Best Indoor Cycling Shoes For Women – A Complete List
Indoor cycling is one of those sports and types of exercise that has increased in popularity over the last decade or so. The onset of the pandemic has only furthered that popularity, with people wanting to experience the benefits of cycling without needing to actually leave the safety and comfort of their home. However, many people are missing out on a crucial part of making the most from these cycling rides – their shoes. Shoes that are dedicated to or at least compatible with these indoor cycles can turn a regular workout into a top-class one. So we decided to take a look at and review the best spinning class shoes for women (specifically for women, as we have another list for the best indoor cycling shoes for men). We’ve decided this by a variety of factors that we will go over at the end of the article in our buyer’s guide. Though for just a taste, these include the price, materials and breathability of the shoes. Now with all of that out of the way, let’s get right into our list of the best women’s cycling shoes for spin bikes.
Best Spinning Shoes For Women
TIEM Slipstream Spin Shoes For Women
In the first place, we have the TIEM Slipstream Indoor Cycling Spin Shoe. These shoes might deceive with their look, as they look like a standard sneaker. However, they serve quite spectacularly as a cycling shoe. Their breathable mesh top allows for air circulation throughout the workout. Thanks to their slip-on nature and easy Velcro strap, the Slipstreams can easily be removed or put on quickly whether beginning or ending a workout. Similarly, the cleats are set in so that it doesn’t feel uncomfortable to get off the bike, unlike the bulkier and more traditional cycling shoes.
It is generally recommended to go down a half-size to fit these shoes accurately. The Slipstreams are most definitely SPD-compatible, yet can also be worn as normal shoes afterwards. However, it should be noted that the SPD cleats are not actually sold with the shoes. They need to be purchased separately. Finally, if you want these spin shoes in a particular style, they can most certainly accommodate that. They have at least 7 different colours available. It should be noted that these quality shoes can cost a decent bit, coming in between $100-$130.
The Pros:
- The Slipstreams are light, breathable, can be easily slipped on and off, are SPD-compatible and can even be used as normal shoes.
- If you want to ride in style (even at home), these shoes also fit that prerequisite.
The Cons:
- They might cost a little bit more than you want. However, you would certainly be paying for quality.
- The fact that they don’t come with SPD cleats is a bit annoying.
New Balance Women’s Indoor Spin Shoes
In second place is the New Balance Women’s WX09 V1 Cycling Shoes. These shoes have the benefit of being made for both cycling and indoor cycling, giving them many features that will make them ideal for your exercise. It has adjustable midfoot straps that provide a secure fit, while the synthetic no-sew overlays offer comfort to anyone who is wearing the shoes. There is breathable mesh all around the top and sides of the shoe, allowing your feet to get air even during the most intense workouts.
The WX09 also has the benefit of an NB Fresh antimicrobial treatment, which inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Nobody wants their feet or shoes to smell after exercise. For those who want the shoe to provide a benefit to the actual pedaling process, the shoe is equipped with full-length plates. These provide essential power transfer for more efficient cycling. They are also SPD-compatible, though, like the TIEM Slipstreams, the cleats do not actually come with the shoes. Unlike the Slipstreams, these New Balance shoes do only come in black. Unfortunate for anyone who wants a different style. For a price of $110, they do offer a good service as cycling shoes, so a good investment for your fitness equipment or a great gift idea for fitness lovers.
The Pros:
- These shoes are clearly meant for cycling.
- They are pretty light and have quite a large area of breathable mesh material.
- Compatible with SPD cleats, and made with synthetic overlays that will make sure you have a comfortable workout while you cycle.
- The fact that they have materials in place to remove the smell of a workout is also a plus.
The Cons:
- You do have to pay a decent price for these specialized shoes.
- They don’t come in any other color than black.
- It also seems as though you will want to go a half size up in terms of what comfortably fits.
Louis Garneau Actifly Women’s Shoes For Spinning
In third place, we have the Actifly cycling shoes from Louis Garneau. These shoes were designed for indoor cycling, which means that it is built to withstand the standard amount of sweat that rolls out during the workout. It has a stiff nylon/fiberglass ventilated outsole in order to help deal with some of this sweat and moisture, not to mention the many air channels it has. This outsole also allows for an efficient stroke on the bike pedals without losing any energy that a loose outsole might do.
