Best budget cycling shoes

Cyclist
Best budget cycling shoes

Graduating from a pair of trainers to dedicated road cycling shoes is a pivotal moment in a rider’s journey, marking the change from casual rider to full-blown ‘cyclist’.

As with many things in this world, riding ‘clipped in’ brings claims of increased efficiency, power and comfort. While we’d normally have an air of suspicion over such claims, riding clipped in is one of the biggest upgrades you can make to your riding experience. Rather confusingly, all of these shoes work with clipless pedals, a name that originates from the fact that such pedals meant no longer using the system of metal toe clips and leather straps to fasten the rider’s feet to the pedals.

There is a veritable sea of options to choose from, including different materials, closure systems and cleat compatibility, so it can be daunting to pick out the best pair for you. Fortunately, we’re here to help.

Best budget cycling shoes at a glance

Adidas The Road Cycling Shoe: RRP £140 — Buy now from Adidas (£84)
Bont Motion: RRP £80 — Buy now from Tweeks Cycles (£30)
Dhb Dorica Lace Carbon: RRP £85 — Buy now from Wiggle (£35)
Fizik Vento Omna: RRP £170 — Buy now from Tredz (£170)
Giro Stylus: RRP £100 — Buy now from Giro (£100)
Quoc Escape: RRP £150 — Buy now from Quoc (£150)
Scott Road Comp Boa: RRP £120 — Buy now from Alpinetrek (£74.37)
Shimano RC5: RRP £140 — Buy now from Tredz (£90)
Specialized Torch 1.0: RRP £100 — Buy now from Specialized (£100)
Udog Tensione: RRP £150 — Buy now from Condor Cycles (£150)

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Why should I trust your advice?

We all remember our first ride being clipped in, wobbling down the street furiously reminding ourselves that we needed to unclip a foot from the pedals before coming to a stop to avoid the embarrassing topple over at a junction or traffic lights. We’ve been there. But riding clipped in makes for more efficient and comfortable riding longer term, so graduating to ‘proper’ cycling shoes is a rite of passage.

We also ride our bikes. A lot. So our review team, led by tech editor Sam Challis and web editor Matthew Loveridge know what features and technologies are worth spending a bit extra on. We’ve also included a range of options for those with wider feet or who otherwise struggle to get a good fit.

Advice for first time buyers

Cleat system

There’s a couple of things to consider when buying your first pair of road cycling shoes. The first is the type of cleats that will fit your shoes. This will be governed by the type of pedals you choose but all cleats use either a two- or three-bolt system. The two-bolt system is more commonly found on gravel and mountain bike shoes and the three-bolt system is exclusively found on road platforms.

Some cycling shoes have both two-bolt and three-bolt hole patterns, allowing you to make the choice which to use, but with most you’re going to have to make the decision on which type of cleats you want to use when you buy your cycling shoes and stick with it.

Stiffness

The other aspect which differentiates cycling shoes is sole stiffness. With a relatively small area that transmits pedalling force to your pedals, a stiffer sole can improve pedalling efficiency. Lower-priced shoes often include a nylon composite sole unit. This may be reasonably stiff, but a carbon sole will usually be stiffer, as well as lighter. With expensive shoes, one of the features you’ll be paying for is a carbon sole.

You’ll often see sole stiffness index figures bandied around. Since each brand has its own stiffness index and this may go up to an unspecified maximum number, this is not a very good comparator, but might help a little. In general a stiffer sole is considered better, but this may lead to foot aches if you ride longer distances and can make walking in cycling shoes even trickier than it already is.

Closure mechanism

Several years ago, laces on cycling shoes (remember them?) had a renaissance as an alternative to Velcro and buckles, as they spread the pressure more evenly over the top of the foot. They’re also lighter and potentially more aero, which is why you’ll still see lace-up shoes adorning the feet of the likes of Tadej Pogačar, despite their major drawback: a lack of adjustability while riding.

You’ll still find Velcro and, less frequently, buckles on cycling shoes, but dial closure systems, including the Boa system and cheaper alternatives, are a popular choice. These use a cable – usually metal – to provide even tension over the shoe and have the advantage that they allow on-the-fly adjustability. It’s easier than dealing with laces but does come at a higher price than either Velcro or laces.

The best budget cycling shoes

Adidas The Road Cycling Shoe

£140 | View offer

Weight: 568g (pair, size 42)
Pros: Lowish weight, Good looks
Cons: Fine weather shoes only, Sole not the stiffest

A nostalgia kick to the days when Eddy Merckx and other top riders wore Adidas shoes, the brand returned to the cycling shoe fold after 15 years with its imaginatively named offering. It uses the same Adidas fabric for the uppers as in its running shoes and football boots, so the shoes are comfortable and conform well to the foot. They look the part too.

Although the nylon/glass fibre sole is not as stiff as flashier numbers, that’s not something that we noticed in use. We’d still have liked to see a full carbon sole though – and a cleverer name.

