Best road cycling shoes 2023 — get faster with light, stiff shoes

Best overall road cycling shoes: Giro Empire SLX

Buy Now for £159.99 - £247.46 from Wiggle

Impressive comfort, low weight and stunning looks — as close to a pair of slippers as you can get in cycling shoes. At just 408g for a size 45 pair, the Giro Empire SLX are among the very lightest shoes available. This low weight is backed up by incredible comfort from the lace-up uppers and a super stiff carbon fibre sole that doesn't waste any of your power when sprinting for the line.

Giro made quite an impact and raised a good few eyebrows when they launched the Empire shoes, successfully reintroducing lace-up shoes to a sport that had largely confined laces to the history books, replaced by buckles, ratchets and dials.

The Microfiber Sport laces are designed to remain tied, hold a knot, be light and durable. The best thing about the laces is that you can get the closure pressure across the entire top of the foot just right, with no pressure points that you might get with a shoe that uses two or three focused closure points. Once tied, the laces are contained underneath a 'lace garage' on top of the shoe.

Tester David writes: “Don't go mistaking the Empires for an indulgent retro-style shoe, harking back to the old days of cycling when lace-ups were commonplace. These are all about performance. Underneath the shoe is an Easton EC90 SLX2 high-modulus carbon fibre sole and it's incredibly stuff, easily as stiff as any other high-end race shoe I've tested. There's no discernible heel lift during sprints or out of the saddle climbing.”

Read our review of the Giro Empire SLX
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Best road cycling shoes if you don’t want laces: Shimano S-Phyre RC9 (RC902)

Buy Now for £271.99 - £319.99 from Chain Reaction Cycles

Shimano's S-Phyre RC902 shoes are stiff, comfortable and hold the foot securely during big power efforts. There are changes over the previous model, the RC9, but the basics stay the same. This is a comfortable, well-thought-out pair of race shoes.

Boa's Li2 dials have easy tension adjustment that’s micro-adjustable both ways, allowing you to crank the dials down tight for town sign sprints and then release them a bit once you've beaten your mates. The upper dial pulls on a wide strap which spreads pressure very well and the lower dial relies on a criss-cross pattern to spread the retention pressure perfectly comfortably. A brilliant new heel cup comprising two rubberised pads sitting on either side of the Achilles tendon absolutely clamps the heel in place.

For a race shoe, they deliver on the stiffness front, the heel retention is excellent and comfort is good for long rides.

Read our review of the Shimano S-Phyre RC9 (RC902)
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Best value for money road cycling shoes: Shimano RC7 (701)

Buy Now for £119.00 - £125.00 from Sigma Sports

Shimano's highly impressive race-orientated RC7 shoes had a significant redesign in 2019, gaining dials and losing Velcro completely. They're still a very comfortable, secure and well-vented option (with a great fit), but while the carbon soles are stiff and vibe-free, they could be stiffer still without sacrificing comfort.

The new RC7s – technically RC701s – are easily distinguished by their twin dials. The mid-foot one allows you to tune security very precisely, creating a fit that's both firm and unconstricted in seconds. I never missed the ability to cinch the toebox with a Velcro strap, which the older style had, and I appreciated the extra room it leaves around my toes for thick socks.

Read our review of the Shimano RC7 (701)
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Best road cycling shoes for women: Giro Regime Women’s Road Cycling Shoes

Buy Now for £183.99 from Wiggle

Giro's Regime Women's Road Cycling Shoes are sleek looking, seriously comfortable and performance orientated. There's very little to fault, though if you want bigger than size 42 you'll need to look at the men's version.

Tester Emma writes: "I frequently opt for men's shoes as they seem to fit my wider-than-average feet better than female-specific ones. I was impressed with the Regimes, though: they haven't caused any discomfort or hotspots whatsoever, even on five-hour-plus rides.

"Much of this comfort comes from the Synchwire upper design, which Giro describes as an ultralight mono-filament mesh to which it has added thermal-welded TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) for structural support and resistance to grit and grime. It's manufactured in a single piece, so it's free of potentially irritating seams, and it really does fit and feel like a second skin, as Giro claim. With the two Boa L6 dials this makes for a fully compliant upper that makes your feet feel snugly secure for even the most aggressive of riding.

"The carbon sole delivers as you would expect. It's noticeably better than the nylon/glass fibre composite of Scott's Road Team Boas. In fact I've only ever ridden with one that I would say feels stiffer – Liv's Macha Pros – which felt stiffer for all-out sprints and hills. The Giros would be my preference for longer rides where comfort is more important, though.

