Finding a pair of bicycle touring shoes to suit your needs can be challenging. But that is why I compiled this post with a comprehensive list of some of the best bike touring shoes that have been recommended and tested by other bike tourers from all over the world. In no particular order the quick list of shoes for bike touring is as follows.
- Keens Newport H2 & Rialto H2
- Shimano SD5
- Shimano XM7 & XM9
- Evolv Cruzer
- Five Ten Freerider Pro
- Scarpa Mojito GTX
- Mavic Echappee Trail Elite
- Shimano MT3 SPD
- Lake Shoes MX145 (Cold Weather bike touring shoes)
- Five Ten Guide Tennie
- Northwave Spider Plus 2
- Pearl Izumi X-Alp IV
- Vibram Five Fingers
- Adidas Terrex Swift R2 GTX
Before we look into each shoe lets discuss the process in choosing different options and factors to look for when selecting a pair of bicycle touring shoes.
When looking for a pair of shoes for touring touring it is important that they tick as many boxes as possible. More importantly then most should be comfort both on and off the bike. But it seems more important for on the bike comfort when pedalling for many hours every day.
Depending on what you prefer. Some like to wear standard flat shoes with flat pedals. Clipless SPD style shoes are not really necessary. For touring, these types of shoes can limit you to one foot position. generally with clipless shoes your feet will be where the cleats are. But after long days riding it is good to move your foot position around for comfort. Also dismounting is easier with flats. Especially when your bike is fully loaded, balance can be difficult. If you are looking for some flat pedals for touring and especially off road adventure cycling and gravel riding. You should check out this post I wrote about the best gravel bike pedals. In that post you will find around 8 flat pedal options. That offer large teeth to hold you feet in place while cycling large distances for days and days on end.
Some bike tourers will argue that clipless SPD shoes are a great option for touring. As I started my cycling career riding road bikes this is a roadies priority being to wear clipless shoes. As you are on the bike 100% of the time. But when your are touring you live on your bike. You are dismounting frequently, stopping walking around and exploring on foot. And walking around camp. Having dedicated road shoes for touring makes them impractical.
However MTB SPD shoes and touring specific SPD shoes can be a good option. As it is so often mentioned that clipless shoes offer a great deal of pedal efficiency. Translating a more economic amount of power into a pedal stroke, to propel you forward. This maybe true, but for me personally I think they are great. But a shoes that is multi-purpose. That also offers ‘off bike’ walking comfort as well as on bike comfort is huge. Most of these SPD shoes are super comfortable when cycling but lack comfort when walking for extended periods of time.
Like I mention in the complete list of the best bikepacking shoes. It is important that a bike shoe offer ventilation, breathability and durability. You want the shoes to be comfortable in hot weather and allow your feet the breath. Which is why you may consider getting some cycling sandals in the hot months of the year. Offer the most optimal amount of breathability then shoes.
Are you looking for cycling shoes that would be best for harsh winter conditions? Then you might want to consider these winter cycling shoes and boots!
Also hitting the jackpot and getting a pair of shoes that are built tough and lasts for the demands of bike touring is amazing too.
Before we get into the list of the recommended bike touring shoes. You should also consider just using some retired running shoes like a old pair of nikes or adidas shoes for touring in. If you are on a budget this is something to consider. Some bike tourers claim that this is what they do.
Or another option which seems to work well, is to get a pair of trail running shoes for your next tour. Some of these types of shoes are mentioned in the list below and in the bikepacking shoe list. The great thing about trail running shoes os that they are designed to offer support for your feet for when contacting rough and hard terrain. But are also lightweight! Getting a pair of waterproof trial running shoes with a flat pedal combination is very popular in the bike touring community. Something like Merrell trail shoes or Adidas are potential options.
Now that we have covered the general thought process that goes into figuring out what shoes are best for your bike touring adventures now we can have a look at more specific options that are recommended. These are in no particular order and include a variety of; clipless, sandals, flat platform, and camping or “off-bike” bike touring shoes.
If you want to read more about the shoes there is a ‘read more’ button underneath every shoe option. This will take you to the product page where you can read the reviews of these items and get a better understanding if they are a good option for your bike touring needs.
*If you want to buy any of these bike touring shoes, doing it via the affiliate links give Cycle Travel Overload a small commission which goes into creating more great resources for the bike travel community.
Shimano XM7 & XM9
Both the Shimano XM700 and XM900 shoes are great bike touring shoe options. The difference between the two is one is a mid rise and the other a high raised ankle boot. They are categorised as a cross mountain shoe featuring added protection, comfort and walking stability. The Shimano XM7 and XM9 Gore-Tex Vibram Sole Touring Shoes are durable adventure shoes built for any trail condition.