Read our full Adidas The Road Cycling Shoe review
Buy now from Adidas (£84)

Bont Motion

£80 | View offer

Weight: 662g (pair, size 46)
Pros: Very stiff fibreglass sole, Good fit
Cons: Velcro closure is harder to adjust than a dial, Heavy-ish

Bont shoes have appeared on the feet of Tour de France champions, Olympic track riders and many others in between. The Australian company traditionally uses a carbon tub that the foot sits in to provide a stiff platform, but the Motion shoes use a fibreglass sole to maintain similar levels of stiffness but at a more affordable price. I found the sole to be incredibly stiff, rivalling some carbon-soled offerings, which is mighty impressive for shoes at this price point.

The uppers are made from an anti-stretch microfibre, which Bont claims to be durable and the extensive perforations aid ventilation. Three Velcro straps secure the foot into the shoe. While it’s much tricker to adjust the tension on the move, they are very simple with almost nothing to fail, unlike a dial closure.

I found the fit to be great, the narrow heel cup offering security and the wide toe box allowing my toes to spread out rather than be cramped up.

Read our full Bont Motion review

Dhb Dorica Lace Carbon

£85 | View offer

Weight: 552g (pair, size 46)
Pros: Classy looks, Stiff carbon sole, Very affordable
Cons: Lace closure limits adjustability

Lace-up cycling shoes might not be everyone’s cup of tea but they offer a huge amount of adjustment in terms of tension down the foot. Couple this adjustability with a very stiff carbon sole and, dare I say, timeless design and the Dhb Dorica Lace shoes look like a great balance of price, performance and looks.

On the road, I found the shoes to be supremely comfortable, providing ample support and comfort thanks to a generously padded heel cup. The 3K woven carbon sole felt very stiff even in all-out sprints but did not cause my feet to feel sore, which can sometimes be the case with overly harsh soles.

There no denying laces are nowhere near as convenient as a Boa dial or Velcro but I think they offer a worthy trade-off in terms of adjustability and they look great too. An elasticated pouch on the tongue keeps the laces tidy and secure.

Read our full Dhb Dorica Lace Carbon review

Fizik Vento Omna

£170 | View offer

Weight: 527g (Pair, size 46)
Pros: Smart looks, Low weight, Dual-action Boa closure
Cons: Shoes tend to run hot

The Vento Omnas are one of the Fizik’s budget road shoe offerings but certainly punch above their weight in terms of performance. Weighing 527g per pair, the Vento Omnas use a nylon-reinforced sole, which offers a reasonably stiff platform and is impressive given the shoes’ weight. The PU upper is perforated for ventilation but I found it struggled to keep my feet cool despite the large inlet under the toe.

The single Li2 Boa dial can be tightened and loosened incrementally, something that is rare to see at this price point and allows for adjustments on the move.

Fizik offers the shoes in a wide range of sizes from 36-48 including half sizes and in a range of colours. I found the fit of the Vento Omna shoes to be standout; just the right volume and room in the toe box to feel performance-oriented without compromising on comfort.

Read our full Fizik Vento Omna cycling shoe review

Giro Stylus

£100 | View offer

Weight: 630g (pair, size 46)
Pros: Non-stretch Synchwire upper, Two- and three-bolt cleat compatible
Cons: Not the best-looking

The Giro Stylus cycling shoes might not win any awards for their looks, but I was very impressed with the overall fit, comfort and performance of the brand’s most affordable shoes.

The upper is a seamless material Giro calls ‘Synchwire’, which is textured with tiny diamond shapes; it won’t be to everyone’s taste but I think it looks interesting. The material is claimed to offer ‘phenomenal structural support and ventilation’ which I agree with. The three Velcro straps allowed me to achieve a reasonably secure fit and it felt like the upper was wrapping around my foot, offering support.

The nylon reinforced sole will accept both two- and three-bolt cleats and I found it to be reasonably stiff given the price. There was some flex towards the heel but this was only noticeable when riding hard out of the saddle.

Read our full Giro stylus review

Quoc Escape

£150 | View offer

Weight: 471g (pair, size 40)
Pros: Smart looks, Stiff carbon sole, Easy to wipe clean
Cons: Insole is not very supportive, On the expensive side

Quoc Escape shoes are designed to offer a lower-priced entry point to the brand’s shoes. The carbon sole is stiff, with an array of vents at the toe. The heel pad is replaceable.

Meanwhile, the synthetic uppers have a seamless design, with perforations at the mid-foot, and can be wiped clean easily. The single dial closure is also replaceable and the reinforced toe helps prevent scuffing. The fit is snug, with minimal padding, but the shoes remain comfortable, although we did swap out the supplied insole for one with more padding.

Read our full Quoc Escape road cycling shoe review
Buy now from Quoc (£150)

Scott Road Comp Boa

£120 | View offer

Weight: 544g (pair, size 40)
Pros: Wrap-around upper is comfortable, Stiff nylon/carbon sole
Cons: Not as light as some alternatives

A single Boa dial closure is paired with a Velcro strap in Scott’s budget road cycling shoes. The shoes’ fit is a little more relaxed than the brand’s higher-priced, higher-performance shoes, and mesh panels and perforations help keep your feet cool. The fit means although the heel is held firmly in place, there’s a roomy toe box.

The Scott Road Comp Boa shoes sit on a nylon/glass fibre sole unit, with plenty of cleat alignment markings. There’s a well-designed insole with a metatarsal bump to help ease pedalling pressure and we found the shoes comfortable on three hour rides. Five colours are available, as well as a women’s fit in two colour options.

Read our full Scott Road Comp Boa review