If you ride a bicycle with a clipless pedal system, you need road bike shoes specifically formulated for it. Such shoes come designed with cleats that plug into the holes in the pedal to help keep your feet secure. If you're having a hard time picking out which set of shoes to buy, third-party bicycling reviewers have picked some of the best-performing shoes on the market.
Bontrager RL Road
The editors of "Bicycling" magazine report that they were "stunned at the quality" of this clipless road bike shoe. Features include an ergonomic insole that the magazine says comes "universally praised for its quality and arch support." Additional features include a carbon fiber sole, which enhances stiffness and durability without adding a significant amount of weight; an external molded cup at the heel for enhanced grip; and a powerful top buckle to keep your feet pressed against the shoe for increased pedaling performance.
Shimano MP66 Shoes
Shimano's shoes, compatible with the Shimano clipless pedals found on dozens of high-performance road bikes, earn high praise at the Bike Radar website. The editors gave the shoes a stellar 4.5 stars out of five, specifically noting that the shoes were exceptionally durable. Additional features include insulation in the upper region of the shoe, which can keep you toasty and comfortable on a cold winter bike ride, plus oversized lace covers to keep your laces from getting tangled up in your bike components.
Specialized BG Spirita
Women road cyclists will appreciate this shoe from Specialized, reports "Bicycling" magazine, because it takes into account the specific biomechanics of a woman's foot. The editors of the magazine fell in love with features like its rubber grippers, which improve grip in both the heel region and the toe region. Plus, its three-bolt anchoring system keeps even aggressive cyclists securely bolted to their road bikes.
O'Neal Torque SPD
The editors of Bike Radar praise O'Neal's bike shoes, saying that while it's the company's first attempt at making clipless shoes, it did a great job at it. Features include an extra-large cutout for installing the cleat system of your choice, thus letting you customize the way the shoe gets anchored to accommodate your personal riding style. In the end, the editors say these shoes will give you "enough stability to turn on the power."
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