Tips for choosing the perfect MTB shoes

 Tips for choosing the perfect MTB shoes

In this Post, we leave you some tips to choose the perfect shoes for MTB. The MTB modality, every day is more followed by bicycle enthusiasts, but this modality when faced with tougher aspects than any other modality, all equipment and accessories that are used must be chosen carefully so that they maintain the greatest comfort during the time your route lasts.

Therefore, below, we are going to explain the aspects that should be taken into account when choosing the perfect MTB shoes for mountain biking and advise on which MTB shoes to choose based on these aspects that must be taken into account. accounts such as: stiffness, last, size, weight ... etc.

- Tips for choosing the perfect MTB shoes and products

But cycling is not like in other sports modalities, you can choose the shoe that you like the most in terms of design or colors, in cycling you must take into account before buying, the characteristics that the cyclist has. But why is footwear so important?

Footwear is the most important in cycling because wearing inappropriate footwear during the route, which causes pain, can cause injuries, the time that is pedaling is a suffering and that the pain causes the cyclist not to pedal with force enough.


- First of all, one of the most important aspects is choosing the right size. By the design of these shoes, since these shoes are usually narrower, causing the toes to fall asleep. For this reason, the size may vary and is not the same as the size that is normally used in a shoe, it is advisable to try the shoe before buying it or to be guided by the size guide of each brand.

It is important to measure the width and length of the foot and consult the size guides of each manufacturer, since the size of each brand may vary by a few centimeters and the number you need may vary.

To have the greatest comfort, the shoe must fit, with the heel adjusted so that it is held, with pressure on the instep, but without it being tightened and it cannot be loose since the foot support will not be correct.


- Second, another aspect to take into account are the materials with which these shoes are made, depending on the material many things will depend, such as the price of these shoes or the time in which they are used. These materials will always be less rigid than those used in road shoes, in addition to the fact that these shoes will have small studs on their sole so that the cyclist, in the event of having to walk through the mountains, can do so easily.

It should be taken into account at what time of year it is going to be used, if the routes through the mountains are to be done during the summer or in spring, more breathable materials will be used, this makes the shoe lighter. For winter seasons it is recommended to wear MTB shoes that are waterproof or that withstand the heat.

The materials used to make these range from fabric, hard plastic, leather, carbon fiber or synthetic microfibers. This last material is the most used, since it is a material that provides lightness, resistance, breathability and water resistance. The soles of these cycling shoes can be made of carbon fiber, this makes the weight decrease but the price increases.



- Thirdly, the type of closure that is another aspect that is taken into account, the recommended thing in cycling is not to use shoes with laces, in order to avoid that the cord gets tangled with any part of the bicycle.

Velcro or BOA type closures are the most used for mountain biking. When a shoe has a velcro closure, they are a shoe that will have a lower price, therefore, if you are a beginner, it is best to start with MTB shoes with this closure.

The BOA type closure will make the price of the shoe rise, but this is one of the best closures, since this closure allows you to easily adapt the shoe to your foot, being also one of the fastest fixed closures and maintains the pressure and fixation.

There are other shoes that combine various types of closure such as laces and velcro or velcro and BOA closure. With these combinations the best fixation of the shoe to the foot will be achieved



- Finally, to choose the right MTB shoe, we must take into account what type of mountain biking we practice.

If the modality we practice is XC or cross-country, the most appropriate thing is to choose shoes that have a rigid sole, with a good fit so that the foot is supported and not lose strength when pedaling and with light materials so that the weight of the shoes is the smallest possible.

If we practice trail, the most suitable shoes that we should wear are rigid and comfortable shoes with a rubber sole, since in this modality it is possible that we have to walk through the mountains, therefore these shoes are very similar to those used when mountaineering is practiced.

If the modality we practice is Downhill, the most convenient thing is to choose a flexible but resistant footwear, these shoes have a reinforcement on the toe to serve as protection against impacts against the ground or stones, but unlike the shoes of the first mode, these shoes should not be so tight and the foot so subject to allow the maneuvers that this mode requires.

How to choose your bike shoes?

 How to choose your bike shoes?

If you are going to start mountain biking, or you already do and want to use clipless pedals, you will also need special shoes for those pedals.

Clipless cycling pedals are a huge plus. They allow you to put your foot in a correct position, which is convenient for pedaling for many hours, and they make you exert better force on the pedal and take advantage of all the movement of the leg when pedaling.

- How to choose your bike shoes and products

Although at first they may seem difficult to use, once you get used to it you don't want to pedal with anything else.

All clipless pedal shoes have a stiffer sole than normal shoes. This is so that they do not deform when pedaling hard and that it does not affect the foot, and to be able to hook them to the pedal and pull with force without breaking.

Therefore, although some models may seem like normal shoes, the truth is that they are designed specifically for cycling.

There are specific shoes for both road and mountain or MTB. Road shoes have a smooth sole, and MTB shoes have studs or rubber soles like trekking shoes, for when we have to get off the bike and walk on dirt roads and not lose grip.

For cycling or cycling trips, the shoes used are MTB, they already allow walking with them and are not as rigid as road shoes.

Within the MTB shoes there are different types depending on the cycling that you are going to practice and the use that you are going to give them.

We can differentiate them into sports, mixed and casual. You can find a multitude of MTB shoes in Bike Parts where you can see a wide variety of models and choose the one that best suits you.

Types of MTB Shoe

1. Sports shoes
If you practice mountain biking in a sporty and intense way and on your outings you don't usually stop to visit places, this type of shoe is ideal for you. They are the most similar to the road but with studs on the sole.

With a more aggressive aesthetic, they are very light, stable and resistant to strong pedaling. They adapt perfectly to the anatomy of the foot.

2. Mixed shoes
If you prefer shoes that are sporty but at the same time allow you to walk comfortably, this type of shoe that mixes the previous model and trekking footwear is what you need.

They are less rigid shoes that combine comfort with good adhesion. They have a rubber sole to ride longer and are usually made of more flexible materials such as leather.

Recommended to combine full-power day trips with quiet trips where you stop to visit towns, monuments, etc.

They are also recommended if the mountain bike you practice requires constantly getting off the bike in complicated sections.

This is the footwear that we use on our trips.

3. Casual sneakers
Casual shoes are normal shoes but with the sole adapted to fit the clipless pedals.

They are very comfortable and flexible shoes, with which you can walk perfectly as with other types of footwear. They are usually sport or hiking type with a sole designed for this type Vibram.

These are the ideal shoes for a touring bike or for cyclotourism, that stick more with a more relaxed aesthetic and with less tight clothing.

Another advantage of these shoes is that they serve you both for pedaling and for walking, so you save on carrying another pair of shoes in your saddlebags for when you get off the bike.

In addition, if you are one of those who travel with platform pedals instead of automatic ones, you can remove the cleats and pedal with them more comfortably as they provide more stability than normal shoes.



Speaking of platform pedals, there is a type of shoe designed for these pedals that does not train the holes for the cleats.

They are casual type shoes, usually leather or leather, but more robust, with well-protected sides and toecaps, as they are designed for a more radical MTB such as downhill or enduro where you have to walk and push the bike often.

The sole in this type of shoe is made of a softer rubber and less tack that adhere perfectly to the platforms.



As you can see, there are slippers for all tastes and needs. As I said before, we use them mixed, perfect both for one-day MTB trips and for trips of several days or weeks. Now you just have to take a look and choose the best ones for you.