Best Mountain Bike Shoes for Flat Pedals

Mountain bike riding has been highly popular in the past few years. However, maintaining the grip over the flat pedals has been a difficult task even for polished players, let alone beginners. Thus, there is an evident need for mountain bike shoes that can accommodate the user’s needs without compromising durability and breathability.

Thus, manufacturers have designed specialized mountain bike shoes for flat pedals that feature flat rubber soles and offer increased grip over the surface as compared to standard shoes. Furthermore, these shoes also generate high friction that enables you to maintain your balance on a variety of surfaces.

While this article is focusing on the best SHOES for flat pedals, be sure to do your research on purchasing high-quality pedals as well. Just as a frame of reference, they should probably cost around $50 for a good set.

Here are the 6 best mountain bike shoes for flat pedals and everything you need to know about them, from features to pros and cons.

Best Mountain Bike Shoes for Flat Pedals Overview

IMAGE	PRODUCT	DETAILS
Best Overall	Best Overall	Five Ten Freerider Mountain Bike Shoes	Weight : 2.45 lbs. Material: Rubber sole and leather	Check On Amazon
More Durable	More Durable	Ride Concepts Shoes	Weight Capacity : 0.9 lbs. Material: Microfiber synthetic	Check On Amazon
Premium Pick	Premium Pick	Ride Concepts Wildcat Shoes	Weight Capacity: 0.93 lbs. Material: Synthetic, Anti-abrasion mesh	Check On Amazon
Editor’s Choice	Editor’s Choice	Livewire Bike Shoe	Weight Capacity : 2.2 lbs. Material : Rubber outsole and synthetic upper with anti-abrasion mesh	Check On Amazon
Heavy Duty	Heavy Duty	Five Ten Freerider Shoes	Weight Capacity : 2.45 lbs. Material: Leather and textile	Check On Amazon
		Lxso Mountain Flat Pedal Bike Shoes for Men	Weight Capacity : 1.5 lbs. Material: Microfiber	Check On Amazon

Top 6 Best Mountain Bike Shoes for Flat Pedals Review

Instead, they can perfectly align with the shape of your feet and offer you a relaxed feeling with utmost comfort. Another benefit offered by the rubber sole is the increased friction, which enabled us to maintain our balance and grip on the pedal and reduced the chances of falling or losing balance to a great extent.

Thus, making it our utmost recommendation for novice riders that are not extremely skilled in mountain biking and prefer shoes that offer increased grip and stability. Furthermore, the classic Dotty tread offers remarkable pedal traction, which allows you to pedal the bike easily without exerting additional force while moving uphill.

It also reduces the strain on your muscles, hence, decreasing the chance of muscle injuries. The outer surface of these shoes is made up of leather material which is renowned for its durability and sturdiness. Thus, you can use them in harsh conditions, and they will still feel new and undamaged even after regular use.

Five Ten Freerider Mountain Bike Shoes are manufactured using recyclable materials, and therefore, they do not contribute to environmental pollution to any extent. Moreover, there is no plastic used during the production phase, and the shoes contain only rubber, leather, and textile as the material of construction. Therefore, they are highly popular among the masses for their environmental friendliness.

You may also want to read our review of the best shoes for cycling without clips

In addition to this, these materials are extremely lightweight and do not contribute to the increased weight of the shoes. Thus, they feel extremely lightweight while wearing them and are perfect for day-to-day mountain biking activities. The inner section of the shoes is well-padded in nature and offers increased comfort throughout the day. So, you will not feel any tightening, irritation, or pain in your feet at the end of the day.

This enables you to wear them throughout the day without any major personal or health issues. We also observed that the manufacturer had used rubber as the material for the sole, which is an outstanding choice as rubber provides additional grip and stability and a diverse range of pedals and prevents you from losing your balance when riding at a relatively fast speed.

Rubber is also sturdy in nature, and therefore, it is not prone to cracking or breaking on rough terrains. Finally, the shoes seem aesthetically appealing and can easily direct your attention toward them. Their beautiful charcoal color with lime detailing improves their overall outlook, thereby contributing to their high popularity among users.

Concluding Remarks about Ride Concepts Flat Pedal MTB Shoes

Ride Concepts Flat Pedal Mountain Bike Shoes are famous for their anti-abrasive nature and heel guard that protects you from hurting yourself on rough terrains. Besides this, the high-impact insoles incorporated in them can absorb increased pressure easily and increase their suitability for uphill and downhill mountain bike riding.

This protects you from losing your grip on the pedal, especially if you are a beginner and do not know much about mountain bike riding. Furthermore, the product itself is available in multiple color options, which can be selected depending upon your requirements. You can choose from the available colors on the manufacturer’s website and purchase the one you like the most.

