But 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.

So just like the best gravel bikes, the best gravel bike shoes often feel subtly different to kit designed specifically for other riding disciplines.

Compared to road shoes, gravel shoes are designed for walking comfort and are a bit more forgiving. They also differ from many road shoes as they use two-bolt mountain bike style cleats as opposed to three-bolt road cleats.

At the other extreme, flat-soled mountain bike shoes might have off-bike comfort but their flexible soles aren’t the best for power transfer.

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. 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.

Five things to consider when looking for gravel shoes

The best place, as with everything bike related, is to start by considering your own skills, fitness and preferred riding in order to understand whether you might want to trade off some walking ease for stiffness or if comfort still means everything.

But, in general, there are five main things to consider when looking for a pair of gravel shoes:

1. Fastening and closure
2. The shoe’s uppers
3. The sole of the shoe
4. Fit
5. Insole

Fastening and closure

Technology has gifted us the Boa dial, which gives a rock-solid fit that’s easy to adjust even when riding, but less room for variation in tension through its length.

A common combination is a strap over the toe section that allows it to be tightened independently, with a Boa dial or similar over the mid-foot. It’s a construction that generally works well, as long as there’s enough adjustment in the toe strap.

Old-school laces have their fans, though. If you have a high instep, you probably find that they allow for the differentiation in tension that gives a snug forefoot fit combined with ease over the instep that you need for best comfort.

The downside of laces is that they have a habit of working loose over the course of a ride, especially if walking is involved, which is likely on more technical gravel rides.

The gold standard is the double Boa, which allows you to independently tighten the forefoot and instep. In our experience, this creates a fit that’s both secure and comfortable, yet stays solid throughout your ride.

Uppers

We demand a lot of the uppers of any cycling shoes – gravel shoes perhaps more than most.

Gravel shoe uppers have to help deliver power transfer like road shoe uppers but have to have enough stretch for walking. They also have to be particularly durable and resistant to any scuffs from clambering over rough terrain.

Synthetic uppers are common across the price spectrum. Often synthetic uppers rely on perforation and mesh inserts for breathability. They don’t mould to the shape of your foot in the same way that leather does, but they don’t cost as much either, and fastening paired with other factors such as insole choice can practically circumvent this issue.

When trying on gravel shoes, try not to assume initial discomfort will disappear with wear. Check that adjustments don’t cause wrinkles that can rub, the tongue sits smoothly with no pressure points, the collar isn’t so high that it nudges against your ankle bones and that there are no prominent interior seams.

Soles

If we ask a lot of the upper of cycling shoes in general, we expect the impossible of the sole unit of gravel-specific shoes.

These need to be stiff enough for us to put the power down but flexible enough to walk in, and light enough not to feel uncomfortable, but sufficiently stable and grippy to keep us grounded.

The first thing you’ll learn if you test a lot of shoes is that simply flexing them between your hands is no indicator of how comfortable the shoe will be to walk in. The second is that fit is more important than how stiff the sole is.

Ideally, the sole should be rigid through the mid-foot, with the flex being apparent in the toe section past the cleat. If the toe section has some spring, lifting up from instead of being flat on the ground, this will also enable the rolling action of your foot.

Outsoles made from rubber or TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) add grip and durability, with gravel shoes tending to have a more open lug pattern than the outsoles of off-road shoes. In theory, this provides enough grip while still enabling them to shed mud faster.

In practice, on rougher terrain an all-over lug pattern is best for stability. The question of whether or not to add studs is a personal one, though for us it’s not crucial unless we’re racing cyclocross, where the extra grip could make or break a race.

Fit

The fit of a gravel shoe needs to be snug but not tight, comfortable but not loose. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that pulling the fastenings tighter will overcome a shoe that’s slightly too big, or that you can wear in one that’s too tight.

Once you’ve fastened a gravel shoe, you should be able to walk without your heel pulling out.

Pay particular attention to the shoe’s width as well as its length. Some shoes suit wider feet and, if there’s too much volume, you will not only lose efficiency on the pedalling upstroke but you’ll have less stability walking.

Insole

Jack Luke / Immediate Media

What’s inside a shoe is almost as important as what’s on the outside.

For many gravel riders in the UK, puddles, water and mud are probably going to feature on rides for a chunk of (most of) the year.

A sealed footbed is a must-have to prevent water ingress from the cleat holes. Remove the insole, take a look and run your fingers over the surface. The smoother it feels inside the forefoot section, the less chance that you’ll be aware of the cleats.

In some shoes, insoles feel almost like an afterthought: thin and offering little discernible support. Yet a cushioned insole with a shaped arch adds another degree of comfort and can help you to dial your fit.

Shoes from some brands, such as Rapha, come with different arch inserts, so you can customise the support you need. Other brands, including Specialized, have premium insoles as part of their footwear collection that you can buy as an upgrade.

Insoles are an easy upgrade to a budget shoe and can rescue expensive fit mistakes.

---