If you use flat pedals, the ideal is to use your running or city shoes to alternate easily between walking and biking.
The options we will see on this list are perfect for flat pedals. They can be used by :
- City bikers who alternate walking and biking: The design is casual, and the grip is perfect on the flat pedals or when walking. So they are excellent choices for road bike flat pedals.
- Mountain bikers: These shoes have all the criteria for mountain biking: solidity, grip, and protection.
The main plus that cycling shoes have plus compared to traditional running shoes is the stiffness in the bottom of the shoes. The stiffness allows transferring more power to the pedal.
Lets go through this list.
Table of Contents
1. Five Ten Men’s Freerider Bike Shoes
Five Ten is the brand thats been doing this for the longest time of all the brands. They have innovative shoe technology. This company started making rock climbing shoes, and they brought that technology and that knowledge about making sticky rubber that held to the rocks, and they applied it to their mountain bike shoes.
The pin contact is strong and engaged so that your feet will stay locked in as youre charging down the trails and hitting big jumps. While you still have that ability to pick your feet up and pull off if you need to.
This model is not their most expensive shoe and doesnt necessarily have all the features, but it is one of their most popular selling shoes.
It has a canvas outsole that allows a little bit more breathability. This can also be a problem if youre riding in wet weather because it can retain some moisture a bit, but it will dry out fairly quickly.
If you are also mountain biking, these shoes are an exciting choice: They feature a nice stiff sole, which is one thing that is key for downhill flat pedal shoes, and thats because you can put a lot of power transfer down and feel confident in that platform.
They also have some reinforcements around the toe and the heel. So if you hit rocks or anything like that, these shoes will hold up pretty well.
The standout feature of this is their stealth rubber, a specifically designed rubber that is world-renowned for being just super grippy. Their dotty pattern gives you a little grip if you ever have a hiker-bike situation.
These are not the grippiest shoes on this list because it is pretty smooth, but that smoothness helps to give you a little more engagement into your pins on your pedal.
One con is regarding their laces because theyre long, and there isnt any place to tuck them away. They may solve this in future versions.
In terms of the look, they exist in multiple designs and colors, so you have many possibilities.
Pros
- Good brand reputation
- Multiple designs and colors
- Many reinforcements
Cons
- Not too grippy
2. Ride Concepts Youth Livewire Flat Pedal Bike Shoe
This is one of the serious competitors of Five Ten. It does have a bit of a premium price compared to other options on this list, but with that price comes some feature sets that I think are cool.
They have attractive colors. Theyre nice and light.
They have a lot of really cool features, including D3O High Impact Zone Insole Technology that is performant in terms of taking away some of the impacts when you do big drops.
They have a TPU reinforcement on the heel, and the toe, so they have a lot of abrasion resistance.
They have dual-density materials for comfort. And one amazing feature they have is a fully gusseted tongue, which means the tongue is adjustable to your foot without rotating inside your shoe, which is uncomfortable.
Another thing that is also interesting is the little strap in the front that allows you to tuck your laces. So this is a plus compared to the Five Ten option.
They have the grippy hexagon pattern from rubber kinetics, and many customer reviews confirmed this.
So super cool shoes, great for the road and mountain rider.
Pros
- Super grippy
- D3O High Impact Zone Insole Technology
- A strap to tuck your laces
Cons
- Not many colors options
3. Northwave Clan Cycling Shoe – Men’s
And this is the most street-looking version of all the shoes we have on this list. This shoe almost looks like a daily kick-around that you could wear like a pair of vans. You could go from the trail to the city and would look like youre wearing street shoes.
These have a pretty reinforced look to their outsole.
Another characteristic of these shoes is their sole, which is more flexible than the other options on this list, giving more grip to the pedal.
Some people prefer to have a stiff sole that allows more power transfer. If this is your case, I dont recommend these shoes.
It has that lace retention system across the top to keep those laces in place.
They partnered with Michelin to create their soles. It is another sticky compound rubber, this time with a triangular pattern. the pattern is uniform across the shoe, so its primarily going to be focused on Hetal grip, but it is going to provide some pretty decent hike bike grip for you
So this is an excellent option if youre looking for something a little bit more street-oriented and a little bit more flexible to grip those pedals with your feet.
