Peloton cycling shoes review

The Peloton cycling shoes are a match made in spin heaven for the Peloton bike — and dedicated spin lovers everywhere — which is why (unsurprisingly) they shot straight to the top of the charts for best shoes for Peloton.

The design of the original Peloton shoe is in keeping with the signature black, white, and red of the brand itself. They sport a sleek black upper and outer sole, red ankle trim, and slick white swirl along the side, alongside the instantly recognizable ‘P’ icon stamped in blazing white across the top strap. 

It’s not all about looks though – everything has a purpose in this shoe. They look plushly padded and pretty heavy-duty at first glance (our ankles were thankful for this), yet the materials are actually breathable and lightweight – geared towards happier, better-ventilated feet. These shoes are on the narrow side, and the toe box is a tight fit, but they molded well to our feet with no slippage. A big shout-out goes to the unique ratchet strap system which provides ample stability and support through your foot for fast, on-the-go shoe changes.

It’s worth noting that these road shoes are only 3-hole cleat compatible, but they come packed with the signature red Look Delta cleats that only take a quick minute to attach. If you’re planning to pair up with one of the best exercise bikes to catch your next cycling sweat, then you’ll need a pair of shoes that can keep up – and these certainly will.

Not sure which route to take for your next cycling shoe? Before you pound the pedals, get to know the Peloton cycling shoe with our full review below.

Price and availability

The MSRP for this shoe is $125/ £120, available only through the Peloton website in the UK and US. While this seems pricey, Peloton has thrown in Look Delta cleats along with screws, washers, and an allen key. They’re not as budget-friendly as The Shimano RC1 cycling shoes, but we rate these shoes and think they’re well worth the price.

Design and features

•  Design and features score: 4.0/5

The Peloton cycling shoe experience starts the second you receive the box. Peloton cares about the finer details, and the sleek black box with the signature Peloton icon stamp was a lovely touch.  

We were immediately won over by the Peloton cycling shoe design, too. They’re the only pair we tested that featured both a ratchet clip and velcro straps for extra support around the forefoot, and we liked how easy they were to tighten using this system. They’re not bad looking either, with an all-over black upper, red trim around the ankle, and slick white swirl down the side, plus an additional small Peloton icon stamped onto the strap. This subtle approach to design is reminiscent of the Shimano, and while there aren’t any other color options available, this works for us. You can spot at first glance that they’re Peloton shoes, which felt very on-brand. 

The shoes came with a small pamphlet for attaching your Delta cleats (which are also included), but we’d have liked some instructions on how to work the ratchet clip; it took a bit of fiddling around before we resorted to a YouTube video. Once you know how it works though, it’s super easy to navigate, and a simple press of the clip allows you to slide the ribbed strap forward and backward to tighten or loosen the shoe. You can then lift the outer buckle to tweak tightness and better secure your foot. 

The hard plastic outer sole ensures the shoe stays stiff, but there isn’t much grip factored in, so we had to be careful when walking around. Unfortunately, these shoes are only compatible with SPD-SL and Look Delta cleats, which are 3-bolt cleats — unlike the more versatile Nike SuperRep cycling shoes — but if you’re committed to your Peloton, this shouldn’t be a problem. 

Comfort

•  Comfort score: 3.5/5

These indoor cycling shoes are super comfortable, but they started to feel tight towards the latter half of our endurance ride and weren’t quite as roomy as the Venzo cycling shoe or Santic Jian1 cycling shoe. They were a perfect fit for our user, but if you’re male and/or have wide feet, you might need to consider a size up, and the toe box felt tight from the get-go. 

The synthetic upper is breathable with a mesh vent for ventilation, and the tongue attaches to the last clip, so you can barely notice it during rides. The shoe looks heavy and padded, but it’s lighter and stiffer than we anticipated. Cycling brands have a sound reason for creating stiff shoes because rigidity increases power output and cycling efficiency – Peloton rose to the challenge in this case. The newer release of Peloton shoe – the Altos Peloton shoe– reportedly provides more give, but we weren’t put off by the rigid outer sole.

These cycling shoes struck a balance between stiffness and roomy comfort for us, but we were surprised the toe box felt so hard because it created a few issues with comfort during uphill resistance climbs. 

Performance

• Performance score: 4.0/5

Great news for Peloton lovers – the Peloton bike and shoes make the perfect couple, and we couldn’t wait to take them for a spin. Oddly enough, we found the shoes a bit tricky to clip in and out of. But, after a couple of attempts, we were in (and out again after), and ready to ride. 

As mentioned, the ratchet clip took a few goes to nail, but the system is easy to use once you’ve had some practice, and it provided just enough security around our feet. We prefer this to the laces on the Rapha cycling shoes or velcro straps of the Venzo, and found it similar to our beloved BOA-dial system on the Santic offering.

We would need to spend longer testing these shoes to say for certain, but we reckon they will stand the test of time. They feel sturdy and durable, and the upper feels thick and well-made. We were up and out of the seat more often than not, and the shoe was resistant to the more typical creases found in cheaper shoes. 

The padding around the heel allowed us to settle into our endurance ride, but we would have appreciated some of this padding around the toes. There was virtually no float (movement) in our foot when connected to the pedals (which takes a bit of getting used to), but once we found our rhythm, this helped us feel more secure during our cadence (pedal revolutions.)

Find out how cycling shoes work if you’re unsure how clipping in and out works.

Value for money

•  Value for money score: 4.0/5

The Peloton cycling shoes don’t come cheap, but we highly rate them and think they clock up enough big ticks to justify their steeper price tag. We found these shoes were far comfier than their premium counterparts, and their durable design should power you through thousands more spin classes to come. 

Verdict

If the price tag hasn’t sent your head into a spin, we think the Peloton cycling shoes are an excellent pick. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing (always a bonus) with some well-thought-out design flourishes to boot, but Peloton knows how to design a high-performance shoe. As they say – it’s not all about looks, after all. 

Alternatives

If you’re the type of buyer who can’t resist a bargain, the Shimano RC1 cycling shoes (above) were a firm favorite of ours during testing. They sport a similar sleek look to the Peloton shoes and are just as durable and stiff, but slide in at just $90/ £90.

Wide-footed users seeking a more spacious spin shoe can rejoice. The Venzo cycling shoe supports wider feet with its ultra roomy design and is also 2-bolt and 3-bolt cleat compatible. 

How we tested

We tested the Peloton cycling shoes in our purpose-built testing center and scored them from 1-5 across the following criteria:

• Design and features
• Comfort
• Performance
• Value for money

For all models, we tackled a fast-paced HIIT class and an active recovery session to ensure each shoe could power through and deliver – regardless of the user’s workout preferences.

We then gave the shoes an overall rating out of five with a final verdict summarizing each model's strengths and weaknesses, and whether we reckon they’re ride-ready.

User reviews

Independent reviews are hard to come by for Peloton shoes, but comments on Reddit are mixed. Positive feedback complemented how comfortable they were even after multiple rides, whereas negative reviews thought the shoes were too expensive for what they were.