"For me, the fit, comfort and performance of the Giro Regimes are all flawless. With durability and style to boot, these are now my favourite shoes. They may not be the cheapest, but given how hard it can be to find shoes that fit perfectly, it's a price I'd be very willing to pay."

Read our review of the Giro Regime Women’s Road Cycling Shoes
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Best road cycling shoes under £100: Boardman Carbon Cycling Shoes

Buy Now for £85.00 from Halfords

Boardman has delivered an absolute belter of a spec list for the sub-£100 price tag on their latest Carbon Cycle Shoes. They offer decent stiffness, are well vented and the upper gives a supple feel for comfort too – plus the adjustment of the ratchet dials allows you to tweak them on the fly.

The full carbon sole found here isn't the stiffest but 95% of the time it’s absolutely fine. The twin dials pull the soft and supple synthetic upper smoothly around your foot with a uniform pressure and no hot sports. Should your feet swell or shrink due to the weather conditions, a quick tweak on the dials while in the saddle is easy.

Boardman has continued the theme of delivering uncomplicated, high quality products for very sensible money. The most powerful riders may find the sole a little flexy, but for the majority of us they're going to fit the bill for all kind of riding styles.

Read our review of the Boardman Carbon Cycling Shoes
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Le Col Pro Carbon

Buy Now for £250.00 from Le Col

Le Col's Pro Carbon Road Shoes are the company's first attempt at bringing a pair of race shoes to its lineup and if these are anything to go by then it should keep going: they're impressively stiff with a great shape and a soft, supple upper. The only potential drawback is that they are currently only available in whole sizes 41 to 45.

Yanto Barker, ex-pro and the man behind clothing brand Le Col, says on the website, 'Your shoes are not only the principle point of contact with your bike, but some of the most personal items in a cyclist's kit. Stylish, well made shoes have been something I've always sought after, and knowing what's needed, I decided we would make our own.'

For some riders, function over form is the way to go but on a warm sunny day when you've got your best bike out and your favourite kit on, watching a pair of bling cycling shoes turning the pedals over is a thing of beauty.

These Pro Carbon models offer exactly that.

Read our review of the Le Col Pro Carbon
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Specialized S-Works 7 Lace Road Shoes

Buy Now for £300.00 from Sigma Sports

The Specialized S-Works 7 Lace road shoes combine a super-stiff sole with supple uppers that hold your foot firmly yet comfortably, although the lack of on-the-fly adjustability goes with the territory for laced shoes. They're basically the same as the Specialized S-Works 7 road shoes, but with laces, which gives you fine-tunability of laces for getting the tension around your foot just so, but takes away the on-the-fly adjustability of dials. They still offer superb comfort, fit, foot retention and power transfer.

Specialized says that the Powerline carbon outsole is its lightest and stiffest ever. Tester Mat writes: "I tried as hard as I could to get some flex out of these but they just don't budge in any direction. Whether you're sprinting or stamping as hard as possible on a short, sharp power climb, there's no discernible movement at all in the sole.

"The upper is supple and flexible enough that various foot shapes can get an excellent fit, and any little bony bumps can be accommodated comfortably. Speaking of comfort, there are no annoying seams to drive you nuts on a long ride because the upper is one piece, and you get a small but effective amount of padding on the tongue and around the opening. With some shoes I occasionally get a bit of rub around one ankle – an old injury – but the collar is sufficiently low that it's not an issue here.

"The vast majority of cycling shoes cost considerably less than £300, but the S-Works 7 Lace incorporates high-end materials and features throughout and is £70 less than the version with a Boa closure. The S-Works Ares (£375) and S-Works Vent (£399) are more expensive again.

"Overall, these shoes offer excellent performance, the fit will work for most people, and the level of comfort is high. If you want laced shoes in your life, you can't go wrong here."

Read our review of the Specialized S-Works 7 Lace Road Shoes
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Giro Trans Boa

Buy Now for £129.95 from Merlin Cycles

Giro's Trans Boa shoes update the excellent Velcro-secured original design to create stiff, comfortable and thoroughly modern shoes. They'll please everyone from keen amateurs to sportive riders and occasional racers with their stiff carbon soles and easily tweaked comfort, though they're not the lightest available.

These Trans are broadly similar to the version that scored an impressive 4.5 stars back in 2016, meaning an Easton EC70 carbon sole, a very breathable microfibre and mesh upper, and an attractive mix of matt and gloss panels. Two of the three Velcro straps are now gone, replaced by a quick-release Boa L6 dial that tightens in 1mm increments.