Pros
- Flexible
- Grippy
- A lace retention system
4. Giro Men’s Mountain Biking Cycling Shoes
Guro is a big company in the cycling industry, making many great products.
These are very light. And in terms of the outsole shape, they have reinforced toes and heels.
Theyve partnered with Vibram (famous for making hiking shoes and waterproof shoes) to make cool rubber soles.
They have a variation on the pattern in the heel and toe to provide better hiking and a better grip when biking. So this is the best choice if you love hiking and biking. They give the best for both worlds.
One con on these shoes is that they do not have a lace integration system, so you will have to find your solution for the flopping laces ( or tuck them into the side of your shoe ), but it would be great to see some integration on coming versions.
Pros
- Lightweight shoe
- Good grip
- multiple color options
Cons
- Do not have a lace integration system
The last on our list is one that many riders are enormous fans of for many excellent reasons. The laces integrate into a retention strap and a rear-enforced heel.
It has reinforcements around and over the toe box, which means more abrasion resistance. It will protect your toes if you go on a foot strike on a rock or something similar and keep water out from the shoes and be very breathable.
It has a cupped insert to keep clutter from getting inside your shoe and keeps things nice and secure.
One interesting thing is they have different patterns. Thanks to the Honeycomb sole structure, it has a lot of grips in your big toe area and down in your heel. This allows a better experience for people alternating hiking and biking because it will have a perfect grip when walking or biking.
It is a very grippy compound
Pros
- Super comfortable
- incredibly light
- Best value for the money
Cons
- Not waterproof
Buyer’s considerations
Shoes are an essential part of any sport. But every sport is different. Thats why different types of footwear requirements have been formulated. Thats why special shoes are designed to meet all these requirements. Cyclists must also use high-quality footwear to ensure maximum performance. This is why cycling shoes are specially designed to meet the needs of cyclists.
To find quality cycling shoes, you need to have a good understanding of the product itself and know where to buy cycling shoes. Different types of cycling shoes vary according to the type and intensity of cycling and the price range. Many options are available, so knowing where to buy the perfect cycling shoes sometimes becomes challenging. But knowing the main features makes it easier to decide which shoe to buy.
Cycling shoes main characteristics
- Stiffness
- An effective transfer of power
- Light
- Method for firmly attaching to the pedal
- Adaptability to use on and off a bike
When buying peloton bike shoes, it is good to have a good knowledge of the brands. Brand knowledge will help you choose and buy in the right place. Here are some popular brands of cycling shoes
The most popular shoe brands create cycling shoes. But not all cycling brands propose cycling shoes. They are available in all online stores and most local sporting goods stores.
The best Cycling shoes brands
- SIDI
- Fizik
- DMT
- Diadora
- Reebok
- Adidas
- Giro
- Mavic
- Shimano
- Vittoria
The best online cycling shoe stores
Buying online is a great way to communicate these days. Its a simple and hassle-free process. Buying cycling shoes online is a reliable and affordable solution for everyone. Anyone can access stores in any part of the world and grab the best offers for their shoes. Often, a local seller doesnt have the choice or the quality and safety that online cycling shoe stores offer. The best online stores for cycling shoes are listed below:
Wiggle
Wiggle is one of the best online stores that sell sporting goods for professionals and athletes. They offer a wide variety of cycling shoes and equipment. You can easily order them and get the shoe of your choice.
ProBikeKit
This is a specialized cycling store with quality products. ProBikeKit provides world-famous brands with a free delivery service.
Jenson USA
Jenson USA is an online bike store based in the USA that offers free home delivery throughout the country. They have featured the best brands in their user-friendly online store. When buying cycling shoes online, you may find this site useful.
Other cycling shoe online stores
- Competitive Cyclist
- Nashbar
- Chain reaction cycles
- Dicks Sporting Goods
- REI Cooperative
It is recommended to follow a few criteria to find out exactly where to buy cycling shoes. Try to evaluate the price and reputation of the stores, both online and offline. If you can find a reputable store nearby, you can get the best pair. If not, follow the online stores guided in this article and choose the best one.
Good to know:
Conclusion
I hope these flat pedal shoe comparisons will help me make the right choice.
I published very interesting articles about pedals. Check them out: