Finding the best mountain bike shoes for wide feet depends greatly on you and your style of riding. Your comfort is the number one defining factor when it comes to choosing a pair of reliable, long-lasting cycling shoes. It also makes the ride a bit more enjoyable if your feet aren’t crammed into poorly fitting shoes!
As with any other purchase, it is wise to first do a thorough research about what the shoe offers before buying it. With mountain bike shoes, there are also a number of factors to consider when deciding which product is right for you.
If you need more help knowing what to look for when purchasing mountain bike shoes, check out the latter half of this article.
Top Five Brands That Offer Mountain Bike Clipless Shoes for Wide Feet
Whether you have been a mountain bike enthusiast for a while or you are just starting out, this guide is for you! We know how hard it is to find the perfect mountain bike shoes for wide feet. With this in mind, we have come up with this list of the top mountain bike shoe brands that offer enough room for your feet!
Sidi
Sidi has been creating high-quality shoes since the 1960s, and are one of the top brands for mountain bike shoes. They are known for making long lasting, durable mountain bike shoes. The key to their design is the stitching in all the areas that typically fail in shoes. Additionally, the Sidi shoes have a durable politex upper.
The politex upper on their shoes is tough, which is great for when the trail gets rough. Sidi also has their unique heel cup design which keeps the foot in the optimal position, which is great for those longer rides.
Alongside Sidis regular MTB shoes they have the Sidi Mega fit. These are the range of wide shoes that Sidi offer which have an extra 4mm of width across the ball of the feet that allows the forefoot to expand out for those with wide feet.
The shoe that I recommend for most mountain bikers in Sidis line up is the Sidi Mega Trace 2. In my opinion, the Sidi Trace 2 is one of the best value MTB shoes on the market as it is Sidis entry-level model, but they have not skimped on any of the features. It means that you can get Sidis excellent build quality for a very reasonable price.
A top quality shoe that any rider with wide feet will appreciate. They are very comfortable, and Sidis build quality means they are built last. A top quality shoe!
Giro
A great number of cycling shoes from Giro are roomy in the toe box because of its rounded front-end design. Additionally, Giro also makes wider options of all of their road range products. This brand is also among the few companies that offer a high-volume fit for feet with widths that measure D to EE.
These types of cycling shoes are specifically designed for mountain bike riders and their needs. It provides the wearer with a comfortable foot support that would consequently result in more efficient pedalling.
Giro are a huge name in MTB gear, especially shoes and their shoes are good quality with a well thought out design for riders.
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These shoes are very reasonably priced and are best suited to novice and intermediate riders. They are a great choice for trail, XC, and gravel mountain bike riding.
Bont
For those riders who need some extra room in their shoes, you might want to check out Bont. Most of the models from this shoe brand host a distinctive look that can only be known as Bont’s. Their products are molded to have a shape that is the closest to a regular foot which helps support wider feet.
When you look at a cycling shoe from Bont, you will notice that its soles are extended upwards and embrace the side of a foot. Other brands only mold the sole upwards at the heel section and not towards the front of the foot, which makes Bont stand out from the rest.
This design makes it possible for the forefoot to have a neutral positioning and therefore eliminate problems linked to over-pronation and supination. Bont soles can also be heat-molded to ensure that the shoes fit your feet in the right places.
The Bont Riot MTB+ is a great mountain bike shoe in the Bont range and will suit most riders with wide feet. Bonts bathtub soles that hug the natural shape of the foot will be a much appreciated feature for those with wide feet.
A very comfortable shoe that molds to the rider's feet thanks to the supportive bathtub sole.
Shimano
When it comes to cycling, Shimano is among the top brands that we all love. They have a vast selection of carefully and intelligently designed mountain bike shoes for wide feet. For many years, they have been the market leaders in anything and everything cycling-related.
Through the use of the latest technology in footwear, they provide mountain bike shoes that you can rely on whatever the season is. With Shimano, you can be sure that you have a reliable footwear that will last for many years.
The Shimano SH-ME3 is a good mid-level shoe from Shimano and will provide wider feet a more supportive fit.
This shoe sits in the middle of Shimanos range and is a great value shoe. This is the wide version of the standard ME3 and is a great trail shoe.
Lake
Lake are very well known in the road cycling community but are not as common to hear about with mountain bikers. Despite this, they do in fact have a range of mountain bike shoes with options of regular, wide, and extra-wide.
Lake have separated themselves as one of the major players in catering for those with wide feet. They have plenty of options in their line-up which will suit most types of riders.
Lake is one of the few MTB shoe companies that have a chart that can help you decide both which type of shoe is right for your type of riding, and which of these shoes are offered in wide and extra wide. You can check out Lakes fitting chart here.
The most common mountain bike shoe that Lake offer is their MX enduro range which is best suited to trail and enduro mountain biking. They are available in a specific wide and extra-wide sizes that are great for those with wide feet.
A shoe that is more designed for the enduro and trail MTB rider. Lakes supportive sole will be appreciated by those with larger feet.
Best Wide Mountain Bike Shoes for Flat Pedals
Those looking for flat mountain bike shoes have been struggling for the past while. To say there is a limited selection of shoes is an understatement. However, a few new players have entered the space in recent times, such as Ride Concept. This is great news for those who love the freedom that flat pedals offer.
Although there is more choice in shoes, it sadly hasn’t trickled down into some specific wide shoes, as you can get in the clipless variety. Thankfully there are a few options out there that will suit those with wide feet much better.
We’ve picked out the three shoes that suit those with wide feet best, so you have a bit of choice in shoes depending on how you like to ride and your budget.
