The Best Mountain Bike Shoes (Review) in 2023 | Autance

We kick off our list with this quality pair of all-around mountain bike shoes. These shoes have been designed for wear on everyday rides, so while they are packing a high level of comfort, they are missing, for example, the extra firm sole and cleat attachments of clipless shoes. That being said, while they may miss the cleats found on a clipless design, you may not actually notice it. That is because Five Ten invested a lot of time into creating a sole with extra grippy rubber. That rubber sole clings to the pedals, creating one of the tightest connections between shoe and pedal that you will find outside of actual clipless shoes.

Gavin is the brand behind the next set of bike shoes that made our list. They are based off a classic road bike shoe design, making them ideal for downhill and touring cycling. They also have a very reasonable, entry-level price tag, but what are you getting for your money?

Well, there are quite a lot of features. Starting with the upper, where a 3-piece hook and loop and retention system has been deployed. It is a simple but effective design. The shoe body is of synthetic microfiber leather. This is a tough but strong material that is also nice and lightweight.

One of the issues that can put people off investing in their first pair of clipless shoes is the fact that you also need to invest in a pair of compatible pedals at the same time. This can quickly add to the cost and complexity of the purchase – though that is not something you need to worry about here!

This kit from Venzo includes both a quality pair of entry-level clipless shoes, ideal for mountain biking, but also the matching pedals to attach to your bike. Lets look at the pedals first. They boast an aluminum body construction for the perfect blend of strength and lightweight build. The pedals also have full compatibility with all Shimano SPD cleated shoes – so that means these pedals represent a long-term investment too.

Picking up a pair of Shimano MTB shoes is a good investment if you are looking for an easy indicator of quality design and construction. This Japanese company has been putting out quality sports shoes, including mountain bike shoes, for years.

This pair of shoes is what Shimano refer to as Touring. That basically means that they are a great all round shoe option. So the sole is relatively stiff whilst also having some give for comfort on longer rides. This is aided by a very clever, one piece injected TPU construction technique that results in a shoe that is lightweight but also tough and strong.

Next up is an entry from another company with a fine reputation for making biking accessories. Whilst Giro may be better known for making helmets, here they are bringing a pair of high quality mountain bike shoes to the market.

It’s important to know that Vr, the name of this model of shoe, stands for Versatile. That means that this is another “touring” style of shoe that is suitable for casual and long distance rides across country roads and lanes. The shoes are also designed to be easy to walk in, making them ideal for wearing on long weekend rides that may see you off the bike and walking around frequently.

Pearl Izumi, another manufacturer with a solid reputation, is the company behind the next shoe we’ll look at today. This is a quality shoe with a number of very interesting features built in.

The key one is the fiber injected Nylon plate in the sole of the shoe. This provides a strong platform connecting your foot to the pedal, allowing for maximum power transfer during leg strokes. That makes these shoes ideal for XC riding, where you really need to be able to generate good power through the bike to tackle rough terrain.

These shoes are very well suited for use in road cycling. Zol, the manufacturer, even states in the product name that this shoe is ideal for use during indoor cycling, such as spin classes.

It is also absolutely fine for mountain biking of course, particularly downhill or touring riding. But because this is a design heavily inspired by road biking, there are a number of features in the design influenced by this. For example, the carbon fiber 3-piece hook and loop straps are designed to provide a comfortable but secure foot retention.

If you want a stylish but highly effective pair of bike shoes, then this next offering from Giro could be the one for you. Frankly, they are exactly what you would expect from a quality manufacturer like Giro. What you wouldn’t expect is the price tag, one of the lowest on our list today.

Despite the low price though Giro are bringing a shoe that is bursting with features here. It is another road bike shoe inspired design, so that means a high quality 3 strap retention system is employed here. It is designed to deliver a comfortable but firm fit.

Tommaso are an Italian company that produce a huge range of cycling equipment, everything from helmets and shorts through to the bikes themselves. Of course in this article we are looking at bike shoes, and we’ve selected one of their most impressive designs to represent them in our list today.

These shoes are just packed with features! First of all there are a number of features added to the design to add to your comfort. For example, mesh insert panels have been deployed for ventilation. These are matched with a tongue made of highly breathable material. Even more impressive an inner layer is designed to wick away moisture. If you ride in hot weather, or get uncomfortably sweaty feet, this could be the shoe for you.

This pair of Shimano MTB shoes is a very high-quality option on our list. First of all, of course, there is the fact that the Shimano name is an excellent guarantee of quality design and construction. That translates to a bike shoe that is backed with features. The sole of the shoe is one of the outstanding ones. It is constructed of Michelin dual-density rubber. It provides incredible durability, traction and grip to provide an incredible level of grip in any weather and over any terrain.