Competing in triathlons requires a lot of kit.
You’ll need a wetsuit, a bike, goggles, helmet, sports watch, sunscreen, probably a towel too. You’ll also need shoes, and for the cycling stage that means specialised bike shoes that clip into your pedals yet can be removed easily when it comes time to change segments.
Triathlon bike shoes are slightly different to standard road bike shoes in this regard. They’re also often better for racing in warmer weather, as they have extra ventilation you might not find elsewhere, and can be designed in a way that helps your feet to dry out if you’ve just been in the water.
It’s even possible to leave them clipped to the pedals of your bike, making a flying start by pushing your feet into them once you’re already riding.
Best triathlon cycling shoes at a glance
- Best overall: Shimano TR901 - £200, Free Wheel
- Best for good value: Mavic Cosmic Elite Tri - £70, Sigma Sports
- Best for airflow: Fizik Transiro Hydra Aeroweave Carbon - £289.99, Tredz
- Best for stiffness: Bont Zero+ - £359.95, Bont
- Best for quality: Specialized S-Works Ares 2 - £479, Specialized
- Best for comfort: DMT Unisex Kt1 - £249.99, Amazon
- Best for arch support: Scott Road Sprint Tri Shoe - £140, Scott Sports
- Best for a budget buy: Van Rysel Aptonia - £89.99, Decathlon
Lightness and stiffness are prized for triathlon cycling shoes more than they are for normal cycling clips or running shoes, and as you’ll be using them without socks you’ll want to look out for those that are made without internal seams, to avoid rubbing on your feet. You’ll also find heel loops on triathlon cycling shoes, so you can pull them on more easily.
So while it’s entirely possible to use road bike shoes for a triathlon - they’re pretty good at transferring power to the bike efficiently, after all - you’ll be missing out on some helpful features, and may lose precious seconds if you’re struggling to get them on and off.
Here are some of the best I have found.
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Shimano TR901
Best: overall
Notable as much for their electric blue colour option as they are for their triathlon-specific features, the Shimano TR901 cycling shoes are an excellent choice for triathlons.
The rubber heel tab is made of rubber, making it easier to pull on in a hurry, while the shoe is made of breathable mesh to assist in drying, with a stiff carbon sole.
All that mesh means there's lots of ventilation, so you may notice a bit of chilliness in colder weather until your feet are dry, but the straps that wrap around your foot, the heel bump and the comfortable upper mean you’ll get a great fit and excellent performance.
Buy now £200.00, Free Wheel
Mavic Cosmic Elite Tri
Best for: good value
Cheaper than many though not the cheapest, these shoes from Mavic have the same shape and closures as the top-end shoe from the same manufacturer, with a single strap, but come with a more flexible sole and a synthetic upper that isn’t as light.
This will likely only matter to a slim slice of triathlon athletes, most of whom will prefer a few hundred quid back in their pockets or spent on a better bike.
The Cosmic Elite Tri shoes are breathable and comfortable, with a large strap at the back to get them on quickly. They might be all you need.
Buy now £70.00, Sigma Sports
Fizik Transiro Hydra Aeroweave Carbon
Best for: airflow
These triathlon cycling shoes fasten with a single strap, so you won’t be tempted to adjust a separate tow strap and lose a few seconds that way.
You get a heel bump to aid running to your bike, the all-important strap at the back to pull them on, and the upper, which Fizik calls ‘Aeroweave’, is made of a nylon mesh composite that enables airflow and drying.
The shoes have further airflow channels to keep the ventilation coming, while there's not a seam to be seen - perfect for riding without socks.
Buy now £289.99, Tredz
Bont Zero+
Best for: stiffness
Extremely stiff, and with excellent aerodynamic properties, the Bont Zero+ are expensive, but may be worth it if lightness is a concern: they tip the scales at just a sliver over 500g.
The top strap covers the whole upper part of the shoe, under which is a ratchet system for tightening, meaning there are no ridges to impede airflow, and the toe box has been informed by a suite of laser foot scans to provide a natural and supportive shape.
While there are very few ventilation holes this doesn’t seem to be too much of a problem, as there's very little insulation to keep heat in.
Buy now £359.95, Bont
Specialized S-Works Ares 2
Best for: quality
The most expensive pair on this list, the Specialized S-Works Ares 2 are top-of-the-range triathlon cycling shoes and really look the part.
It’s worth trying them on before you buy, as their somewhat overengineered nature means they won’t fit everyone’s feet, but if you can get them comfortably on you’ll find a comfortable and ergonomic shoe that has been designed for optimal positioning of the foot and shoe on the pedal and therefore power efficiency.
Specialized reckons they’ll give you an extra seven watts of power, but that’s something tricky to measure in the real world. What’s more obvious is the price, which will put off more athletes than any performance gain.
Buy now £479.00, Specialized
DMT Unisex Kt1
Best for: comfort
Another flagship shoe, but one with a more reasonable cost attached. These are built around a carbon sole for stiffness, with a knitted upper that claims comfort without socks and extra breathability.
They’re some of the lightest triathlon cycling shoes out there, and are extremely comfortable to wear, with a decent-sized pull tab at the rear and a dial system for tightening them up.
This means there's no strap to release to really open the shoe up to get your foot in, but it’s nothing a bit of jiggling can’t overcome.
Buy now £249.99, Amazon
Scott Road Sprint Tri Shoe
Best for: arch support
Another single-strap design, the Scott Road Sprint Tri Shoe uses Scott’s ErgoLogic insole, which comes with optional arch supports to tailor the fit to your foot.
There's a large mesh section for breathability and drying out, as well as a nylon composite sole that’s fairly stiff, but not up to the standards of the full carbon models.
Easy to get your foot in and out of thanks to the large strap and the heel loop, these are also comfortable to wear without socks.
Buy now £140.00, Scott Sport
Van Rysel Aptonia
Best for: a budget buy
An extremely low-priced option compared to some on this list, the Van Rysel Aptonia shoes use a zip and dial to tighten, which decreases the chance of them coming loose but may add extra fractions of a second when you’re putting them on.
The heel tab is a decent size for pulling them on, while a soft mesh upper handles comfort, ventilation and drying. The sole is fibreglass, again playing into their budget nature, but if you’re not able to splash out huge sums on your hobby, they tick a lot of boxes.
Buy now £89.99, Decathlon
Verdict
Buying the right triathlon cycling shoes can be tricky, and trying various pairs before you commit to one is essential, as fitting, customisation, and comfort are going to be different for almost every different foot that goes in them.
That said, it’s easy to recommend a pair like the Shimano TR901, as they perform well in terms of fitting, ventilation, quick drying and adjustability.