Read our review of the Giro Trans Boa
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Specialized S-Works 7

Buy Now for £296.00 from Cycle Store

Specialized's flagship S-Works 7 road shoe offers outstanding performance with superb comfort, fit, foot retention and power transfer. Yes, they are spendy – and if you opt for custom insoles (more on them below) rather than standard that adds another £110, but they're about the same as other top-end shoes and are easily a match for the best shoes in this class.

If you're interested in the lightest shoes Specialized makes, check out the S-Works Exos and Exos 99. Unless you're a weight weenie, for all-round performance, outright stiffness demands and durability, the S-Works 7 is the shoe to plump for.

You don't need us to tell you just how important fit is to cycling happiness and performance, whether it's the bike or shoes. You can have the spangliest shoes but if the fit is wrong, you're not going to extract your best performance and you risk injury. Specialized has always focused on fit and its Body Geometry tech, developed over a decade ago, has seen its shoes become incredibly popular even with brand conscious types.

Read our review of the Specialized S-Works 7
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Quoc Mono II

Buy Now for £270.00 from Sigma Sports

The Quoc Mono II shoes are light, comfortable and minimalist go-faster slippers with extremely stiff soles. If you're looking for high performance, super-modern kicks, they've got to be on your shortlist.

The Mono II shoes are admirably simple. The upper is made from two pieces of microfibre synthetic leather, with hundreds of tiny perforations for ventilation. It's held closed by a pair of ratchet dials, which look like Boa dials, but aren't. The sole is uni-directional carbon fibre. It's extremely stiff and quite thin (Quoc says it's just 4mm thick); you might have to move your saddle down a couple of millimetres if you're very sensitive to bike position, and you're replacing cheaper shoes with thicker soles.

The Quoc Mono II shoes are really nicely thought-out, with all the details you need, and very few that you don't.

Read our review of the Quoc Mono II
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Fizik Vento Stabilita Carbon

Buy Now for £244.00 from Merlin Cycles

The Fizik Vento Stabilita Carbon road shoes are one of the most innovative, adjustable, and comfortable pairs of shoes Iou can buyon sole, for excellent power transfer. The price is high, putting them at the top end of the market, but the performance is excellent.

The USP is the clever and very effective adjustable arch support, which substantially improves comfort for people like out tester George who need a bit more support underfoot. They’re also very stiff, and impressively light.

George writes: “Overall, I was very impressed with these shoes. Yes, they're expensive, and they let water in freely around the adjustable area, but they are also comfortable, stiff, light, and have excellent ventilation. But it's the arch support that is truly innovative and a real game changer for people like me who need it.”

Read our review of the Fizik Vento Stabilita Carbon
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DMT KR0 Road Shoes

Buy Now for £354.00 from Sigma Sports

The DMT KR0 Road Shoes are hugely comfortable, breathable and light. Using a knitted upper means that they mould to your feet, and if aerodynamics is your thing, there is little bulk to hold you back. They aren't the easiest to get on, though, and the price will raise a few eyebrows.

Tester Stu writes: "The stretchy nature of the mesh means the KR0s literally wrap around your foot, feeling like your favourite pair of slippers. But while it aids the fit, it does make them a bit of a faff to get on, as the opening doesn't stretch much to let your foot in. It did get a bit easier over time as the material developed a little more give, and I also worked out a specific way to wiggle my foot in.

"The dials used here are Boa's new Li2 models, which are made from recycled plastic and have a lower profile than previous versions. This makes it easier to wear overshoes over the top, ideal in the winter months that I've been testing the KR0s as these shoes are very breathable.

"Flip the shoe over and you'll find a full carbon fibre sole that is impressively stiff. DMT doesn't rave on about stiffness or use stiffness ratings, but let me just say these are up there with some of the stiffest I've worn. I got on well with the shape, too; the arch isn't too pronounced, and I found the sole to be supportive without feeling overly harsh on rough roads.

The KR0s are a very comfortable pair of shoes, and light too, though considering their breathability they are definitely going to be reserved for the warmest of days. They aren't cheap, but nor are they over the top when compared to the competition. A big outlay, but worth it if you want some of the most comfortable cycling shoes money can buy.

Read our review of the DMT KR0 Road Shoes
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Bont Vaypor S Li2

Buy Now for ~£315.00 from Reins

Bont's Vaypor S shoes are super-stiff yet they provide an excellent level of comfort, and they now come with Boa's top-level Li2 dial closure.

