Having trouble finding wide cycling shoes?
Cycling shoes don’t “break-in” like leather shoes do, this is because they are made from a solid mold and have a rigid (normally carbon fiber or composite) sole.
We reviewed 150 of the best selling cycling shoes of 2023 to bring you the top 6 offering wide sizes!
Below you’ll find shoes for every budget, road shoes, MTB and indoor cycling shoes.
- Best quality wide mountain bike shoes >> Sidi Trace 2 Mega (Review)
- Best quality wide road bike shoes >> Lake CX241 (Review)
- Cheapest wide mountain bike shoes >> Lake MX238 (Review)
- Cheapest wide cycling shoes >> Tommaso Pista (Review)
- Cheapest wide road shoes >> Shimano RC3 (Review)
- Best all weather wide cycling shoes >> Lake MX304 Mountain Bike Boots (Review)
Table Contents
Best wide cycling shoes
The Sidi Trace 2 Mega, designed with a Mega last that's 4mm wider across the foot's ball. It's suitable for both EE to EEE widths.
This high-quality mountain bike shoe offers SPD compatibility. Its soft yet strong leather, combined with a BOA system and multiple Velcro straps, ensures an optimal fit. The rigid sole provides great pedal power transfer.
- Soft yet strong leather
- BOA & multiple velcro straps allow snug fitting
- Very little flex in sole provides effective power transfer
- Not the cheapest
The Lake CX241 are high-quality, wide road bike shoes that offer excellent fit and comfort. They are made from durable materials and come in a wide range of sizes and widths.
The BOA Fit System allows for precise adjustability, and the shoes are compatible with most road and mountain bike pedals. However, they can be expensive and not as breathable as some other cycling shoes.
- Excellent fit and comfort
- Durable construction
- Wide range of sizes and widths available
- BOA Fit System for precise adjustability
- Compatible with most road and mountain bike pedals
- Not as breathable as some other cycling shoes
- BOA dials can be difficult to adjust with cold hands
The Lake MX 238 mountain bike shoes are relatively affordable. They're a high-quality construction with a wide toe box.
They feature an easy-to-use BOA tightening system and are suitable for on and off the bike use with SPD compatibility.
- Relatively cheap
- High-quality construction
- Spacious toe box
- Easy-to-use tightening system
- Suitable for both on and off the bike use
- Limited availability of larger sizes
Tommaso Pista offers the cheapest wide indoor cycling shoes. The offer both SPD or Look Delta compatibility.
They're true to size, provide great value, and feature pre-installed cleats and Velcro straps for easy adjusting.
- Great value for the price
- True to size
- Come with cleats pre-installed
- Velcro straps allow for easy adjusting
- Some people find them stiff compared to other cycling shoes
- Occasional reports of the cleats getting misaligned or loosening
The Shimano RC3 road shoes are a great value for the price. They are comfortable and well-made, with a Boa dial closure system for a secure and adjustable fit. The breathable synthetic leather upper and seamless midsole provide good ventilation and a low stack height. The fiberglass-reinforced nylon sole is stiff enough for most riders, but not as stiff as some higher-end shoes. The shoes are not as ventilated as some other shoes, but they are still comfortable for long rides.
- Comfortable and well-made
- Boa dial closure system for a secure and adjustable fit
- Breathable synthetic leather upper
- Seamless midsole for a low stack height
- Fiberglass-reinforced nylon sole for good stiffness
- Compatible with 3-bolt cleats
- Sole is not as stiff as some higher-end shoes
- Not as ventilated as some other shoes
The Lake Mountain Bike Boots are a durable, comfortable, and supportive pair of shoes that are designed for all-weather riding.
They use a BOA dial and hook-and-loop strap for a precise fit, and have excellent ankle protection.
The boots are also available in a wide range of sizes. However, the boots can be a bit stiff for some people, and they are not the lightest or most affordable option on the market.
- Durable and well-made
- Comfortable and supportive
- Excellent ankle protection
- Good pedalling efficiency
- Wide range of sizes available
- Can be a bit stiff for some people
- Not the lightest
- Expensive
How we chose these wide cycling shoes
The shoes featured in this article were chosen using specific criteria:
Specifications and features: We evaluated important details like bike riding type, cleat type, closure system, weight and power transfer to identify the top choices.
Customer reviews: The shoe on our list have received mostly positive feedback from customers.
Price: We included a diverse selection of wide shoes to cater to different budget preferences.
What are wide cycling shoes?
Wide cycling shoes are designed especially for those individuals with wider feet or who need more room in the forefoot area.
Regular cycling shoes have a narrower fit to provide a snug and secure feel. However, this can be uncomfortable and restrictive for cyclists with wider feet.
