Buy the Shimano SH-RP101if you want the simplest answer: Shimano makes the pedals most beginners end up on, so buying the shoes from the same company removes the compatibility question entirely. If you want to be able to walk normally in them — and for gravel riding you do — the Tommaso Montagna 100 is the cheaper, more practical pick.
Before anything else: you do not need these. Flat pedals and trainers work fine and plenty of people ride that way permanently. Clipping in is an efficiency gain with a learning period attached, and it belongs late in the budget, not early.
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Quick picks
Ranked on published specs, what the listing does and does not tell you, and who each one actually suits. Select a row to jump to the full write-up. We have not ridden these — here is exactly what we do instead.
#
Bike or gear
Best for
Price
1
Shimano SH-RP101
The sensible first cycling shoe. Shimano makes the pedals most beginners end up on, and buying the shoes from the same company removes the compatibility question entirely.
The cheapest shoe here that names its cleat standard and recesses it into the sole — which means you can walk into a shop without sounding like a tap dancer or sliding across the floor.
A two-bolt shoe with a proper walkable sole from a brand that has been making cycling shoes for decades — the shoe most gravel riders end up in, and for good reason.
The name says exactly what it is for: pavement and dirt in the same ride, which is what a first gravel bike actually gets used for. Priced level with the entry Shimano.
A genuine road shoe — stiff sole, three-bolt road cleat pattern — at the point where road shoes stop being expensive. This is the shoe for someone who has decided they are a road cyclist.
Shimano's dedicated gravel shoe, and the most expensive shoe on this site by some way. It exists here as the ceiling, not as a recommendation for a first purchase.
The sensible first cycling shoe. Shimano makes the pedals most beginners end up on, and buying the shoes from the same company removes the compatibility question entirely.
Who it is for: A first pair of cycling shoes for road or gravel.
What is good
+From the company that makes the standard beginner pedal system, so compatibility is not a puzzle
+Sold in unisex sizing with both men's and women's equivalents listed
+Priced well below the road-specific shoes most guides recommend first
What you give up
−The listing does not state which cleat pattern the sole is drilled for
−No published weight or stiffness rating
−Cleats are almost always sold separately — budget for those too
Skip this if. Skip this if you will need to walk any real distance in them. Road-style shoes with a protruding cleat are awkward on foot — for a bike you lock up and walk away from, the Tommaso Montagna or Giro Rincon recess the cleat and are far easier to live with.
Published specifications for the Shimano SH-RP101
Cleat pattern
Not published
Closure
Not published
Sizing listed
11 Women / 10 Men (EU 44)
Sole stiffness rating
Not published
Weight
Not published
Specifications read from the retailer listing on July 23, 2026. “Not published” means the listing does not state that figure — we do not estimate it.
#2Best budget, walkable
Tommaso Montagna 100
The cheapest shoe here that names its cleat standard and recesses it into the sole — which means you can walk into a shop without sounding like a tap dancer or sliding across the floor.
Who it is for: A first pair of clip-in shoes you can also walk in.
What is good
+SPD-compatible (the two-bolt system) is stated outright, which most cheap shoes leave you to guess
+Recessed cleat means you can walk normally in them
+The listing explicitly covers gravel and indoor use, which is the realistic beginner pattern
What you give up
−Cleats are not included — the listing says so plainly, which is at least honest
−No published sole stiffness or weight
−Ratchet closures are less precise than a dial system
Skip this if. Skip this if you already ride with road pedals (the wide three-bolt kind). These are drilled for the two-bolt pattern only, and the two systems do not mix.
Published specifications for the Tommaso Montagna 100
Cleat pattern
Two-bolt (SPD-compatible)
Cleats included
No
Closure
Ratchet buckle
Sizing listed
EU 45 (US 11)
Weight
Not published
Specifications read from the retailer listing on July 23, 2026. “Not published” means the listing does not state that figure — we do not estimate it.
#3Best for gravel
Giro Rincon
A two-bolt shoe with a proper walkable sole from a brand that has been making cycling shoes for decades — the shoe most gravel riders end up in, and for good reason.
Who it is for: Gravel riding, where you will occasionally be off the bike and on foot.
What is good
+Built for the two-bolt system with a lugged, walkable sole
+Giro's fit is well understood, which makes ordering online less of a gamble
+Stiff enough for real pedaling without being unwalkable
What you give up
−Roughly twice the price of the Tommaso Montagna for a similar job
−No published weight or stiffness index
−Stock is thin in most sizes
Skip this if. Skip this if you only ride paved roads and never get off the bike. The lugged sole is dead weight on a road ride, and the Shimano RP101 or Giro Cadet transfer power better for the same money.
