10 of the best road cycling shoes you can buy in 2020

From newbies to the professionals of the peloton, every road cyclist needs a good pair of shoes on their feet. Your first few rides may see you combine a flat pedal with a regular trainer – just while you get the feel for things – but eventually, the clipped-in kick comes for us all.

Proper road cycling shoes that are made for the purpose will help you get more out of your riding, they deliver better power transfer from your foot to the pedal – with a stiff sole, rather than a spongy rubber footbed – and they also tend to offer a more secure fit than even the most well-made running shoe.

As with all things in life and cycling, there are cheaper road cycling shoe options and more expensive ones. There are the flashy and the functional, the versatile and the va-va-voom. The below is a collection of the best road shoes currently on the market, spanning the broad range of price brackets, allowing you to make an informed decision about which pair might be best for you.

1. Van Rysel 500

T’was a dark and stormy night. The lightning crashed against the sheer mountain cliffs behind Castle Doom and deep in the gorge below, the vampire hunter Van Rysel wiped rain from his brow. ‘Those damn vamps ain’t gonna stake themselves,’ he muttered to himself, before climbing back atop his steed – a wicked-fast carbon fibre gravel bike – clipping in his home-made cycling shoes and pedalling onwards to the nest of evil above.

Created by the descendants of vampire hunters or not, these Van Rysel cycling shoes are unbeatable on value, look great and have the added versatility of being able to run either two-bolt or three-bolt cleats – ideal if you’re just starting out on the slightly easier SPD pedals.

Igor, fetch me my garlic base layer!

2. Dhb Dorica Road

Ever wanted to look like good chap playing old-timey English footie while you’re riding bikes? Then boy these are the choice for you. The Dhb Dorica Road shoe comes in four colourways, but the one worth getting excited about is ‘Autumn Glory’, which looks exactly like the material used for the boots worn by the aforesaid Victorian athlete. The lace-up closure helps to boost the Corinthian sportsman vibes, while also allowing you to get a really nice fit dialled in. Compatible with SPD-SL or Look cleats, the Dorica can also be rigged to take an SPD if your tastes lean more to the muddy.

3. Bont Riot Buckle

Lairy, lightweight and with an appealing price tag, these are a solid set for the beginner who can extend their budget. The most interesting aspect of the Riot Buckles is that you can mould them to your exact foot shape – ideal if you don’t have a ‘standard’ trotter. Simply bung them in a cool oven at 70 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes and, once cool enough to touch, slot them on and wait for the magic to happen.

4. Dhb Aeron Road Dial

While scholars cannot be certain of when the term ‘disco slipper’ entered cycling nomen-clature, if you look it up in the dictionary, you’ll almost definitely find a picture of the Dhb Aeron Road Dial in white right there on the page. Just don’t go trying any Funky Chickens with that slippery carbon sole or you may find yourself being ejected from the club.

Now at the three-figure price point, you can expect to get a dial adjustment system at the top closure, although it’s still velcro a bit further down the shoe. The synthetic upper is also well ventilated if things get hot on the dance floor (or on the asphalt).

Insider’s tip: it’s recommended to go down a whole size from your regular one with these shoes as they don’t fit true to size.