The most important bit of riding a bike is the bit where your feet and the pedals meet. Without a solid connection there, even the most highly specced and well-maintained bike isn’t going to go anywhere.
Much of the time, a pair of decent trainers or even some lightweight hiking boots will do the trick, especially if you plan on getting off your bike and walking around, but if you start to get serious about mountain biking, some mountain bike shoes are going to be on your shopping list.
Mountain bike shoes come in two forms. There are those that clip to the pedals, allowing you to exert upward pressure during the rising edge of the pedal turn. Confusingly, these are often called ‘clipless’ pedals, despite there clearly being a clip involved - it’s just not a toe clip that comes from the pedal itself.
The other are simpler flat shoes that allow you to take your feet off, or alter their placement, more easily. These tend to have smoother, more flexible soles made from softer rubber, to really stick to the pedals while allowing flexible movement, while shoes for clipless pedals are stiffer, with holes for attaching the cleats. They can also make a click-clack noise when you walk, making flat-bottomed shoes the more stealthy option.
What should you look for in mountain bike shoes?
There’s a debate in mountain biking about which style of pedal is best, though it’s very much a personal decision depending on how you like to ride, and the shoes you wear will very much depend on the pedals you choose. You’ll also need to take into account the terrain you’ll be riding across, with different footwear being suitable for varying conditions, from cross-country courses where you’re likely to encounter soft ground and loose surfaces, to firmer trails and downhill rides.
Comfort and breathability are important features, but also look out for waterproofing and protection for your feet.
Best mountain bike shoes at a glance:
- Best for flat shoes for going flat out: Ride Concepts Powerline - £140, Tredz
- Best for grip without cleats: Adidas Five Ten Freerider Pro - £130, Adidas
- Best for riding in good weather: Leatt DBX 2.0 - £79, Pedalz
- Best for a cheaper option: Specialized 2FO Roost - £65, Specialized
- Best for downhill protection: Fizik Gravita Tensor - £107.99, Wiggle
- Best for quick removal: Leatt 6.0 Clip - £160, Wiggle
- Best for sunny days and dry ground: Giro Ventana Fastlace - £140, Cycle Store
- Best for comfort while clipped: Shimano AM7 - £110, FreeWheel
Shop below
Ride Concepts Powerline
Best for: flat shoes for going flat out
The best mountain bike shoes offer protection as well as grip, and this pair from Ride Concepts will stand up to scuffs and knocks as well as staying put on your pedals.
They’re mid-rise shoes, with a top collar for ankle protection, and heel and toe boxes to keep your feet safe from clashes with your pedal cranks or flying rocks on loose surfaces. There’s also a degree of weather protection, though they don’t go so far as to claim to be fully waterproof. All this combines to make a shoe that’s heavier than some, and more expensive, but it’s worth it for the added confidence it brings to know your feet are fully protected.
Buy now £140.00, Tredz
Adidas Five Ten Freerider Pro
Best for: grip without cleats
The Freerider Pro shoes cost slightly more than the basic Freeriders, but the changes are worth it. You get a thicker sole and increased foot protection, with an ankle collar to prevent rubbing and to deter small stones from making their way down inside the shoe as you ride. They’re made from tough synthetic materials and can take the bashes and scrapes that come with mountain biking in rural terrain.
What really stands out about the Freerider Pros, however, is the grip they offer. The thinner sole of the standard Freerider may give greater feedback through your feet, but the Pro, with a sole covered in raised circular bumps, sticks to your pedals like nothing else without cleats.
Buy now £130.00, Adidas
Leatt DBX 2.0
Best for: riding in good weather
Offering a good ‘stealth’ look, these shoes won’t be out of place if you have to get off your bike and walk through the city for a while thanks to their synthetic leather and suede outer. While riding, however, they’re in their element, with a grippy triangular pattern underneath the sole that gives you a good grip on your pedals.
