Best Mountain Bike Flat Pedal Shoes

Are you looking for the best mountain bike flat pedal shoes? Well, then you’re in the right place. To research for this article, we looked at the most popular and best pairs on the market. All of these shoes have been tested by time and I get feedback from many other mountain bikers to see what everyone likes so you get real-world feedback. Each shoe is evaluated based on all of the crucial performance metrics such as grip, fit, functionality, and comfort. Remember, these are shoes you are going to wear for hours at a time so it’s critical that they are the best possible.

There are so many choices it can be overwhelming but I break it down into categories such as the best budget shoes, best overall, etc. I hope my detailed analysis below helps you to find the best  shoes for your budget and needs.

The best flat pedal mtb shoes are the Five Ten Freerider and the Giro Chamber mtb shoes. These both are the very best shoes for most riding and budgets.

The Best MTB Flat Pedal Shoes

You already know mountain bike shoes are worth it if you are reading this article, it’s just finding the right ones to take your mountain biking to the next level. Well, that’s what I have done for you here today. My feet are tired but I have for you the top choices to put your feet at ease.

 

Five Ten is my absolute favorite brand of bike shoes because they are very well made and extremely durable and I haven’t found better quality anywhere.  They look great whether on a bike or just walking around.  You’ll see this often at competitions as well as they are a major sponsor of events.

Construction

Five Ten Freerider shoes are two-part construction with a leather upper and a medium flex midsole.  This keeps them durable while allowing the flexibility that you will absolutely need on the trails.  The cupsole is molded as one piece which you expect from a quality sneaker.  The real advantage comes with the rubber outsole which is what grips the pedals.  It is made of Stealth S1 rubber with the dotty tread on the bottom to grip any pedal pattern.

I don’t know precisely what’s in the Stealth rubber compound that is listed.  All I know is that these shoes grip like there’s no tomorrow regardless of things like water splashing up.  Just like a top-notch MTB shoe should do.

Fit

These shoes fit just like my normal shoes so I just get my normal shoe size or a half size up for more wiggle room.  They feel like a normal shoe which is why I quite often just wear this around to stores and such as well.  They have regular lace closure as well. Your new shoes need to fit and conform to your feet so they just feel natural.

Type of Shoe

The bottom of the Freerider is an all-rubber compound, which has a lot of round rubber treads or dots. They will work fine on flat pedals, but they also work quite well on flat pedals that have either the little plastic nubs on the edge or even the ones with metal.  Both of these fall between the circles on the bottom of the tread and grip really well. The Freeriders will work for all types of mountain biking and many types of road biking as well as a bonus.

Performance

By every review I’ve seen, bike riders always say when you put down your weight and pedal with these shoes on, they grip like clipless mountain bike shoes. And that’s saying something.

These things just have a special combination between the tread pattern and the type of rubber that they grip like your shoes are glued to the pedals so these are the best flat pedal shoes I’ve ever seen hands down.

Who Are They For

These shoes are great for riders that want a quality shoe that’ll last but without breaking the bank to buy them. Overall, these are the best choice.

 

 

Construction

These Giro shoes have a weather-resistant microfiber upper that can handle all of those nasty rainy conditions you will come across on the trail.  Giro went the extra mile and put in a reinforced toe cap and heel to shore up those high use areas on shoes that normally wear out first.

The bottom rubber on these shoes are Vibram that is one molded piece.  The tread pattern on the bottom is interesting.  The front and the rear 1/3 have the rounder dots like the Five Ten shoes do, but the middle is actually half circles.  These will give a little more grip but may wear out a little faster than the Five Ten’s.

These Giro Jacket shoes feature laces so they tie up like most other shoes do.  Laces are the lightest closures you can get and they’re tried-and-true.

Fit

These bike shoes fit about the same as a normal shoe so it’s best to order your usual shoe size.  These shoes also have medium arch support so they do a good job of supporting the foot while you’re cranking on the pedals.

Type of Shoe

These mtb shoes are fine for both riding and walking as most flat pedal shoes are. With the amazing grip and price these are great for downhill shoes.

Performance

These shoes do a great job of keeping your feet on the pedals during either wet or dry.  If you’ve ever had a foot slip off the pedal and hit your shin on on it, you’ll know just important grip is and these shoes do it well. Just keep the treads clean and these will grip like there is no tomorrow.

