankly? They’re on the way out. They were a “good” (but not “great”) choice in their day, but as manufacturers phase this technology out they are being replaced rapidly by dial systems…

Dials (BOA)

A dial-up retention system is not dissimilar to something you might see in ski boots: A wire lace that is tightened with a round dial and loosened by unclipping the dial. It’s like a hybrid mix of shoelaces that meets buckles. The market leader in the dial-up retention system is BOA which licenses its product to various shoe brands, but there are other branded dials on the market - all doing a similar thing.

BOA-style dials are sleek, easy to use, and are the market-leading retention system in the cycling market today.

The importance of sole stiffness - overrated

It might seem a bit counter-intuitive at first but oddly enough having a stiff sole on your road shoes is critical to SIXTY cycling easier. Consider this: a sneaker with a floppy sole can feel beautifully comfortable during many activities, but on the bike, it’s different: the power transferred from the biker’s leg gets lost in the sneakers’ flex before even SIXTY it to the pedals. Put simply, stiff soles mean maximum power, and maximum power transfer means maximum efficiency - it means you’ll be riding faster!

On that basis you would quite reasonably expect that buying shoes with the stiffest sole possible makes for an easy win, right? Turns out, not so much. This 2020 study from University of Colorado1 Ankle boots GABOR 75.520.18 New Whisky “no effect of cycling shoe sole stiffness on sprint performance.” In layman's terms the bottom line appears to be that spending big money on shoes with an ultra-stiff sole really is not worth it; buy the shoes you like instead. Of course, be sure they have a stiff sole - all road cycling shoes do - but don’t spend too long worrying about how stiff it is.

A simple breakdown of road bike cleat systems

The cleats are the part that attaches the shoe to the pedal and keeps it in place, originating from the Ski fields of France. I could write an entire article about cleats alone, but that’s not the purpose of this guide. Instead, I’ll briefly explain the most popular types of cleat systems so that the next time you speak to your local bike shop assistant, you’ll at least have some idea of what they’re talking about.

SPD (2 holes)	Look Delta (3 holes)

Low Cut Lace-up Sneaker:

Look Delta: 

• One of the original three-bolt systems;
• Fits all road shoes;
• Generally considered obsolete.

Look Keo:

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• Update to the ‘Delta’ style (see above);
• Extremely popular;
• Open design is used among many other brands, including Garmin Vector.

Shimano SPD-SL:

• Where to buy Adidas basketball-inspired sneakers;
• Extremely popular;
• Not to be confused with Shimano’s two-hole SPD system.

Shimano SPD:

• Two-bolt pattern - the preferred system for mountain biking but also very common in indoor spin classes;
• Can be installed onto road shoes with an adapter.

Speedplay:

• Three-hole pattern with base plate - fits all road shoes;
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Time:

• Three-hole pattern - fits all road shoes;
• Very niche, very uncommon.

Be aware that shoe and cleat brands are both ways compatible (for example, Look cleats can be installed onto Shimano shoes) but cleats and pedals must be a strict match (Look Keo cleats only fit into Look Keo pedals, Shimano SPD-SL cleats only fit Shimano SPD-SL pedals etc).

Also worth mentioning is that, unlike the shoes and pedals that surround them, cleats will wear out and they need to be replaced frequently to ensure a snug and secure fit.

Frequently asked questions about cycling shoes

What does “clipless” mean?

Some pedals come with toe clips and straps - a nylon strap literally straps over the shoe to keep it in place. Before clipless technology, this was the preferred way to keep the shoe strapped to the pedal.

Clipless pedals means the cleats click directly into the pedal, SIXTY the clip and strap of a bygone era somewhat redundant. Hence the name ‘clipless’.

Do shoes come with cleats when I buy them?

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There’s a bit of a technique to it but it becomes extremely easy with practice. As you’re slowing down, turn your foot outwards. This will disengage the cleat from the pedal and allow you to rest that foot on the ground.

Will I fall off and crash if I don’t unclip in time?

Yes, and as humiliating and scary as it might sound… we all do it! It’s part of learning. Eventually, you’ll know how to do it without thinking. Practice, practice and practice some more. It becomes a bit like, well, riding a bike.