The Venzo cycling shoe might have the look of a ’90s dad’s running trainer, but make no mistake – this roomy road bike shoe is up for one of the best shoes for Platoon (opens in a new tab) by a long stretch.
Specifications
Size range: 3.5-14.5
Available colors: Black, white, black/blue, black/silver/red, black/pink, white/pink
Clip Compatibility: Look Delta (3 holes), SPD (2 holes)
We found these cycling shoes super comfortable and were impressed with how spacious and secure they were on our feet. Cycling shoes can traditionally feel tight and narrow and often require you to size up to find your ideal fit, but that’s not the case with this shoe. Venzo combines comfort and performance to create a versatile shoe that can tackle road riding while adapting to your sweaty spin classes. They are compatible with all cleats which means they are perfect for your Peloton bike (opens in a new tab)and they even come with Look Delta cleats so you can mount right on your bike, ready to roll.
While the Venzo design might be hit or miss for some, the price certainly isn’t, and we reckon they’re worth picking up if you’re on the hunt for a new pair of Peloton shoes.
Check out some of the best exercise bikes (opens in a new tab) pair with your new cycling kicks, or read below for our full Venzo cycling shoe review.
Price and availability
We found the Venzo cycling shoes hard to pin down on the Venzo website, but these shoes are widely available on Amazon for prices ranging between $80 and $100, including the Delta cleats. It’s mid price – cheaper than high end brands like the Rapha cycling shoe (opens in a new tab) and more in line with the Shimano RC1 cycling shoe. The Venzos are available in a range of colors and are compatible with Look Delta and SPD cleats.
Design and features
- Design and feature rating: 3.0/5
We’re not big fans of the bold design of Venzo cycling shoes and personally prefer the sleek, understated design of the Shimano RC1 cycling shoe and Nike SuperRep cycling shoes. (opens in a new tab). Although the shoes won’t win any awards for their subtlety, they’re still a very well-made addition to the Peloton line of shoes.
The synthetic upper is coupled with a highly breathable, quick-drying, ultra-lightweight mesh with a removable sock liner. The Venzo is cut low around the ankle to provide better range of motion, and the flexible forefoot also allows some movement through your foot. The angled beveled high heel (often found in running shoes to reduce heel impact) is a nice touch but doesn’t feel necessary in a cycling shoe.
The Venzo cycling shoe is equipped with three wide hook-and-loop Velcro straps and Look Delta cleats. We prefer the BOA-dial system which now replaces straps and laces on many modern cycling shoes, such as the Santic cycling shoe (opens in a new tab)but despite looking a bit outdated, the straps wrap and secure the foot with brilliant effectiveness, and our foot felt supported with no slippage during our rides.
Look Delta cleats have 9° of float (which refers to the amount of movement available to your foot when clipped into the pedal.) Fixed cleats will provide little or none, but 9° provides about 4.5° in each direction for a comfortable ride.
Comfort
Speaking of comfort, these shoes knocked it out of the park. The design flourishes with the flexible forefoot, 9° of float and a low heel aimed at increasing comfort and movement throughout your foot while remaining stable along the outsole. However, this increase in flexibility could potentially reduce the energy return and cycle efficiency provided by stiffer shoes. That said, we felt the shoe still held up during the push-pull phases of our pedal revolutions, even with the added float.
The soft leather tongue of the Venzo shoe didn’t dig in or feel stiff, but the heel did start to bite throughout our endurance run—but that wasn’t a deal breaker. The main feature of this shoe was the width and padding of the shoe. None of the other shoes we tested were as roomy as the Venzos, and we couldn’t believe how quick and easy they were to get on and off. Some of the tightest shoes we tested required some awkward movement around the room to get in, but they slid straight on and the straps could be snug.
Performance
- Performance rating: 4.0/5
The Venzo cycling shoes are lightweight and breathable and offer more flexibility than other shoes we tested. Again, this could go either way for avid cyclists who prefer a stiffer shoe, but we appreciated having more curvature available for our feet. The shoes held well in the pedals and our heels felt supported during the Tabata hill tests when we increased the resistance. We wish the shoes had come with an instruction manual, but if you’re wondering “how do cycling shoes work (opens in a new tab)?”, then our reference guide provides all the answers you need.
Value for money
- Note value for money: 4.0/5
Priced at $100 (with cleats included), these shoes are great value. The Santic cycling shoe is about the same price, but it’s only compatible with Delta and doesn’t come with cleats.
Verdict
Overall, we highly rate these shoes as one of the best cycling shoes for Peloton. They’re versatile, super comfortable, and won’t cost you an arm and a leg for the privilege.
Alternatives
If these shoes aren’t for you, the Shimano RC1 cycling shoes are similarly priced and have a subtle design. They are loved for their comfortable, glove-like fit, but we recommend buying a size up for added safety.
If you’re happy to stretch your budget, the Rapha cycling shoe (above) is our premium pick and offers buyers a luxury cycling shoe experience and a more traditional cycling look.
How we tested
We tested the Venzo cycling shoe in our purpose-built test center and rated them from 1-5 based on the following criteria:
- Design and features
- Comfort
- Performance
- Value for money
For all models, we tackled a quick HIIT class and an active recovery session to ensure that each shoe could perform and function, regardless of the user’s training 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 feel they’re ready to roll.
What users say
The Venzo cycling shoes got a very respectable 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon. Many positive reviewers cited them as excellent value for money and appreciated their comfort and width. Users also rated Venzo for including studs. The negative comments mentioned that you have to attach the cleats yourself.