Whereas wide cycling shoes have more width in the toe box and midfoot areas which provides extra space for the foot to spread out. It also accommodates a broader range of foot shapes.
Wide cycling shoes can be particularly beneficial for cyclists who experience discomfort, hot spots, or numbness in their feet due to the pressure exerted by narrow shoes.
How do I know I need wide cycling shoes?
If you’ve got wide feet, I’m sure you’re all too familiar with the pinch of ill fitting shoes.
Cycling shoes that don’t fit will end up causing you pain and sometimes muscle cramps. Your cycling shoes should be stiff. This provides the best transfer of power from your feet to your pedals. But if they are uncomfortable in anyway, this is a sign they don’t fit.
If your toes are touching the end of the shoe when stood up, they are too small. If when you lift your heels there is a gap between your foot and the shoe, they are too large. You want enough room to wiggle your toes. For most people this is 5mm of movement space in the toe box.
Wide cycling shoes are specifically designed for those individuals who have a broader foot or need more space in the toe box area. If your feet feel squashed or your shoes hurt in any way, you might need to consider getting a wider cycling shoe.
Top Brands for wide cycling shoes
Shimano Cycling Shoes
Shimano started in Japan back in 1921. Their focus is, and always has been:
To promote health and happiness through the enjoyment of nature and the world around us
They have been building precision engineered components for almost 100 years. Starting with bike freewheels, and then expanding the biking components. After covering the bike market, Shimano expanded into fishing reels, rods and rowing equipment.
Shimano now make cycling shoes (including wide cycling shoes), pedal, wheels, clothing and all other cycling accessories.
Shimano’s high-end products are at the center of all professional cycling events.
Shimano have really set the standard for a lot of bike equipment. The SPD cleat (Shimano Pedaling Dynamics) for example, is the standard for clipless cleats.
Shimano use european shoe sizing.
Shimano Shoe Sizing Chart
Here’s a quick reference table for sizing shimano shoes. For more details see Shimano shoe sizing
SIDI Cycling Shoes
SIDI started back in 1960 in a workshop producing footwear for mountain sports. They then started to specialize in cycling shoes in the 1970s.
At the time most people nailed cleats onto the sole of their shoes! So Dino Signori the founder of SIDI developed, shoes with built in cleats.
Today SIDI are one of the most popular cycling shoes for professionals.
The SIDI MEGA range is specifically designed for cyclists with wider feet. They are 4mm wider across the ball of the foot. They have more volume, a higher instep and a wider heel cup and are equivalent to EE or EE width.
SIDI Shoe Sizing Chart
| SIDI Size | UK Shoe | US Male Shoe | cm |
| 40 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 25 cm |
| 40.5 | 5.75 | 6.75 | 25.25 cm |
| 41 | 6 | 7 | 25.5 cm |
| 41.5 | 6.5 | 7 | 25.75 cm |
| 42 | 7 | 8 | 26 cm |
| 42.5 | 7.25 | 8.25 | 26.25 cm |
| 43 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 26.5 cm |
| 43.5 | 8 | 9 | 26.75 cm |
| 44 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 27 cm |
| 44.5 | 8.75 | 9.75 | 27.25 cm |
| 45 | 9 | 10 | 27.5 cm |
| 45.5 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 27.5 cm |
| 46 | 10 | 11 | 28 cm |
| 46.5 | 10.2 | 11 | 28.25 cm |
| 47 | 10.5 | 11.2 | 28.5 cm |
| 48 | 11.5 | 12.5 | 29 cm |
Lake Cycling Shoes
Lake specializes in one thing and one thing only, making great cycling shoes.
They are head quartered on the shore of Lake Michigan. Working in the coldest temperatures in all North America has paid dividends. It drove innovation for the ultimate cold weather cycling boot the MXZ303. As well as the off-road cycling boots, lake also make great road cycling shoes.