There’s not much in the way of waterproofing here, so you’ll get wet feet if you need to splash through puddles, but with a degree of breathability and a good amount of padding to shrug off minor hits on the feet - they don’t rise high enough to protect your ankles. They’re a great choice for fine weather too. There’s even an elastic loop to keep your laces in check.
Buy now £79.00, Pedalz
Specialized 2FO Roost
Best for: a hybrid option
Very lightweight but featuring the kind of grippy rubber sole you want from a mountain biking shoe, the Roosts are much more like trainers than other mountain bike shoes, both in terms of looks and feel.
A low-profile EVA insole offers firmer cushioning than trainers, but the payoff for this is better feedback about what the pedals are doing beneath your feet. Otherwise, they’re a simple shoe with a leather and textile upper that provides a degree of water protection without being totally sealed.
Buy now £110.00, Specialized
Fizik Gravita Tensor
Best for: downhill protection
Available in both flat and clipless fittings, these are durable shoes with a reinforced ankle protector to guard against clashes with your own bike, and a large rubber bumper on the front of the shoe to ward off rocks and branches - though you’ll still feel them.
Aimed at gravity riders - those most interested in getting down a hill as quickly and smoothly as possible - these shoes have a rugged tread pattern for those times you really have to get off the bike and walk, and a large cleat box for easy setup if you choose the clipless option.
Buy now £174.99, Wiggle
Leatt 6.0 Clip
Best for: quick removal
The ‘clip’ in the name of these shoes is a slight misnomer - they are of course clipless. As a result, they have stiff soles with a recess underneath in which you’ll find the cleat channels, surrounded by enough tread to give you a grip if you’re forced to dismount and carry your mountain bike.
Instead of laces, these Leatt shoes use an ATOP dial linked to a strong wire thread, which you turn to tighten or loosen the shoes, with a pull-tab quick-release mechanism for those times you want to get them off in a hurry. The shoes’ upper is constructed from a quick-drying mesh that won’t keep water out, but won’t stay wet for long after a ride.
Buy now £160.00, Wiggle
Giro Ventana Fastlace
Best for: sunny days and dry ground
These clipless shoes are a light and breathable choice for gravel trails and country paths. There are rubber-reinforced sections at the heel and toe, but otherwise, these are a good choice for riding on finer days rather than splashing through the mud with.
The Fastlace system comprises a sliding lock on a strong thread, with a velcro strap to prevent amusing accidents, and is much faster to use than fiddling with a double bow. They’re also a particularly light and breathable pair of shoes, with mesh panels and a comfortable sole, but there’s not enough tread underneath for wet weather riding.
Buy now £140.00, Cycle Store
Shimano AM7
Best for: comfort while clipped
Clipless and comfortable, these shoes are constructed with mesh panels, a reinforced rubber toe cap, and a neoprene collar around the ankle for a tighter fit to keep out flying debris as you thunder down the track. There’s a velcro strap at the top, helping some standard laces to keep the shoe on, but otherwise, there’s little in the way of ankle padding. They are, however, slim and cool, and thanks to a good degree of rotational float the cleats are easy to clip in and out.
There’s a good chunky tread underneath, and Shimano’s rubber compound ensures a good grip. They’re also extremely well built and should last, and remain comfortable for a good long time.
Buy now £110.00, Freewheel
Verdict
Whether you need a pair of specialist mountain bike shoes depends on how much mountain hiking you do, and where you do it. If you’re getting into gravity downhill or anything that makes flicking up debris or banging your foot against ground clutter, then a pair with extra foot protection such as the Ride Concepts Powerline, are a good choice.
Likewise, if you’re aiming for more efficiency in your cycling, then clipless pedals, cleats and corresponding shoes can help, allowing you to provide continuous power with no chance of your feet coming off. Shoes like the Leatt 6.0 Clip and Shimano AM7s offer just this - just make sure you become proficient at unclipping when you stop riding.
