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Cycling specific shoes are an essential piece of cycling equipment. A good pair will help you to be more efficient, stand out, and enjoy your favourite rides even more. In this article we put together some of the best women’s specific pairs to choose from.
We also have articles where we feature other cycling shoes in case you want to check them out as well:
6 Best Road Cycling Shoes for Men Under $100 in 2021
10 Best Road Cycling Shoes for Men Under $200 in 2021
Introduction
First of all, kudos to you for wanting to be on top of your game by opting in for a pair of road cycling shoes. Such shoes are usually meant to be clipped into bike pedals and their primary purpose is to make your strokes more efficient and help you save energy.
In general, women-specific cycling shoes are not very different from men’s and, in fact, some women are more than comfortable with unisex or even men’s shoes. The primary difference between men’s and women’s shoes is in some minor foot size and form adjustments.
In this article, we put together 7 best road cycling shoes for women. While shortlisting these 7 we focused on the highest quality at a specific price point. We know that everyone’s budgets are limited and that’s why we brought together options from various price categories so you would be able to find a pair that works for you.
If you are not sure what to look for in a good pair of cycling-specific shoes then check out our buyers guide. It has a lot of useful information and will make your buying process much smoother and faster.
1. Northwave Storm Cycling Shoes
- Sole Material: Morph Carbon 10 AAS
- Upper Material: Synthetic material
- Closure System: Boa combined with hook-and-loop strap
Positives
- Carbon sole (very stiff)
- Synthetic lightweight fabric
- BOA closure system
Negatives
- Nothing much actually
Northwave’s Storm road cycling shoes is a great mid-range pair for cyclists that are looking for high-performance features.
The upper part of the shoes is made up of synthetic fabric which offers a high level of breathability and is very lightweight. They are very comfortable to wear and fit naturally.
The sole is made of carbon, which is one of the stiffest materials out there and ensures maximum power is transferred directly to the pedals. Also, these shoes come with an asymmetrical BOA closure system and a strap.
The design is very nice and even a bit unusual so you will definitely stand out wearing these.
Overall, Northwave’s Storm road shoe offers a lot of high-end features and is a worthy candidate to consider.
2. Giro Regime Cycling Shoes
- Sole Material: Carbon
- Upper Material: Synchwire
- Closure System: Dual BOA
Positives
- Great ventilation
- Dual BOA closure system
- Carbon sole
- Stylish look
Negatives
- Could be expensive for many buyers
Giro’s Regime road cycling shoes are a great upper mid-range option for weekend coffee rides, training sessions and long-distance journeys.
These shoes come with a 3D molded, medium arch support footbed and a one-piece synchwire upper material. They are very comfortable to wear and fit naturally.
The sole is made of carbon (very stiff), which is great for transferring power from foot to pedal. Also, Giro’s Regime comes with a dual BOA closure system that allows you to do even the slightest adjustments.
Last, but not least, these shoes look very cool (of course, this is our subjective opinion) and they definitely feel high end.
Overall, Giro’s Regime road shoes are great and would make their owner very happy, but, unfortunately, they are not the cheapest shoes out there.
3. Shimano RC5 Cycling Shoes
- Sole Material: Carbon-reinforced nylon
- Upper Material: Synthetic leather, mesh and TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)
- Closure System: Boa and hook-and-loop strap
Positives
- Boa closure system
- Synthetic leather that does not stretch over time
- Navy color could be a deal breaker for some
Negatives
- Not the stiffest sole at this price point
Shimano RC5 road cycling shoe is a great mid-range option for most cyclists that want to get a quality pair with some high-end features.
The upper part of the shoes is made up of synthetic leather, mesh and TPU. The synthetic leather does not stretch over time allowing the shoes to stay the same and provide a great fit for longer. They are very comfortable to wear and fit naturally.
The sole is made of carbon-reinforced nylon, which is quite stiff so more power is transferred directly to the pedals. Also, these shoes come with a BOA closure system and a strap for better adjustability and ultimately better fit.
There are 2 colors available including a navy one, which could be a deal-breaker for some cyclists.
Overall, Shimano’s RC5 road shoe offers a lot for the price and is a great pair to cycle in.
4. Louis Garneau Ruby II Cycling Shoe
- Sole Material: Injected nylon and fiberglass
- Upper Material: Seamless PU leather and mesh
- Closure System: IP1-S Boa
Positives
- Comfortable
- Minimalistic look and design
- BOA closure system
Negatives
- Double check your size with a retailer before ordering as they could run small
Louis Garneau’s Sienna road cycling shoes is a great entry range option for cyclists looking for some high performance features at an affordable price.