The same mesh fabric that is used on Louis Garneau’s famous triathlon shoes are still used here. Clearly the focus of this shoe is to make sure that the foot remains dry. Thankfully, it does quite well in this regard. The Actifly shoes are also treated with antibacterial and anti-odor treatments, keeping the smell away. Louis Garneau has also made sure that the Actifly is compatible with SPD cleats. The Actifly is also reinforced at key strategic points in order to make sure that it can provide good, powerful strokes with a hook and loop fastener. The criticism that is commonly put to the shoes is that they aren’t particularly durable and will stretch over time. However, for the price of $100, this isn’t too much of a weakness.
The Pros:
- The Actifly is focused on making sure the feet can breathe and remain dry.
- Just about every element is devoted to making sure that the air is circulating or the smell won’t rise.
- All the while, the outsole makes sure that you retain good pedaling efficiency.
The Cons:
- The shoes seem to stretch after a while and are also not the most durable you could possibly find.
- Those with wide feet might also find them a little constricting.
Pearl iZUMi Women’s Indoor Cycling Shoes
Up next is the Women’s Select Road v5 Cycling Shoe from Pearl iZUMi. A bit of a mouthful, but these are still some quality shoes. The design of the Select v5 was inspired by the design of the top-of-the-line P.R.O. Leader v4. However, the upper has been re-engineered to deliver a much higher degree of comfort. It is quite breathable and eliminates hot spots by adapting to your foot. Similarly, the Anatomic 3-Strap Closure removes pressure from your instep to eliminate more of those pesky hot spots.
The improved nylon plate increases stiffness of the Select v5. This allows for quick acceleration and longer foot support for those longer cycling sessions. It has a stiffness rating of 6. In terms of the heel, it has an EVA foam and rubber heel bumper, giving more stability to the foot. The Select v5 is compatible with both SPD and 3-bolt road cleats, which is always nice to see. The sizing of this shoe is somewhat confusing, as some reports see them running big, while others find them running small. This makes it much harder to actually judge on what size would actually fit you.
The Pros:
- The Select v5 does a fine job of providing a comfortable workout on the bike.
- It is fairly breathable and really looks to remove the hotspots that are formed while cycling.
- The fact that it is compatible with both 3-bolt and SPD cleats is also nice.
The Cons:
- The confusing reports on size is definitely not a fun one.
- It makes it much harder to actually determine whether or not the shoe will fit your foot. For $110, you want this to be more certain.
Fizik R5 Women’s Shoes For Spinning Bike
12 used from $57.88
The midpoint of our list contains the Fizik R5 Road Cycling Shoe. These honestly look like they belong on a football pitch rather than a bike, but their use on a cycle most certainly cannot be argued against. They work better for those with narrow feet thanks to the narrow toe point. The heel cup offers excellent stability, keeping your foot in place at all times. For those who like to make sure the shoe fits exactly, the R5 comes with a Boa IP-1 dial. On the flip side, the Velcro strap that is lower down on the shoe offers only limited adjustability.
The ventilation of the R5 is good, but not spectacular. It certainly isn’t devoted to it, like some of our other top options. We mentioned their look before, but one of the nicest bits about the R5 is that they look about $100 more expensive than they actually are. They can range anywhere in between $95 and $150 depending on what size you are looking for. Again, we should mention that due to the narrow toe box, it does seem that the range of people that can comfortably fit in this shoe is limited by that.
The Pros:
- These are flashy shoes that will allow any cyclist to improve their pedaling efficiency.
- The heel cup offers stability, while the Boa dial allows for small adjustments.
- For the mid-range price, these are a high-quality pair of shoes.
The Cons:
- They are limited in how they fit people.
- Those with wider feet will find themselves rather constricted by the R5’s, even if they are only slightly wider than the average foot.
Giro Techne Women’s Indoor Spin Shoes
The Giro Techne Women’s Road Bike Shoes comes in sixth, offering some good features while also lacking in certain departments. The heel of the Techne shoe is quite secure and very padded. While this is a positive in terms of comfort, it also has some drawbacks. It means that the shoe is very warm while you workout in it. The toe is better in terms of the ventilation but still isn’t great. This means that after workouts, the feet might have a bit of smell hanging around on them because of the lack of air circulation. The finish is pretty easy to mark on the non-black versions of the shoe. Meanwhile, the inside heel can also cause some rather bad heel rub.
