Five things to consider when looking for gravel shoes In fact, the difference between the two is often so small it might as well be non-existent and either will work fine for the other. Performance XC (cross-country) mountain bike shoes make for the closest match, which is why we’re seeing some styles badged as mountain bike and gravel hybrids. They also differ from many road shoes as they use two-bolt mountain bike style cleats as opposed to three-bolt road cleats.Īt the other extreme, flat-soled mountain bike shoes might have off-bike comfort but their flexible soles aren’t the best for power transfer. So just like the best gravel bikes, the best gravel bike shoes often feel subtly different to kit designed specifically for other riding disciplines.Ĭompared to road shoes, gravel shoes are designed for walking comfort and are a bit more forgiving. David Caudery/Immediate Mediaīut however you choose to define gravel riding, it is more likely than not that your gravel shoes will need to balance stiffness and efficient power transfer with comfort for longer rides and walkability for rugged terrain or off-the-bike use. The line between gravel shoes and cross-country mountain bike shoes is often thin. In the UK, ‘gravel’ is more likely to mean country lanes and bridleways compared to in the USA where the well-maintained gravel roads of races like Unbound are more commonplace. The best gravel shoes depend very much on how you interpret ‘ gravel’.įor some of us, gravel is simply a jaunt down a few green lanes, while others regard gravel as anything that mixes tarmac and dirt in one ride – even if that dirt calls for what are effectively mountain bike skills but on drop bars. These gravel shoes scored fewer than four out of five stars when they were tested by our expert reviewers, but they are still worth considering.