The upper part of the shoes is made up of seamless PU leather and mesh fabrics, which make them very comfortable to wear. The fit is very natural and comfortable. We advise to double check your size with a retailer before you buy as their size can differ from your day-to-day shoes.
The sole is made of injected nylon and fiberglass, which is quite common for an entry level cycling shoe. On the up size, this pair comes with a IP1-S BOA closure system allowing you to do even the slightest adjustments.
Last, but not least, these shoes look very minimalistic and very well designed.
Overall, Louis Garneau’s Sienna road shoes are worth considering especially if you are a new or casual cyclist not looking to race.
5. Bontrager Sonic Road Bike Shoes
- Sole Material: Nylon
- Upper Material: Polyurethane/nylon/polyester
- Closure System: BOA and strap
Positives
- Could be used for both road and MTB cycling
Negatives
- 2-bolt mounting plates are not included
Bontrager’s Sonic road cycling shoes could be a perfect option if you are looking for a versatile pair of shoes that could be used both for road cycling and mountain biking. However, keep in mind that for mountain biking you would need to additionally purchase 2-bolt mounting plates.
These shoes come with Bontrager inForm Race – a roomier design, but still focused on performance and tailored to a women-specific fit. The upper layer consists of various fabrics such as polyurethane, nylon and polyester.
The sole is made of nylon with some carbon fiber and overall provides a stiffness level of 7 out of 14. This is a decent level of stiffness for an entry/mid-range pair. Also, Bontrager’s Sonic comes with a BOA closure system and a strap. BOA is considered to be one of the best closure systems out there because of its micro-adjustments capabilities.
Overall, Bontrager Sonic road shoes offer a lot for their price and are worth considering.
6. Scott Road Comp Boa Reflective Lady Cycling Shoes
- Sole Material: Composite and sticky rubber
- Upper Material: Polyurethane and mesh
- Closure System: BOA L6 combined with hook-and-loop strap
Positives
- Reflective elements for better visibility
- Boa closure system
- Great price value ratio
Negatives
- Not stiffest sole so would be ideal for commuting and casual entry level riders
Scott’s Road Comp Boa Reflective Lady road cycling shoe is a great entry-level option for commuters, beginners or casual cyclists who do not want to overspend.
The upper part of the shoes is made of polyurethane and mesh fabrics, which offer a high level of breathability and comfort. Also, these shoes come with small reflective elements, which are always great during commuting and cycling in low visibility conditions.
The sole is made of composite and sticky rubber, which is not the stiffest material out there, but on the upside, these shoes are a bit more comfortable to walk in during any short stops. We like it a lot that Scott added Boa L6 combined with a hook-and-loop strap closure system on these. Boa will allow you to make micro-adjustments and fit the shoe perfectly and comfortably.
Overall, Scott’s Road Comp Boa Reflective Lady road shoe does offer a lot for the price and is worth considering.
7. Mavic Sequence Elite Women's Road Shoes
- Sole Material: Carbon
- Upper Material: NA
- Closure System: Boa
Positives
- Boa closure system
- Comfortable
- Great fit
- Carbon sole
- Race design
Negatives
- Not the most stylish look
Mavic’s Elite Sequence Women’s Road Shoes provide the best of both worlds by combining high-performance features with excellent fit and comfort.
Their Boa closure system provides a highly snug fit without being tight or restricting blood flow. In addition, the carbon sole transfers energy efficiently, while the race design adds excellent aesthetics to your outfit.
On the downside, these shoes do not have the most stylish look.
CONCLUSION
Finding the perfect pair of cycling shoes can be overwhelming, but it is worth spending the time and choosing an option that you will be happy with. Obviously, we all are limited by budget and our use cases are different so go for the pair you feel most comfortable with. In this article, we put together some of the best options to consider which vary by price so you should be able to find a suitable option.
We hope you found this article helpful. Stay healthy, happy and active.
Why should you trust us?
In order to feature and review any products on our website we do extensive research, read user feedback, carefully review forum threads, look at search trends, brand popularity, try to actually use and test as many products as possible ourselves, and evaluate other factors depending on the product category. By doing extensive research and incorporating it with our own experience we are able to shortlist only a handful of products out of thousands of options.
We want to bring value to our readers and help them find answers to questions and buy the most appropriate cycling products. Brands and cycling professionals always try to innovate and improve to get the best possible outcome. Unfortunately, innovations and product improvements these days result only in marginal gains, but the price increase for these gains is not equally proportional. In economics, this behavior is defined as “diminishing returns”. Knowing this we focus on featuring the best value for the money products that are affordable, but at the same time have a lot to offer. We don’t want our visitors to overspend on something they will not benefit from.