Five Ten Freerider Shoe
Five Ten shoes have dominated the flat pedal mountain bike shoe category for years now! This is thanks to, well… first of all, the limited competition and their super grippy stealth rubber compound keeping riders’ feet glued to the pedals. When it comes to performance, there is little you can fault with these shoes. Those of us who compare top flat pedal shoes use the Five Tens as a standard to compare the new players.
Yes, they are a great flat mountain bike shoe, but what about those with wide feet? The good news is, these are many wide-foot riders’ go-to pedal, which fit their feet great. Although they are a D-width shoe, their design is a bit more forgiving and will fit a wider foot.
It’s worth noting that the Freerider Pros have a narrower fit than the standard Freerider shoe. To make sure you have the best fit possible, you are better off going with the standard Freeriders.
A great all-round flat pedal shoe that has an accommodating wider fit. One of the top performers in its category.
Shimano GR500 Shoe
Shimanos GR500 Shoe is their entry-level shoe in the gravity-targeted flat pedal shoes. If you have a bit more coin to spend on a pair of shoes, then going for the higher models such as the GR7s or GR9s may be a worthy investment. They still feature that nice wide fit you are looking for, with plenty of room in the toe box to stop your toes from being pushed on top of each other.
Now let’s get into the performance of Shimanos gravity range. First off, the GR500s offer a decent amount of grip and durability considering their price point. However, if you’re a sticky shoe fanatic, you would be better off splashing out for the GR9s. They come with Michelins rubber compound that keep you stuck to the pedals. However not quite as grippy as the Five Tens Stealth rubber compound but not far off. What you miss in grip gets made up for in durability. The harder rubber, although not super grippy, will last much longer.
Another point on performance for the GR500s is the sole has a reasonable amount of flex in it. If you intend to walk in them, then the flex will be awesome, but it will reduce the power transfer through to the pedals. Also, on longer rides, your feet may get more fatigued as they don’t get the support that a stiffer sole offers. It’s all up to personal preference with this. If you are looking for a nice stiff sole, then the GR9s will suit you much better.
Overall the GR500s are an excellent entry-level show with enough width to accommodate a wider foot. If you are looking for more performance out of your shoe and have the budget to match, then you may be better with the GR9s that will fill that gap.
A great budget flat pedal shoe. The performance is good but not up there with the top shoes in its category.
Giro Riddance Shoe
The Giro Riddance is one of Giro’s top flat pedal shoes. It features a Vibram sole with its mega grip rubber compound and EVA midsole. The Riddance has built up a name for its self for superb durability and power transfer through the pedals. The stiff sole and water-resistant microfibre upper are to thank for this.
Those with wide feet will appreciate the shoe’s wider shape along with its molded EVA footbed with arch support. When the trail gets rough, the EVA midsole’s damping will be much appreciated and reduce foot fatigue.
The Riddance keeps your foot secure on the pedals with good grip from the rubber compound and stiffness provided from the sole.
If you are looking for a comfortable, durable flat pedal mountain bike shoe, this is a good option. The stiffer sole suits those that rack up the km’s pedaling and don’t tend to walk in their MTB shoes that much.
A wider stiff-soled shoe, great for power transfer and minimizing foot fatigue on those longer rides.
What are Mountain Bike Shoes?
There are different types of cycling shoes on the market today, namely: road cycling shoes, triathlon cycling shoes, and mountain bike shoes. Mountain bike shoes differ from the other two types of cycling shoes because of its function and appearance.
Mountain bike shoes are designed with grips and lugs on the sole, which enable the wearer to walk or run whenever he is forced to dismount and walk on unsafe terrains. Another defining feature of mountain bike shoes is that they are manufactured with a different cleat system compared to the other two cycling shoes.
Lastly, mountain bike shoes are made of sturdier and more water-resistant materials.
Benefits of Using Mountain Bike Shoes
Less Cycling-related Injuries
The right-sized mountain bike shoes must distribute pedaling power efficiently all throughout the pedal surface. It must have a sole that is stiff enough to not fold around the pedal and put too much stress on the balls of the feet.
More Efficient Pedaling
Most cycling shoes are designed to clip onto the pedals for more powerful pedaling. With the right mountain bike shoes, you can actually add around 20% more power on your pedaling because you are able to exert force both during push down and upstroke of the pedal.
The Difference Between High Volume and Wide Shoes
It seems strange but there is actually a big difference between wide shoes and high volume shoes.
Wide shoes are shoes that have a wider than standard sole, which allows for forefoot width and expansion while riding. This type of shoe is less common as it requires manufacturers to create shoes other than the standard shape, which is not cost-effective.
The only companies who are designing for this are both Lake and Bont. These specially designed shoes do come at an extra cost to standard shoes though.
High volume shoes are shoes where companies take their regular model of the shoe and add more material to the sole of the shoe. This is done by companies like Giro and Sidi, where they offer a high volume version of their popular shoes.
Which type will suit you depends on your arches and instep shape. For wide feet in the high volume shoes, they can tend to spill over the edge of the shoe which the extra material is there to encourage.
Whereas those with a high instep and arches or just a larger volume shoe will benefit more from the high volume shoe where the extra material will give your feet more room and will ultimately be more comfortable.
Conclusion
All in all, the choice still rests upon the wearer and his/her preferences. These major brands have been the top manufacturers of mountain bike shoes for years. Each of them offers many choices that you can choose from. The key is knowing and the dimensions of your feet. Seems simple, but it is an often neglected step to get on the right track to finding the best mountain bike shoes.
In our opinion, the best shoes on a budget are the Giro Cylinder HV MTB Shoe. It is a great value shoe that will not break the bank, but still offer more comfort for those with wider feet.
The best for those who have a little more to spend, the Sidi Mega Trace 2 is the way to go. They are specifically designed for wide feet so your feet won’t be crammed against the edges, providing long-lasting comfort.
If you’re looking for pedals, check out our top picks for those with big feet.