The nylon sole should do a good job of deadening any road vibrations outside, but after a while on the indoor cycle it can start to feel mushy. Of course, this is really only noticeable/a problem if you are going at the highest and most intense speed possible. The Techne does have some tough and accurate stitching over its faux-leather panels, with some neatly bonded soles tossed in for good measure. These shoes do have the benefit of getting relatively low prices. It only costs (depending on the size) between $80-$115.
The Pros:
- The Techne is made from some quality material that is reasonably breathable in the region of the toe.
- Thanks to the padding, it is also rather comfortable to wear.
- The Velcro straps fit well and the heel claps are also solid aspects of this shoe.
- The fact that the price is lower makes it a good shoe for beginners.
The Cons:
- The Techne can get quite warm on account of the padding on the inside.
- On the higher intensity workouts, the sole starts to become mushy, which isn’t exactly a comfortable feeling.
- Finally, the heel can suffer from some bad crank rub.
Tommaso Pista 100 Women’s Spinning Shoes
The Pista 100 is Tommaso’s entry-level cycling shoe that is designed to be a great introduction shoe to any clipless riding. Fortunately, these shoes are not just for beginners, as experienced riders can most certainly get benefits from these shoes as well. The upper is made from synthetic leather, making it surprisingly durable and comfortable. Meanwhile, the mesh portion of the shoe is quite well ventilated. The Pista 100 comes with a low profile hook and lock Velcro straps in order to help the shoe fit better. For those who are looking for a variety of colors with their shoe, there is an OK amount. There are 2 combinations of black and pink or blue. Then there is all white. Not a ton, but more than others.
In terms of how the Pista 100 affects performance on the actual bike, it does a decent job of it. The sole is reinforced by fiberglass, which provides more stiffness and maximizes power transfer. The cleats that the Pista 100 is compatible with are SPD-SL, SPD, Look, and Speedplay. A pretty good selection for those who like to use cleats. It should be noted that the Pista 100 runs small, so keep that in mind when looking at sizes. For $120, the price does seem a bit high for the amount of features that you actually get.
The Pros:
- These are excellent beginner level shoes that provide plenty of comfort and solidity to whoever wears them.
- The fact that they are compatible with so many different cleats is also a bonus.
- They provide a good amount of support when pedalling.
The Cons:
- The shoes run a bit small, making it more difficult to actually judge what sort of size you should actually order.
- The fact that they also cost $120 means that this is an unnecessary risk.
- Only 3 color combinations is a bit of a disappointment.
Venzo Men’s or Women’s Indoor Cycling Shoes
Approaching the end of our list, we have the Venzo Cycling Shoes. These shoes are designed to be used by both men and women, but we’ve found that they actually are quite well-done for women in particular. The cleat area is compatible with just about every cleat type on the market, including Look Delta and the Peloton Bike. It features a highly breathable mesh and synthetic upper that dries out rather quickly. It also has some textile lining with a removable sock liner. Thanks to a flexible forefoot and a beveled heel akin to a running shoe, there is a pretty solid level of comfort with this shoe.
A tough and stiff sole will make sure that you don’t lose any energy while cycling. The tightening strap on the shoe isn’t the best. It doesn’t really make the shoe all that much tighter. There are also reports of the screws on the clips coming loose rather often. Those with wide feet might also find themselves having to adjust somewhat to wearing these. The Venzo cycling shoes with Delta cleats cost about $125. Not bad for the addition of cleats, but there is still something to be desired here.
The Pros:
- Venzo has made these shoes pretty good for cycling.
- Their mesh allows for breathability and air circulation.
- The fact that it is so compatible with so many different cleats is also a bonus.
- The flexible forefoot and beveled heel also make it a comfortable fit.
- The sole is reasonably tough and still.
The Cons:
- The value of the shoe is a bit up in the air. Yes, it is nice to get some cleats in the package, but whether or not that justifies the $125 price is a question.
- Those with wide feet might find some difficulty adjusting to the shoes, while the straps that are meant to secure your feet… really don’t.