Who Are They For

These are the best choice for a pair in the low to mid price range. They are close enough to Five Ten I might choose those if they are available. Either of these are a great shoe at a fair price.

 

 

Construction

These shoes are made by Five Ten and as you would expect, they are excellent in every way. The materials change slightly from the regular Freerider above but it just makes them ever better.

The Freerider Pro have a fast-drying synthetic upper that breathe very well and dry pretty quickly if you are out biking on a wet day. These shoes have a lace closure which I have found works the best for staying at the right tightness over some of the hook and loop closures.

The sole is high-impact, high-grip rubber, and between those are EVA foam to absorb some of the impact you experience when biking.  The pattern on the bottom of the shoe has octagons so they are very similar to the tread pattern seen on many shoes but with a little twist.

The Freerider Pros have an impact-resistant urethane toe box which means your toes are protected from bashing straight into things or hit from above. It’s easy to have your foot a little too low on the pedal and catch roots and such so this is a nice feature to have that extra protection.

Fit

While these are listed true to size, I always recommend going just a little bit larger.

Type of Shoe

The Freerider Pro are a great downhill shoe for when you are doing more extreme riding and need a pair that can keep up with you.

Performance

The rubber on the bottom of these shoes stays put almost like your feet are glued.  If you are out biking when it’s wet, you’ll be glad you have such confidence-inspiring grip on the pedals. Shoes of this level make an amazing difference with how you can bike and how aggressive you can be on the trails.

Who Are They For

The Freerider Pro is perfect for the more extreme rider that is willing to pay more for a shoe that can handle more extreme riding, such as in downhill or even competitions. If you are looking to only buy mtb for under $100, check out my other article over here.

 

 

Construction

These shoes are made by Ride Concepts.  Ride Concept is newer to the market than Five Ten and Giro, but they have really brought the extra mile to these shoes and have earned a spot in my top recommended list.

The Ride Concepts Livewire have a synthetic suede upper paired with anti-abrasion mesh.  Both of those together mean these are durable and won’t just fall apart from coming in contact with things on the trail that easily.

The sole is high-impact, high-grip rubber, and between those are EVA foam to absorb some of the impact you experience when biking.  The pattern on the bottom of the shoe has octagons so they are very similar to the tread pattern seen on many shoes but with a little twist.

These shoes also use the standard laces as they are lightweight and they really allow for a lot of adjustment to get the shoes to fit just right.

Fit

While these are listed true to size, I always recommend buying 1/2 size higher so you have some wiggle room for your toes.

Type of Shoe

The Ride Concepts Livewire is the best set of shoes when you are on a tight budget.

Performance

The Kinetics rubber on the bottom of these shoes grip like there’s no tomorrow.  They are comfortable enough that you don’t get much foot fatigue and they stay put on the pedals and inspire confidence.

Who Are They For

These are great for anyone who needs a quality shoe but can’t afford the prices of the bigger brands. These are quite a few dollars less and have outstanding qualities for a shoe that makes them a very smart choice.

 

 

 

Construction

The Ride Concepts Powerline have a welded microfiber upper that is both abrasion and weather resistant with an elastic lace tuck. So these things are built to take some serious abuse out on the trail.

The sole is made of Rubber Kinetics which Ride Concepts labels “DST 4.0 MAX GRIP Rubber Outsole”. They list that these shoe soles are rated 40 on the Shore A scale. In a nutshell, it means these shoes stay put on the pedals like they are glued, which is the whole reason they are on my top list.

The toe cap and heel on these shoes are custom-molded rubber for extra protection.

What’s really different about these shoes is the D30 High Impact rating. I see knee pads with D30 ratings, but it’s not often to see footwear with D30 impact ratings.  What this really means is that more so than taking a big impact, that these shoes will isolate your feet from the ongoing smaller impacts that are just part of bike riding. These shoes will do a better job than most of not transferring those bumps to your body, so your feet won’t get as tired.

The D30 upgrade is really quite ingenious and the end results is you feel better at the end of a long day of biking.

Fit

While these are listed true to size, I always recommend buying 1/2 size higher so you have some wiggle room for your toes.

