Adidas Road Shoes review

Adidas is back on the cycling shoe market after a 15-year absence

adidas road shoes
Cycling Weekly Verdict

The Adidas Road Shoes provide a comfortable experience for riders not looking to nail all-out sprints. The upper is particularly comfortable, though the woven material doesn't offer great protection against water ingress. There are better value options out there, but plenty of riders have been swayed by the footy-inspired aesthetics (as exemplified by the way the first batch sold out so quickly) and we wouldn't judge you if you decided to part with a little extra cash in return for the iconic stripes.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Comfortable upper

  • +

    Recycled materials

  • +

    Reflective areas

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Price vs competition

  • -

    Heel/toe pads not replaceable

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

Adidas has history when it comes to cycling shoes, but that might not be immediately within the consciousness of newer converts to the sport, since the brand took a 15-year hiatus before launching its current offering: the Adidas Road Shoe.

The brand's past palmarès are a little more exciting than its current marketing team's naming efforts. Having started making cycling shoes back in 1956, Adidas's kicks became the shoe of choice for Eddy Merckx. The hall-of-fame cyclist wore them when he won all three Grand Tours as well as five Monuments and also during his Hour Record in 1972. In 1978, Adidas launched the 'Eddy Merckx Competition' shoe which, like this new model, was laced.

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Michelle Arthurs-Brennan

Michelle Arthurs-Brennan the Editor of Cycling Weekly website. An NCTJ qualified traditional journalist by trade, Michelle began her career working for local newspapers. She's worked within the cycling industry since 2012, and joined the Cycling Weekly team in 2017, having previously been Editor at Total Women's Cycling. Prior to welcoming her daughter in 2022, Michelle raced on the road, track, and in time trials, and still rides as much as she can - albeit a fair proportion indoors, for now.