Published specifications for the Giro Rincon
Cleat pattern
Two-bolt
Closure
Not published
Sizing listed
US 12 / EU 46
Sole stiffness rating
Not published
Weight
Not published
Specifications read from the retailer listing on July 23, 2026. “Not published” means the listing does not state that figure — we do not estimate it.
#4Best mixed-surface
Pearl Izumi All-Road v5
The name says exactly what it is for: pavement and dirt in the same ride, which is what a first gravel bike actually gets used for. Priced level with the entry Shimano.
Who it is for: Mixed-surface riding where you do not want to own two pairs of shoes.
What is good
+Designed for mixed road and gravel use rather than compromised toward one
+Priced with the entry-level shoes despite being a specialist design
+Pearl Izumi has a long history in cycling footwear
What you give up
−The listing does not state the cleat pattern
−No published weight or stiffness rating
−Sizing runs in EU and US men's only in this listing
Skip this if. Skip this if you need to know the cleat pattern before you commit. It is not published here — if that matters to you today, the Tommaso Montagna states its two-bolt compatibility outright.
Published specifications for the Pearl Izumi All-Road v5
Cleat pattern
Not published
Closure
Not published
Sizing listed
EU 45 (US Men's 10.5)
Sole stiffness rating
Not published
Weight
Not published
Specifications read from the retailer listing on July 23, 2026. “Not published” means the listing does not state that figure — we do not estimate it.
#5Best pure road shoe
Giro Cadet
A genuine road shoe — stiff sole, three-bolt road cleat pattern — at the point where road shoes stop being expensive. This is the shoe for someone who has decided they are a road cyclist.
Who it is for: Road riding once you know you want a stiff, efficient shoe.
What is good
+Built as a road shoe, so the sole is stiff and power transfer is direct
+Giro's road fit is one of the most widely available and best understood
+A real step up in efficiency from a soft-soled recreational shoe
What you give up
−Road cleats stick out from the sole — walking in these is genuinely awkward
−The listing publishes neither weight nor a stiffness index
−Needs road-pattern pedals, which are a separate purchase from the pedals most beginners start on
Skip this if. Skip this if you ride gravel, commute, or stop for coffee. Road cleats are miserable to walk in and wear out fast on pavement — the Giro Rincon does 90% of the job and lets you walk.
Published specifications for the Giro Cadet
Cleat pattern
Three-bolt (road)
Closure
Not published
Sizing listed
US 11-11.5 / EU 45
Sole stiffness rating
Not published
Weight
Not published
Specifications read from the retailer listing on July 23, 2026. “Not published” means the listing does not state that figure — we do not estimate it.
#6The ceiling
Shimano SH-RX600
Shimano's dedicated gravel shoe, and the most expensive shoe on this site by some way. It exists here as the ceiling, not as a recommendation for a first purchase.
Who it is for: Long gravel days once you have decided this is your sport.
What is good
+Purpose-built for gravel by the company that defines the two-bolt standard
+Stiffer and better-supported than any of the entry-level options here
+Built to last through far more miles than a budget shoe
What you give up
−Roughly three times the price of the Tommaso Montagna for the same basic function
−No published weight or stiffness index in the listing
−Complete overkill for anyone still deciding whether they like gravel riding
Skip this if. Skip this if you are buying your first pair of cycling shoes. Almost nobody's first shoes should cost this much — ride a season in the Montagna or the RP101 first, and you will know exactly what you want from your second pair.
Published specifications for the Shimano SH-RX600
Cleat pattern
Not published
Closure
Not published
Sizing listed
9 (EU 43)
Sole stiffness rating
Not published
Weight
Not published
Specifications read from the retailer listing on July 23, 2026. “Not published” means the listing does not state that figure — we do not estimate it.
The one thing to understand before you buy: cleat patterns
This is where almost every first purchase goes wrong, and it is genuinely simple once someone tells you.
Two-bolt (usually called SPD)
Two bolts, and the cleat sits recessed into the sole, so the rubber of the shoe touches the ground rather than the metal. You can walk normally. This is what mountain bikers, gravel riders, commuters and touring cyclists use.
This is what a first-time buyer should get. The Tommaso Montagna and Giro Rincon are both two-bolt shoes.
Three-bolt (road)
Three bolts, and the cleat protrudes from the sole. A larger contact area with the pedal, which spreads pressure over long hard efforts. The cost is that walking is genuinely awkward — you clack, you slide on smooth floors, and the cleats wear down on pavement.
The Giro Cadet is a three-bolt road shoe. Buy it only if you have decided you are a road cyclist and you do not get off the bike much.
They do not mix. A two-bolt shoe cannot take a three-bolt cleat and vice versa. Decide the system first, then buy the shoes and the matching pedals.