Lake sizing guide
| Milimeters | EU | US Men’s | US Women’s | Standard | Wide | Standard | Wide | Standard | Wide | Extra Wide | Standard | Wide |
| 224.5 – 227 | 36 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 85 | 87 | 83 | 78 | |||||
| 230.5 – 234 | 37 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 87 | 88 | 85 | 80 | |||||
| 234.5 – 237 | 37.5 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 88 | 89 | 85 | ||||||
| 237.5 – 240 | 38 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 89 | 90 | 87 | 82 | |||||
| 240.5 – 243 | 38.5 | 6.75 | 7.75 | 90 | 91 | 87 | ||||||
| 243.5 – 246 | 39 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 91 | 99.76 | 92 | 104 | 88 | 97.8 | 100.24 | 84 | 100.2 |
| 246.5 – 250 | 39.5 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 92 | 100.76 | 93 | 105 | 88 | 98.8 | 101.24 | ||
| 250.5 – 253 | 40 | 7.75 | 8.75 | 93 | 101.76 | 94 | 106 | 89 | 99.8 | 102.24 | 86 | 101.2 |
| 253.5 – 256 | 40.5 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 94 | 102.76 | 95 | 107 | 90 | 100.8 | 103.24 | ||
| 256.5 – 260 | 41 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 95 | 103.76 | 96 | 108 | 91 | 101.8 | 104.24 | 88 | 103.2 |
| 260.5 – 263 | 41.5 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 96 | 104.76 | 97 | 109 | 92 | 102.8 | 105.24 | ||
| 263.5 – 266 | 42 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 97 | 105.76 | 98 | 110 | 93 | 103.8 | 106.24 | 90 | 105.2 |
| 266.5 – 270 | 42.5 | 9.75 | 11.0 | 98 | 106.76 | 99 | 111 | 94 | 104.8 | 107.24 | ||
| 270.5 – 273 | 43 | 10.0 | 11.5 | 99 | 107.76 | 100 | 112 | 95 | 105.8 | 108.24 | 92 | 106.7 |
| 273.5 – 276 | 43.5 | 10.5 | 100 | 108.76 | 101 | 113 | 96 | 106.8 | 109.24 | |||
| 276.5 – 280 | 44 | 11.0 | 101 | 109.76 | 102 | 114 | 97 | 107.8 | 110.24 | 94 | 108.2 | |
| 280.5 – 283 | 44.5 | 11.5 | 102 | 110.76 | 103 | 115 | 98 | 108.8 | 111.24 | |||
| 283.5 – 286 | 45 | 11.75 | 103 | 111.76 | 104 | 116 | 99 | 109.8 | 112.24 | 96 | 110.7 | |
| 286.5 – 290 | 45.5 | 12.0 | 104 | 112.76 | 105 | 117 | 100 | 110.8 | 113.24 | |||
| 290.5 – 293 | 46 | 12.5 | 105 | 113.76 | 106 | 118 | 101 | 111.8 | 114.24 | 98 | 112.2 | |
| 293.5 – 296 | 46.5 | 13.0 | 106 | 114.76 | 107 | 119 | 103 | 112.8 | 115.24 | |||
| 296.5 – 300 | 47 | 13.5 | 107 | 115.76 | 108 | 120 | 103 | 113.8 | 116.24 | 100 | 114.2 | |
| 303.5 – 306 | 48 | 14.0 | 109 | 116.76 | 110 | 122 | 105 | 115.8 | 118.24 | 102 | 116.2 | |
| 313.5 – 316.5 | 50 | 15.0 | 113 | 120.76 | 114 | 126 | 108 | 119.8 | 122.24 | 106 | 120.2 |
Tommaso
Tommaso provide some of the most popular budget ranged cycling shoes available.
Here’s a size conversion for Tommaso shoes.
EU | US (Men) | US (Women) | CM |
| 37 | – | 7 | 23.6 |
| 38 | – | 7.5 | 24.3 |
| 39 | – | 8.5 | 25 |
| 40 | 7.5 | 9 | 25.6 |
| 41 | 8 | 10 | 26.3 |
| 42 | 9 | 10.5 | 27 |
| 43 | 10 | 11.5 | 27.6 |
| 44 | 10.5 | – | 28.3 |
| 45 | 11.5 | – | 29 |
| 46 | 12 | – | 29.6 |
| 47 | 13 | – | 30.3 |
| 48 | 14 | – | 30.9 |
| 49 | 14.5 | – | 31.6 |
BOA fastening
Wide cycling shoes come with adjustable closures like Velcro straps, ratcheting buckles, or BOA dials so that you can customize the fit.
Here’s a simple demonstration video of how the BOA fastenings work:
Why wear wide cycling shoes?
There are several benefits to wearing wide cycling shoes, the most obvious one being comfort! Here are some of the reasons why you should get a good-quality pair of wide cycling shoes.
Comfort
Wide cycling shoes have more space in the toe box and midfoot regions. This reduces the pressure and compression on the toes which makes the ride far more comfortable, especially on long cycles.
Improved blood circulation
Narrow shoes can restrict blood flow, leading to numbness and discomfort. Wide cycling shoes allow for improved blood circulation in the feet, which reduces the risk of numbness and tingling.
Better power transfer and performance
With a proper fit, wide cycling shoes helps ensure that your foot is fully supported and engaged with the shoe’s sole. This leads to better power transfer from your legs to the pedals and improved performance.
Reduced hot spots and foot pain
A wider shoe can help spread pressure more evenly across the foot. This reduces the likelihood of developing hot spots and foot pain during rides.