Tester Mat writes: "The soles are handmade from unidirectional carbon fibre and they just don't flex. There are lots of stiff-soled shoes out there these days if you're prepared to pay top-end prices, and the Vaypor S is right up there among the very stiffest. I can detect absolutely no flex at all here.

"Those soles are tub-shaped – they extend up around the sides of your feet, not just at the heel but in all other areas too. It feels like this is providing stability and support as you pedal, particularly when you're out of the saddle. The curved-up sides could cause discomfort if your feet pushed hard against them anywhere, but the soles are heat mouldable.

"Two Boa Li2 dials take care of closure on this version of the Vaypor S. Li2 is Boa's premium product and it works superbly, allowing one-handed micro-adjustment in both directions, even through overshoes. When you want to release the tension completely, you just pull the dial upwards. It could hardly be simpler.

"You know how some saddles manage to be incredibly comfortable despite little in the way of padding? The Vaypor S pulls the same trick. There's a small depth of cell memory foam around the opening (the 'collar') and the heel, and the tongue provides cushioning against the Boa dials and laces, and I've found it perfectly sufficient.

"The Vaypor S shoes aren't just like a thousand others out there, they're a totally different take. You can get lighter shoes and you can get ones with more ventilation, but these are stiff-soled, supportive, secure and very comfortable. If only they were cheap as well."

Read our review of the Bont Vaypor S Li2
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Rapha Classic Shoes

Buy Now for £190.00 from Rapha

The Rapha Classic shoes are a superbly comfortable design with a novel lacing system, good sole stiffness and durability, and – shock, horror! – a not-outlandish price.

They're comfortable, with a stiff and durable sole, though they're not the lightest and the lace closure won't be to everyone's taste.

Compared to Rapha's previous Grand Tour, Climber's and Cross shoes, made in collaboration with Giro, these designed-in-house kicks use a last with a little more volume in the forefoot. My feet are a middling width and I found them to have plenty of room up front – certainly enough to wiggle my toes freely. If your feet are narrower, you can always cinch the sides in via the Velcro forefoot strap. I guess you might struggle if your feet are particularly wide, although the supple upper offers a bit of leeway.

Read our review of the Rapha Classic Shoes
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Rapha Pro Team Shoes

Buy Now for £280.00 from Rapha

Rapha's race-orientated Pro Team shoes come with woven uppers, a dual Boa dial closure system, and stiff carbon fibre soles, and they do a great job of mixing a high performance with plenty of comfort.

Rapha released a couple of new shoe models last year – the Classics and the Explores – but the Pro Teams are very different in that the uppers are made from Powerweave rather than microfibre, and feature a Boa dial closure rather than laces.

Read our review of the Rapha Pro Team Shoes
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Pearson x Lake Over and Over Road Shoes

Buy Now for £270.00 from Pearson

If you are looking for a road shoe with absolutely no give in the sole, then the Pearson x Lake Over and Overs need to be on your shopping list. A collaboration between the historic west London shop and the shoe maker, they have incredibly stiff soles, a genuine leather upper and twin Boa dials for easy adjustment on the fly. It's an impressive build for the money, though they aren't the lightest out there.

Tester Stu writes: "The 3k carbon fibre Lake sole is transfers power through the pedals about as efficiently as you can. The carbon gets thicker towards the centre of the foot, being at its deepest at the cleat-mounting point. I was surprised by how comfortable I found such a stiff sole, even on long rides. Some shoes can cause hot-spots when they are so stiff, but the shape of the sole here just seemed to suit my feet.

"The outer is made from Helcor leather which looks cool in my opinion and is certainly hardwearing. Pearson/Lake describe the shoes as a medium width and I'd go along with that. There was room inside them for my feet to swell in warmer weather, and the toe box offers plenty of wiggle room too, but thanks to the suppleness of the leather and the Boa wire system used for retention, the Over and Overs wrapped around my feet nicely with no pressure points.

"The only thing the Over and Overs haven't got going for them is their weight. On our scales this pair weighed in at 701g, which is almost 200g more than the £250 Le Col Pro Carbon shoes I tested a little while back.

"Nevertheless, they might not appeal to the weight-weenies, but if you want a super-stiff, high quality pair of shoes that offer impressive comfort and durable leather uppers, they're very good."

Read our review of the Pearson x Lake Over and Over Road Shoes