Why walkability beats stiffness on a first pair
The cycling industry sells shoes on sole stiffness, because a stiffer sole transfers more of your effort into the pedal instead of flexing. That is real, and it matters when you are producing a lot of power for a long time.
It is also the wrong priority for a first pair. What you will actually do in your first season is stop — at a cafe, at a shop, at a viewpoint, to look at a map. A shoe you can walk in makes all of that unremarkable. A three-bolt road shoe makes every one of those stops mildly ridiculous.
Two-bolt shoes are marginally less efficient. You will not notice. You will absolutely notice sliding across a cafe floor.
Cleats are usually sold separately
A trap worth naming. Most cycling shoes ship without cleats — the Tommaso Montagna listing says so explicitly, which is more honest than most.
Budget $20 to $30 for cleats unless the pedals include them. The Shimano PD-M520 pedals we recommend on the pedals page come with cleats in the box, which is one reason they are the pick.
Sizing, which is a genuine problem online
Cycling shoes are sized in European sizes and the conversion varies between brands. Two things help:
Measure your foot in centimetersand check against the brand’s own chart rather than converting from your usual size.
Size up if between sizes. Feet swell on a long ride, and a tight cycling shoe causes numbness rather than merely being uncomfortable.
Check the return policy before ordering. Almost everyone gets a first pair of cycling shoes slightly wrong.
Learning to clip in, and the fall
You will fall over. At a standstill, slowly, in front of someone. It happens to essentially everybody and it is more embarrassing than painful.
Two things make it much less likely:
Practice on grass. Ten minutes clipping in and out on both sides, on a soft surface, next to something you can lean on.
Set the release tension to its loosest. Every clipless pedal has an adjustment screw. Turn it all the way down while you learn, and tighten it later if your foot ever pulls out unintentionally.
The habit to build: unclip early. As you approach a junction, unclip one foot before you need to. The falls all happen when someone arrives at a stop still attached.
Do you need these at all?
Genuinely, no. Being clipped in gives you a more consistent connection to the pedal and lets you pull up as well as push down, which helps on steep climbs. That is a real gain and it is an optimization.
If it is your first season and everything about the bike is still new, flat pedals and trainers are a completely respectable answer. Buy a good pair of flat pedals instead and revisit this in a year, or get dual-sided pedals and try clipping in when you feel like it rather than every ride.
We have not ridden these bikes. Every site in this category says it tested twenty of them. We have not tested any, and we say so. What we did instead: read the manufacturer listings and manuals, compiled the published specs, worked out the real out-the-door cost, and checked live availability and price. Here is exactly how that works.
Questions people actually ask
Do I need cycling shoes as a beginner?+
No. Flat pedals and ordinary trainers work perfectly well, and plenty of people ride that way permanently. Clipping in is more efficient on climbs but it is an optimization with a learning period attached. It belongs late in a first-bike budget, after the helmet, pump and shorts.
What is the difference between two-bolt and three-bolt cleats?+
Two-bolt cleats (often called SPD) recess into the sole so you can walk normally — used by gravel riders, commuters and mountain bikers. Three-bolt road cleats protrude from the sole, giving a larger pedal contact area for long hard efforts but making walking awkward. The two systems are not interchangeable.
What cycling shoes should a beginner buy?+
A two-bolt shoe you can walk in. The Shimano SH-RP101 is the simplest answer since Shimano also makes the pedals most beginners start on, and the Tommaso Montagna 100 is the cheaper option that states its SPD compatibility outright and recesses the cleat.
Do cycling shoes come with cleats?+
Usually not — most are sold without them, so budget $20 to $30 extra unless your pedals include a set. The Shimano PD-M520 pedals include cleats in the box, which is one reason they are our pick for a first clipless pedal.
What size cycling shoes should I buy?+
Measure your foot in centimeters and check it against the specific brand's chart rather than converting from your usual size, because conversions vary between manufacturers. Size up if you fall between sizes: feet swell on a long ride, and a tight cycling shoe causes numbness rather than just discomfort.
Will I fall over with clipless pedals?+
Probably once, at a standstill, and it is more embarrassing than painful. Two things reduce the odds a lot: practice clipping in and out on grass for ten minutes first, and set the pedal release tension to its loosest setting while you learn. Then build the habit of unclipping early rather than at the last moment.
Sources
Specifications come from the manufacturer or the retailer listing, dated. Where a figure is not published, we say so rather than estimating it.
Shimano — Component product list — Shimano's own component lineup, from which the road groupset hierarchy is read (accessed July 23, 2026)
Shimano — GRX gravel components — Shimano's gravel-specific groupset series and what it is designed for (accessed July 23, 2026)
