By Simon Bromley

Published: Tuesday, 19 October 2021 at 12:00 am


The ‘problem’ with most cycling shoes is that they’re normally designed to keep your feet cool, which is great in the summer, perhaps, but this can make keeping your feet warm in the winter an almost impossible task.

It feels like we have the same conversation every single year: ‘How do I stop my feet getting cold in the winter?’. And while there’s an endless array of socks, overshoes and ingenious tricks that claim to be able to put an end to your misery, for some people and conditions, none of these will even come close.

This is where the dedicated winter cycling shoe comes in.

Free of superfluous ventilation, roomy enough for thick, woolly socks and built with materials specifically designed to protect your feet from the elements, winter cycling shoes are the equivalent of a proper winter jacket for your feet.

Do you need winter cycling shoes?

It depends. Do you get cold feet while cycling in the winter and how much does it bother you?

If the answer to those two questions is ‘no’ and ‘not much’, then you probably don’t need winter cycling shoes.

In milder parts of the world, for example, it’s perfectly possible to carry on through the winter with overshoes only in place to protect your lovely disco slippers from road spray.

If your answers to the above questions are ‘yes’ and ‘a lot’, it’s likely you could benefit greatly from a pair of dedicated winter cycling shoes.

Not only are they more likely to keep your feet warm and dry in the harshest conditions, they’re also considerably more durable than overshoes, many of which begin to fall apart the instant they come into contact with the ground.

There’s also the ‘hassle factor’. Getting ready for a winter ride can become a chore if you’ve got endless layers to pull on – winter shoes can remove the inconvenience often associated with overshoes.

The best winter cycling shoes in 2021

  • Mavic Crossmax Elite CM: £160 / $198 / €180
  • Fizik Artica X5: £189.99 / $229 / €200
  • Fizik Artica R5: £189.99 / $229 / €200
  • Northwave Himalaya Boot: £230 / $252.99 / €252.09
  • Shimano MW7 MTB: £189.99 / $275 / €242

Mavic Crossmax Elite CM

4.5 out of 5 star rating
"Best
Mavic’s Crossmax Elite CM shoes offer great performance whatever the weather.
Immediate Media
  • £160 / $198 / €180 as tested
  • Excellent high-performance cycling shoe
  • Can shrug off the UK’s worst weather
  • MTB cleat

Mavic’s Crossman Elite CM shoes are a brilliant pair of performance-orientated cycling shoes with added weather protection. Where most winter cycling shoes come with a substantial weight and performance penalty, the Mavic’s make them all look like wellies.

At under 900g for a muddy pair of size EU44s (with cleats), they feel lightweight on your feet and the sole is plenty stiff enough for racy power transfer.

The solid, weather-shrugging toe box and tongue make a massive difference to comfort in cold and wet conditions, and the neoprene collar provides excellent splash protection and helps keep your ankles warm even when water does get in.