TriSeven Premium Spinning Shoes For Women
The TriSeven Premium Nylon Triathlon Cycling Shoes (as the name might indicate) are intended to be used during a triathlon. However, this doesn’t render them useless for any races you might set up for yourself on the indoor spin bike. The shoe itself is made of cool synthetic, microfibre, and nylon materials. Because it was meant for triathlons, the shoe was made to be extremely light. In fact, it only weighs 285g (1.7 lbs) per shoe. Again, thanks to their intended use, they also are meant to be extremely ventilated. The air most certainly circulates around their mesh pieces, keeping the feet reasonably dry.
It should be noted that you can tell that these shoes weren’t meant for indoor cycling. Their focus primarily extends to the transition phase of triathlons, so they don’t really have many indoor cycling features. While this is great for those who use indoor spin bikes to train for triathlons, this means that they aren’t as good for the (likely) majority who do not participate in such races. For a price of $95, there are better options dedicated to cycling.
The Pros:
- These shoes were designed to be extremely light and breathe air both in and out. They do that very well.
- The other materials that make up the shoes are also quite impressive.
The Cons:
- TriSeven didn’t mean for these shoes to be used solely as indoor cycling shoes and it shows through their lack of features in regard to that.
- For the price of $95, you will most likely want to look elsewhere on the market.
Pearl iZUMi Women’s Elite Road v5 Cycling Shoe
Rounding out our list is another entry from Pearl iZUMI. This time it’s the Elite Road v5. Similar to the Select v5, the Elite Road v5 uses the same bonded unibody construction as the top end P.R.O. Leader road cycling shoes. This unibody construction eliminates the more traditional lasting board to deliver a super low 5mm stack height. What does this mean? It basically means that it increases the efficiency of each rotation of the pedaling. The Elite Road v5 also uses the same 3-Layer upper as the Select v5 that helps eliminate hot spots.
The main differences between the Elite Road v5 and the Select v5 comes in the form of how it is secured, the price and the stiffness. The Elite Road v5 uses a Boa IP1 reel in order to adjust much more specifically. It also has a stiffness rating of 13, as opposed to the Select’s rating of 6. The Elite Road v5’s price can run as high as $240, though you can normally find it at around $125. Unfortunately, this still seems like too high of a price for what you are getting in terms of features.
The Pros:
- It offers the same sort of comfort and breathability as the Select v5.
- It also has the bonus of a Boa IP1 reel for smaller fit adjustments.
The Cons:
- For being “Elite”, the Elite Road v5 doesn’t really offer much else than it’s less elite counterpart. For potentially $100 more, this seems like a major issue.
- They are also less welcoming to wide feet, which should be kept in mind.
Buyer’s Guide
That concludes our list of the best spin shoes for women, which can also be a great biker gift for her. Now we’re going to look at some of the features that you should be on the lookout for in your own hunt for some cycling shoes.
- The breathability of the shoe. This is important, as when shoes don’t have mesh or some other form of ventilation, then sweat and other moisture start to build up inside of them. This can lead to discomfort, bad smells or even bacteria forming inside. Nobody really wants that, so you want to make sure that the shoe you are looking at can get air.
- The fit. How the shoe is going to fit can make a big difference in how enjoyable it is. If the shoe is too big, then it will slide around and potentially cause blisters. If the shoe is too small, your feet will feel cramped and you will feel the pain that way too. Generally, shoes are reported as running small, running large or running true. You want them to run true, as that means they fit the size that they say.
- The price. Some of these shoes can get rather pricey, while not actually offering as much as other shoes. You generally want to make sure that the shoe you are looking at offers the number of features and solid build that it is worth.
- The materials used in the build. This sounds general, but you want to make sure that the materials used in the shoe will last you a while. Whether it is their durability or solidity, you want to make sure that the shoes will keep your feet invested for a while. Comfort generally reigns supreme in this realm, as you want to make sure your feet don’t hurt as you ride.
That’s the end of our review of the best women’s indoor spin shoes. Hopefully, you have spotted a cycling shoe that you think would fit you or someone you know rather well. As always, this is more of a guide rather than an absolute rule of law. Use our buyer’s guide in order to truly decide what sort of shoe would fit best. Now get out there and get cycling!