Evolv Cruzer
These shoes are a minimalist option. They fit somewhere between a performance and casual shoe. Making them a recommended option for bike touring. They are designed also to be a casual rock climbing shoe. So they offer that grip and some structure on the bottom for support while still being minimalist.
Five Ten Freerider Pro
The new and stylish looking 2019 Freerider Pro is a Mountain Bike flat pedal shoe. That offer insane grip, thanks to its soft and grippy Stealth S1 rubber outsole, combined with the Dotty tread pattern. The fabulous grip levels and all-weather performance make the Adidas Five Ten Freerider Pro MTB Shoes not only great for mountain biking but a great option for bike touring.
Keens Newport H2 & Rialto H2
I was not sure if I wanted to include sandals options in this article as I have a seperate blog post about cycling sandals for touring. But It seems very popular for bike tourers to use sandals for everyday riding. But Keen sandals are almost a hybrid of a sandal and a shoe. They offer the airiness of a sandal and the toe protection of a shoe. The soles provide excellent traction and are great for water shoes. The Newport H2 style runs a 1/2 size small. So it is suggested to order a 1/2 size larger than your usual size.
Shimano SD5
Again another cycling sandal option then I promise to keep the rest of the options bike touring ‘shoes’. These are popular like the Keens when it comes to bike touring. As they offer breathability and grip, but the SD5 5 don’t have a toe protection. But they do offer more flexibility for walking. Again if you want other cycling sandal options for touring check out this post.
Scarpa Mojito GTX
Available in mens and womens sizes. Featuring the Spyder sole that strikes the perfect balance between durability, grip and traction on loose surface. While also including a Gore-Tex membrane for wet weather conditions.
Mavic Echappee Trail Elite
These Mavic shoes provide a roomer shape to accommodate wider feet, while still feeling secure on your foot. The shoes feature a Quick Lace system and Comfort Strap that take care of fit adjustments, ensuring the extra space doesn’t translate to sloppiness on long climbs. Also the shoes have a power-transferring midsole with just enough flex for comfort on hike-a-bikes. making them a good option for touring when it comes to walking off the bike.
Shimano MT3 SPD
These shoes are designed for recreational on-and off-road cycling. Meaning they are a good bike touring shoe option that offers comfort and pedalling performance when riding and excellent walking comfort.
Lake Shoes MX145
If you are looking for a shoe that is appropriate for snow bike touring in harsh winter conditions, these are a good option. Featuring a more roomy toe-box. The shoes are designed for anyone who wears their cycling shoes for long periods of time.
Five Ten Guide Tennie
These shoe can be used for multiple purposes which is great in a touring bike shoe. use them for technical scrambling, climbing, long hikes or bike touring. The shoe provides water-resistance while remaining breathable on warm days with the mesh lining.
Northwave Spider Plus 2
The Spider Plus 2 is a mix between a Mountain bike and hiking shoe. Which is a ideal combination that could mean this is essentially a bike touring shoe. They are designed to appear more like a casual shoe while having a anti-slip X-Crossbow Michelin sole.
Pearl Izumi X-Alp IV
Not the best looking shoes, but the made the list as they are made of mesh mostly. And mesh equals breathability. Stated by Pearl Izumi as the “perfect ride-and-run shoe”. The nylon plate, lugged outsole provides great pedalling power. While offer flexibility for running or walking in comfort. Also offers a light weight and superior breathability. Which is a high priority when it comes to bike touring.
Vibram Five Fingers
These are one of my favourite shoes to use for bike touring. As they are remarkably lightweight and very minimal. They don’t provide much support when on the bike if that is important to you. But they can make great camping shoes after a days long of riding.
Adidas Terrex Swift R2 GTX
A similar shoe to the recommended bikepacking shoe option. This Adidas Terrex shoe is a great option for bike touring as it is a lightweight hiking shoe with advanced traction. The low cut design provides great movability when pedalling and a durable ripstop mesh maximises breathability. Features a fast lacing, and GoreTex waterproofing.
These are just some of the shoe options out there for bike touring. When looking for shoes for camp, you may want only footwear option. To change out of at days end. Bike tourers recommended using something like, flip flops or thongs, Crocs, Skechers, Sliders or Sandals. As a comfortable lightweight and breathable option to just slip on when walking around camp and don’t need to offer much functionality other then general comfort.
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