How to Choose the Best Road Bike Shoes

The best road bike shoes are worth the added performance and enjoyment they give you. I'll tell you how to choose between them and which ones I recommend.

You can order these shoes using links to stores I’ve vetted and recommend. When you do, In The Know Cycling may earn a commission that helps cover our review and technology costs.
SPECIALIZED S-WORKS TORCH

SHIMANO S-PHYRE RC903

SIDI WIRE 2 CARBON

Read the complete comparative review of the best road bike shoes from a dozen leading brands on the In The Know Cycling website:

Subscribe and get more cycling gear reviews:

Share this video with a friend:

Video chapters:
00:00 How to choose the best road bike shoes
00:59 What do the best road cycling shoes give you?
01:33 Efficient power transfer
03:32 What separates the best from the rest?
04:46 Comfortable fit
06:03 Last characteristics
08:45 Good looks
09:46 Contrasting shoe characteristics
12:14 Shoes I recommend
12:23 Specialized S-Works Torch
13:44 Shimano S-Phyre RC903
14:55 Northwave Veloce Extreme
16:37 Sidi Wire 2 Carbon

In The Know Cycling’s tools for cycling enthusiasts:
► Compare prices on 75,000 products from top-ranked stores:

► Get the iPhone and Android apps:

► Shop at the best online stores:

► Get In The Know Cycling exclusive deals:

► Get notified by email when new reviews drop:

Follow us to see what we’re testing and doing before new reviews come out:

Disclosure:
In The Know Cycling is ad-free, subscription-free, and reader-supported. If you want to keep it rolling without any added cost to you, buy your gear and kit after clicking the store links in the description box and on the site. When you do, we may earn an affiliate commission that will help me cover the expenses to create and publish our independent, comprehensive, and comparative reviews. Thank you, Steve.

[intheknowcycling]

Thank you for watching. If you enjoyed this video, please click the "like" button and subscribe to our channel here on YouTube.
When you do, you’ll help get the word out to your fellow cyclists and motivate me to keep bringing you these independent reviews.
-- Steve
You can order these shoes using links to stores I’ve vetted and recommend. When you do, In The Know Cycling may earn a commission that helps cover our review and technology costs.
SPECIALIZED S-WORKS TORCH

SHIMANO S-PHYRE RC903

SIDI WIRE 2 CARBON

[HabaneroTi]

I recently purchased Shimano RC702's, one step down from the RC903's. I've done around 4 or 5 rides on them so far, all indoors on a direct drive trainer in Zwift. I bought them in my usual size, 42, but in the wide version as the regular width one was too cramped in front and the 42.5 was too loose.

They were actually just a tad too tight, not painful but ever so slightly uncomfortable, and I wondered if I'd made the right choice. My main previous shoes were also Shimano and I really liked them so after initially going with a pair of Giro Regimes that were too tight and didn't come in a wide, I figured that I wasn't likely to find anything better and Shimano made great road shoes.

Anyway, now I'm actually wondering if they're too big on me. I'm having to tighten them several times during a ride, which I used to have to do with the Shimanos but they had velcro straps and that's typical with velcro. Perhaps I just need newer and somewhat thicker socks. I haven't bought new cycling socks in ages so perhaps the real issue is with the socks and not shoes. Perhaps sweat makes them thin out?

My point is that you can't really tell if a given pair of shoes are the best ones for you until you've ridden them a bit, and at that point they can no longer be returned. But unless you're a top level cyclist or regularly go out for really long rides, it's probably not essential that they be perfect for you, just good enough. And these are certainly more than that for me. I'm basically nitpicking as they're still pretty tight and comfortable, just ever so slightly looser than I'd expected. And I'd actually rather err in that direction than too tight, which would make for miserable rides beyond a certain distance.

[Pablo_Coach]

Excellent comparison! Thank You so much, great work. What do You think about new S-works Torch Lace? Remco Evenepoel currently using them, after using Ares. Spesh is working on a new model like Ares. Remco test them couple day ago.

[_.spectre._]

Great video! Do you have advice on how to choose a pedal system as well? SPD came on the used TT bike I got, and I'd like to change to a more road-focused pedal.

[mikkim]

Finding the right shoe without a bike shop that carrys them is nearly impossilble.
I tryed all brands in you spreadsheet, from midtier too highend, NONE of them fit, there was always somthing pinchin or poking.
I thought i would have to stick with my Northwave Core shoe forever, till i found some Scott Road Vertec Vent BOA, , they fit like they were custom made for my feet and for 166€ reasonable priced.
Hope my next search will not take me months to find a new shoe.

[cjstricklin]

Thanks for the video! Is there a reason you use the yellow spd-sl cleats over blue or red?

[terrywalker]

Have you had a chance to test the Bont Vaypor? I just ordered some and are too big. Bont doesn't have phone support which I prefer. Also my R/H foot 5th metatarsal at the toe tends to push outward. That caused great pain with sidi shoes. Have heard the Bont wouldn't be such a good fit for that reason. Sending them back when ever I receive a return authorization email from them. Thinking of the specialized torch.

[Skaughtto]

I've been riding with Shimano XC7 shoes and Specialized insoles. Do you feel like the gap between the XC7 and RC9 is large? Any thoughts on SPD vs SPD-SL?

[steveberens]

Those white shoes look all the same width. What if you have a broad foot and high arch?

[WowRixter]

#4 They not made in a communist country. Seriously, that's an important consideration for me. Excellent review, please include country of origin in future episodes