It prevents injuries
Poor-fitting shoes can contribute to foot and leg discomfort, which may increase the risk of overuse injuries. Wide cycling shoes that fit properly can reduce the chance of such injuries.
Wearing the right fit prevents discomfort, foot pain and prevents long-term injuries. It also helps blood circulation and increases performance.
How to find wide cycling shoes that fit you
Finding wide cycling shoes that fit you well involves a combination of research, trying on different brands/models, and paying attention to specific fit characteristics.
Here’s a quick guide to help you find the right pair of wide cycling shoes:
Measure your feet
Measure the length and width of your feet using a Brannock Device or a measuring tape. Write down the length in centimeters and inches.
Understand your foot shape
Look at your foot width and shape. Some people have low arches and pronate. Others have high arches and tend to supinate. Each of these foot types will have different pressure points so identifying your foot shape will help you find the most suitable cycling shoe.
Check width adjustments
Look for wide cycling shoes that have adjustable closures like Velcro straps, buckles, or BOA dials. These features will allow you to customize the fit and accommodate your foot’s specific width.
Allow enough room to splay the toes
Ensure the toe box provides enough room for your toes to spread comfortably. There should be a little extra space between your longest toe and the front of the shoe to prevent pressure during pedaling.
Finding the right fit may take some time, but it’s well worth the investment to ensure comfort and maximum performance during your rides. Don’t forget safety and invest in one of the best bike helmets with lights before you hit the road.
Measure your feet, know there shape and take time to do your research. Use our helpful information to find the right wide cycling shoe for you.
How can I prevent foot pain while cycling?
If you want to have a comfortable and enjoyable riding experience, then prioritize preventing foot pain. Here are some tips to help you look after your feet.
Proper footwear
The key to looking after your feet is to ensure that you have the proper footwear. Invest in a pair of well-fitted and appropriate cycling shoes. Make sure that they are the right size and width, and that they have adequate arch support and cushioning. For cyclists with wider feet, opt for wide cycling shoes to prevent discomfort.
Cleat positioning
If you use clipless pedals, make sure you position your cleats properly. Incorrect cleat placement can lead to foot pain and discomfort. Consider getting a professional bike fit to ensure your cleats are aligned correctly.
Footbed support
Some cycling shoes come with removable footbeds. You can replace them with custom orthotics or insoles if you need additional support.
Sock choice
Avoid wearing cotton socks as they will retain moisture and potentially cause blisters. Opt for moisture-wicking, padded cycling socks that fit well and don’t bunch up.
Warm up and stretch your feet
Warm up your feet and stretch them before cycling. This can help improve blood flow and reduce the risk of cramps or foot pain during the ride.
Proper pedal technique
Try to pedal in a smooth, circular motion. Avoid pointing your toes downward excessively, as this can strain the foot muscles.
Avoid super tight straps
Ensure that your shoe straps are not too tight. Tightening them too much can lead to pressure points and numbness.
Check cleat alignment
Check your cleat alignment to make sure that it hasn’t shifted. Misaligned cleats can cause discomfort and foot pain.
Vary foot positioning
During long rides, at times, change your foot position on the pedals to distribute pressure and reduce strain on specific areas of your feet.
Footwear ventilation
If you live in a hot climate, choose cycling shoes that are well ventilated to help keep your feet dry and prevent them from overheating.
Listen to your body
If you start to feel discomfort or pain while cycling, don’t ignore it. Take breaks if needed. If the problem persists, seek medical advice before the condition worsens.
Look after your feet by wearing proper footwear, warming up, stretching, being mindful of your foot positioning, checking your cleat alignment and not tying them up too tightly. Listen to your body - if your feet hurt, you might need to take a break or reassess why this is happening.
FAQs
What makes a good cycling shoe?
Good cycling shoes are stiff, supportive and snug. They should have approximately 1.5 cm of toe room. A good pair of cycling shoes should stabilize the foot while pedaling without causing discomfort or pinching.
Do any cycling shoes come in wide widths?
Yes, some popular brands have wide cycling shoes. These include Shimano, Specialized, Giro, and Lake.
What are the benefits of wearing wide cycling shoes?
Wide cycling shoes provide more comfort and support for people with wide feet. They can also help prevent blisters and other foot issues such as bunions. Lastly, wide cycling shoes can help improve power transfer and efficiency.
How do I know if I need wide cycling shoes?
If you are finding regular cycling shoes too tight and uncomfortable, no matter the size, then you might need to choose wide cycling shoes to give your feet more room and breathing space.
Where can I buy wide cycling shoes?
Most major cycling retailers will sell wide cycling shoes. You can also purchase them online.