CYCLING SHOES

Carbon soles are typically not worth the price for most everyday riders. The material is specific to high-performance cycling shoes, delivering maximum stiffness, reduced weight, and less foot fatigue. These are all beneficial if you take longer rides than the average cyclist. But if you ride occasionally or join community bike rides for fun, then non-carbon sole bike footwear will do just fine and cost you less.

You can use cycling shoes for walking or commuting if they’re mountain bike shoes or gravel cycling shoes. These bike riding shoes can be walked in because the cleats are recessed into the sole. Cleats that protrude make walking difficult.

Yes, you can use MTB shoes on a road bike. But road bike shoes deliver better power transfer because the soles are stiffer and the cleats are wider. If you’re more of a casual rider, mountain bike shoes on a road bike are not a big deal.

Yes, several brands now offer cycling shoes made with recycled or eco-friendly materials. Shimano, for example, uses recycled materials for shoe covers. Some use recycled uppers, plant-based fabrics, or bio-based soles. The sustainability movement is growing fast in cycling gear, so if eco-friendly products matter to you, keep an eye on newer releases — manufacturers are upping their game.