This, coupled with its compact design and increased ventilation, prevents you from sweating inside the shoes and allows you to wear them comfortably for hours without any irritation or wet feeling. So, you can concentrate on riding instead of worrying about the slipperiness you might feel because of sweating.

Apart from the above-mentioned attributes, we also appreciate the anti-abrasion mesh used in the production of the upper portion of the shoes. The mesh increases their breathability and prevents them from getting damaged due to changing environmental conditions.

The interior of the shoes is also well-padded and protects your feet from swelling and hurting due to high impact generation. Similarly, the lower footbed also contains specialized impact-absorbing insoles that can absorb all the impact that might be generated as a result of increased force exertion during mountain bike riding.

Concluding Remarks about Ride Concepts Wildcat Review

Ride Concepts Wildcat Flat Pedal Bike Shoes are the best mountain bike shoes for flat pedals and are highly recommended if you are looking for a lightweight, compact cycling shoe for yourself. The heel and anti-abrasion toe guard incorporated into these shoes prevent you from injuring yourself while riding at a relatively fast speed, hence, making them our top choice for daily use.

Apart from this, the high-impact insoles used in these shoes, along with the heel guard, prevent you from hurting yourself during the mountain biking experience. Thus, it makes it an ideal option for both professionals and beginners alike. The increased shock absorption is also one of our favorite attributes of these shoes and is characterized by a reduction in injuries sustained due to high speed to a great extent.

Similarly, the insoles can also absorb the impact generated as a result of high force and protect your feet from injuries and bone damage. According to our observation, the bottom is constructed using rubber which is different from other products developed by the same manufacturer. The specialized rubber is famous for its high grip and increased stability, which allows you to keep your feet firmly on a variety of pedals.

This reduces the chance of losing balance while riding uphill or downhill, especially at high speeds. Last but not least, an anti-abrasion mesh is also used in the manufacturing process and is characterized by enhanced ventilation. This allows the air exchange between the exterior and interior environment and prevents you from sweating inside the shoes, thereby keeping the interior cool and dry throughout the day.

Concluding Remarks about Ride Concepts Livewire Shoes Review

Ride Concepts Livewire Flat Pedal Bike Shoe is famous for its thoughtful design and compact nature, which can fit easily on any type of foot. This enables you to achieve a customizable fit for the shoes and reduces the chance of financial loss in this regard. We highly recommend trying these out if you are looking for a product that is associated with increased shock absorption and high durability.

If you have wide feet then you can look at my review on best wide feet cycling shoes

The classic design ensures that these shoes can easily fit on any type of foot without any inconvenience or fitting issues. We also appreciate that the shoes are manufactured using environmentally friendly materials that do not contribute to any sort of pollution. Similarly, plastic is not used in any phase of the manufacturing process to display the commitment of the manufacturer against plastic usage and waste.

The upper surface of the product is constructed using a combination of leather and textile-based materials that are famous for their increased durability and long-lasting nature. The leather also keeps your feet warm and cozy throughout the day and is perfect for different seasons.

Another benefit of leather is its anti-abrasive properties that reduce the chance of shoe damage even on rough and rocky terrains. Besides these attributes, another exceptional feature of the product is its rubber sole which is associated with high durability, increased grip, and remarkable stability. The rubber prevents your foot from slipping over the pedal again and again and enables you to concentrate effectively on the ride.

Why I Recommended FiveTen Freerider Women MTB Shoes

Five Ten Freerider Women’s Mountain Bike Shoes are integrated with rubber soles that offer high friction, which allows you to maintain your balance on the paddle without any difficulty. Furthermore, it also offers superior pedal traction and enables you to ride at high speed with utmost efficiency.

In addition to this, it also prevents them from getting damaged easily and contributes to their remarkable durability and sturdiness in the long term. However, what grabbed our attention is the inclusion of a thick impact resistant toe in the shoes, which offers you additional protection from injuries and bone damage during uphill and downhill rides especially if you prefer traveling at relatively fast speed.

The sole of these shoes is made up of rubber-based material, which enables you to achieve remarkable grip on different types of pedals and allows you to maintain your balance while riding on rough terrains. Another benefit offered by the rubber sole is the high abrasion resistance which reduces the damage incurred by high force to a great extent.

Finally, a single strip of Velcro is integrated into the product. The role of the strip is to fix and adjust the shoes around your feet with the help of an adjustable rotating buckle. This makes it extremely easier to tie the shoes and reduces the time required in this regard to a great extent. Hence, making it our utmost choice for daily use.

Why I Recommended Lxso Cycling Shoes

Lxso Men’s Mountain Flat Pedal Bike Shoes are a budget-friendly option for a diverse range of users because of their low price and exceptional performance efficiency. Moreover, the rubber soles are non-locking in nature which increases their suitability for various tasks and enables them to shift efficiently between riding and walking.