Type of Shoe

The Ride Concepts Powerline are a bit pricey but they are one of the few shoes to provide safety-rated impact testing so either big hits or even those constant vibrations from riding are no big deal.

Performance

The Kinetics rubber on the bottom of these shoes grip like there’s no tomorrow.  They are comfortable enough that you don’t get much foot fatigue and they stay put on the pedals and inspire confidence.

Who Are They For

If you are a rider who is willing to pay very well for footwear that isolates your feet from vibration and is the luxury version, then the Powerline may be for you. They’re expensive but your feet feel great at the end of the day of riding.

 

 

Construction

These Five Ten Trailcross LT are another winner from Five Ten.  If you own the Five Ten Freerider or Freerider Pros, but you’d like to use the shoes more for hiking, then these are the flat pedal shoes for you!

The Trailcross have a more aggressive tread so that they grip the dirt and rocks a bit better on hiking adventures. They are fast-drying so if you either walk through a small stream or you are biking and hitting puddles, they dry quick either way.

They have a breathable mesh upper that is more airy than I would have thought possible. You can actually feeel the wind blow through them while riding so you won’t ever have to worry about sweaty feet.

Other than that, they have the same materials for the soles that is super grippy and the EVA foam in the bottom to make them comfortable to wear.

Fit

Most riders are buying either the normal size or even 1/2 size smaller.

Type of Shoe

The Five Ten Trailcross is unique in that it’s built for biking but also for hiking which requires a bit more engineering to make a shoe that is capable of doing this.

Performance

These shoes are very light to wear (the same weight as the Freerider Pros) and they breathe really well. These are really great to wear out in the summer for virtually anything you do, either on-bike or off-bike.

Who Are They For

If you want footwear that is great for riding but has enough flex and grip in them to go hiking, then these are the perfect footwear for your adventures with how multi-use they are. If you like to hike and bike, it’s better to get these and try to wear a hiking shoe on a bike.

 

Construction

Giro create a little higher-end flat pedal shoe with the Riddance. They kept the same winning formula as the Chamber and applied it to the Riddance and upgraded them.

The uppers are microfiber that are both water-resistant and breathable. They also have built-in abrasion resistance to keep them from getting ripped into on the trail by branches and twigs.

The bottom rubber on these shoes are Vibram that is one molded piece.  The read pattern uses all of the octagon dots which is a break with how they built the Chamber shoes but this aligns more with what you see from Five Ten on the shoes.

These Giro Riddance shoes feature laces so they tie up like most other shoes do.  Laces are the lightest closures you can get and they’re tried-and-true.

Fit

These shoes fit true-to-size so you should order your normal shoe size for the best fit. The laces actually stay put really well although I still always double-knot them anyways. They do feel a little right at first but after a few uses when they break-in they fit just right.

Type of Shoe

The Giro Riddance are your classic adventure shoe in that they have foam to absorb the impacts and the stress from the pedals but also have many upgrades to make them more durable and long-lasting.

Performance

These shoes really stay put on the pedals like the others on the list here. The EVA foam footbed isolates vibrates and bumps pretty well so it gives you foot a good break. They have medium arch support so for a vast majority of people they’ll fit well. If not, toss a set of Dr Scholls in there and they get even better.

Who Are They For

The Giro Riddance is for riders that have a wide variety of riding in their adventures and need a shoe that can do both XC and downhill and more. These can take anything you can throw at them and come back for more.

 

There are always a lot of questions related to the best mtb flat shoes I get asked, so let me field some of those questions here to help you out.

What Makes The Best Mountain Bike Flat Pedal Shoes?

The best flat pedal shoes for mtb should grip well and be stiff enough to support your foot so that you can continue riding down bumpy trails without falling off your bike. If you need more stability, then the sole should be stiff and provide better protection against rocks and roots.

Since you’ve decided to get mtb shoes, it’s really how to choose them. There are a few things to look for when deciding if the shoes work for you:

• Budget
• Use – Will these work well for the temperates and area you are biking in
• Quality – Are they well made and durable, and do they have strong grip
• Fit – Do they fit your foot. Even the best pair is useless if they don’t fit right.

So you should evaluate each pair to see if it’s the pair you need and if so then it’s a strong candidate to become your new biking shoes.

Hopefully this article has helped you find the best mountain bike shoes for flat pedals. Happy biking!