If you are a mountain biker, you may have following questions in mind. Go through following guides to learn expert answer!

• Can I use cycling shoes without cleats?

• Can I ride clipless pedals with normal shoes?

Factors to Consider While Purchasing the Flat Pedal MTB Shoes

Weather Conditions

Weather conditions of the terrain you are planning to ride your bike on are highly important before making a decision on the selection of a specific pair of shoes. If you live in cold areas with high snowfall, we suggest purchasing shoes that are made up of leather and other related materials to minimize the effect of cold on your feet. You should also pay attention to padding in this regard.

Apart from offering comfort, a well-padded interior can also keep your feet warm and cozy throughout the day and will prevent you from frostbite or fingers swelling throughout the day. On the flip side, if you reside in areas with high average temperatures, mesh-based mountain bike shoes will be an ideal choice for you.

Mesh is a porous material that allows for sufficient air exchange. Thus, keeping the interior of shoes dry and clean for long hours and reducing the rate of sweat production significantly. You can go for either of these if you live in regions with moderate temperatures. Similarly, synthetic and textile-based shoes are also available these days that can be used as an alternative to the above-mentioned options if the temperature is neither too cold nor too warm.

Fitting Matters

The fitting of the hoes you are planning to purchase for yourself also matters a lot. Thus, we always suggest going to the market and trying out each and every size to find the perfect fit for yourself. Similarly, you must also read the size chart available at the manufacturer’s website while purchasing the shoes online to avoid purchasing the misfit option for yourself.

This will decrease the financial losses to a great extent and will help you invest in the most suitable option. It will also relieve you from the future trouble that might be accompanied by narrow or loose shoes depending upon your decision. Thus, it is always wise of the consumer to first identify each and every parameter and then make the decision accordingly to save him/herself from unwanted troubles.

Impact Absorption of Cycling Shoes

Your shoes must also possess impact absorption abilities as you might be riding on rocky terrains with bumps and uneven surfaces. This will prevent you from injuring yourself as a result of high force or shock that might be produced because of riding at high speed. Most insoles possess shock absorption abilities that will prevent your feet from getting injured because of increased shock. Investing in a good product is highly important in this regard and must not be neglected at any cost for a healthy lifestyle.

Price of Flat Pedal MTB Shoes

Finally, price is another factor that can either make or break the deal. You should always look at the price of the product and analyze whether it falls under your budget category or not. Because purchasing something that exceeds your budget can put stress on your finances in the long term and will lead to future troubles. Thus, we always advise considering the price first before anything for best results.

FAQs about Flat Pedals and MTB Shoes

Why are mountain bike shoes flat?

The majority of mountain bike shoes are flat in nature because the flat surface provides additional stability and grip on the pedal and terrain and reduces the chance of losing your balance in the long term. This is highly useful for beginners that lack prior experience in this regard and need support in order to practice their skills. Similarly, professionals can also use these shoes to improve their grip on slippery surfaces to prevent unwanted accidents.

How do you keep your feet on a flat pedal when jumping?

Foot placement is highly important while jumping on a flat pedal. For this purpose, you should place your foot on the pedal properly so that the axle is located behind your foot. This will help you remain stable on the pedal and will reduce the chance of losing your grip while jumping. Thus, eliminating the danger of falling in the process.

Are rubber soles good for mountain bike shoes?

Yes, rubber soles are perfect when it comes to choosing suitable mountain bike shoes for yourself. The rubber soles create high friction while riding, which provides you with increased grip over the pedal and prevents your foot from sliding down in the process. Rubber is also durable in nature and will not get damaged easily. Thus, it is perfect for rough terrains with uneven surfaces.

Wrapping Up Flat Pedal MTB Shoes Review

Best mountain bike shoes for flat pedals are often characterized by flat rubber soles and impact-resistant insoles to offer durability, better grip, and protection against injuries in the long term. Additionally, the majority of these shoes are also breathable in nature and well-padded to offer an extra cushioning effect while riding on uneven terrains.

The article accounts for the 6 best mountain bike shoes for flat pedals, along with a comprehensive buying guide. Based on the analysis of the above-mentioned products, here are some of our recommendations.

• Five Ten Freerider Men Mountain Bike Shoes for their lightweight construction, enhanced sturdiness, high friction versatility, improved breathability, and better pedal traction.
• Ride Concepts Flat Pedal Mountain Bike Shoes because of their breathable interior, increased traction, outstanding heel guard, impact absorption insoles, and anti-abrasive nature.
• Ride Concepts Wildcat Flat Pedal Bike Shoes due to their high ventilation, anti-abrasion mesh, improved impact absorption, lightweight construction, and excellent grip.

Thus, they are perfect for those that want the best mountain bike shoes for flat pedals on a regular basis.