Best cycling socks 2026 — treat your feet and turn up the style on your bike rides

A mainstay of our cycling socks buyer’s guides, Attaquer’s Vertical Logo socks have gone up in price since we first reviewed them, but we’d still highly recommend them for best days… they also match nicely with the road.cc x Stolen Goat navy bib shorts! 

Our reviewer said the length was just right, and they offered a perfect amount of support without ever slipping out of place. The white branding makes them stand out, and these being high-end technical cycling socks, there is a silver yarn in the footbed which is antimicrobial and assists in wicking away sweat. 

All in all, a great pair of socks for best days. 

Read our review:

The Castelli Sfida 13 Women’s Socks offer exceptional comfort and insulation for colder rides. We found these socks to be “like having a pair of cosy slippers on” – that is how comfy they were. They don’t offer any kind of compression but are quite thick, though.

But it is that thick, terry footbed that really sets the Sfidas apart. It does a super job of keeping your feet warm on even the coldest of days, and you really sense the cushioning under the foot. They’re a good length, and the ankle area gets an extra layer of protection, and there is some merino added to the materials which keeps them easily odour-free. 

The fit is women-specific, which means smaller sizes are readily available. 

Despite looking like fairly innocuous white socks, these DeFeet Evo Mont Ventoux 6in have some hidden tech and provide very competent performance, even in warmer temperatures. They’re not cheap, but as dedicated three-season cycling socks, they’re quite impressive.

This pair is filled with interesting features. Perhaps most fascinating is the fabric, which seems softly bumpy initially, but upon closer inspection you’ll see it’s a series of little woven diamonds. DeFeet calls this a ‘Mont Ventoux’ grid pattern and it is used ‘to create thinner windows that allow sweat vapour to exit more quickly’.

In practice, it works. The downside is that these aren’t socks you’ll want to keep your tootsies warm come winter – but we have listed good winter socks in this guide so you simply need to look for those. 

In our testing, we were also impressed by the overall support that the Mont Ventoux supplies – far more than that relatively thin construction would suggest. The special grid pattern isn’t used entirely throughout and around the mid-foot point there’s a more tightly-woven band that offers a spot of compression and feels reassuringly snug around the arches.

The overall feel is snug but certainly not tight, which is no doubt helped by the material’s accommodating 50% nylon, 39% polyester and 11% Lycra composition. These are definitely not the cheapest socks out there, but if you like discreet style, these do make a great summer pair. 

If you’re after some longer cycling socks, these DexShell Wading Socks might be just the thing. The idea is a ‘waterproof’ knee high – and the result is a perfect way to enjoy more wet, wintry riding, on or off road, in or out of quite deep rivers and bogs. 

DexShell markets the socks as good for ‘canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hunting and those activities where there is a need to wade in deep water’ and in our testing, we found that well, they are certainly good for outdoor activities. They keep the spray from the front wheel effectively at bay and remain comfortable even on longer riders. The key to keeping moisture out from the socks is the seal at the very top of them, effectively blocking away any spray trickling down your leg. 

 Bear in mind though, that these are quite bulky socks so they might be only good if your shoes can fit them. 

Cycling socks don’t have to be boringly monochromatic, and if you agree, the Endura Bandwith Socks tick that box. They are cool, comfortable and well made, and available in six bright colour combos.

Endura says these are made from ‘soft touch, high wicking yarn’, and that about covers it. While they’re synthetic (elastane, polyester and nylon) and not quite the last word in feathery softness, they’re certainly soft enough to stay comfortable for hours of riding. They feel pleasingly thin and cool in mild to hot conditions and the soft pad under the ball of your foot is a nice touch for a bit of vibe-damping comfort enhancement, too.

All that combined with a reasonable price, these socks made a great choice for adding some ‘pop’ to your cycling outfit. 

The Monton Pro Suutu Merino Socks are soft, warm and cosy, and at their often discounted price, they might just be the best-value winter socks we’ve ever tried. 

The attention to detail on these socks is impressive; they come as a right and left pair and are shaped so they hug the contours of each foot closely. That seems to really help with warmth because there aren’t any gaps or voids for cold air to get at your foot.

Being merino socks, these are somewhat bulkier than summer cycling socks, as you’d expect. This means you need a little bit more space in your cycling shoes – but if you have that, you’re golden with these. The merino wool construction means these are very breathable and warm, but won’t pong even if you use them for multiple days in a row. 

Muc-Off might be best known for bike cleaning products and lubes, but these high-end waterproof socks ain’t half bad either. They’re a lot thinner than many other waterproof socks (great for a typical British summer then), fit comfortably and don’t require larger shoes. No, they are not cheap, but when it comes to waterproof cycling socks, the ones that work really don’t come cheap. 

These socks have three layers, with the outer layer being a robust polyamide and elastane mix, the inner being soft recycled polyester, and the middle layer being a waterproof polyurethane (PU) membrane. There are mesh panels on the top of the foot to help breathability, there’s a compressive section around the arch and the construction is seamless for comfort.

As with all waterproof socks, water can still steep in from the top (eventually) but these socks still managed to keep the toes nice and toasty. 

These Italian-made Orro Sportive socks fit as well as they look and are very reasonably priced, making them the top choice as far as general cycling socks go. They come in three colours and a wide size range that should fit most.

Orro is a brand more known for its bikes, but over the years it’s added a steadily-expanding range of clothing under its own label. Orro doesn’t reveal who makes the Sportives but they are made in Italy from all-synthetic fabric: polyamide (which is nylon, essentially) mixed with 15% elastane. There’s a stretchy waffle-knit down the shins and a plain-knit at the calf. They have a one-piece construction with the only additions being the dark grey heel and toe pieces and a rectangle of faux-flannel stitched under the ball of the foot.

The stitching at the toe is flat-locked so there are no unpleasant lumps or bumps. Overall, these are a very nice pair of cycling socks and the Orro branding is discreet enough that it won’t feel weird wearing them if you don’t ride an Orro bike. 

The ReflecToes reflective socks may look like a bit of a gimmick with their reflective detailing, but they are a great idea if you find yourself cycling after dark. Not only are these highly visible, but they also offer great comfort even on long days in the saddle. 

We found there are no irritating seams near the toes and the cuff stays in place with mild compression, creating no pressure points. The yarn used is super soft and feels great against your skin.

ReflecToes uses differing knitting patterns over various areas of the socks, like around the arch of the foot where it says the pattern gives stability, plus there are mesh sections for breathability, which help keep your feet dry on warmer days. Alongside black, these socks are available in this bright yellow or pink, both to aid visibility on the dark roads. 

Obviously, we’ve saved the best until last.. it’s our own road.cc Argyle Cycling Socks!

Designed by us and produced by cycling apparel specialists Primal, the road.cc socks are tall-cuff and medium weight, just the ticket for adding a dash of style to any bike ride. They’re the easiest way to get some classic road.cc argyle in your life, help support the site and are available in black or white to match almost any kit ensemble. 

Unfortunately at the time of writing we’ve only got S/M sizes left (UK shoe size 4-8-ish) but we will be restocking again soon. 

Sox Scribble Premium Print Socks are available in many different styles; and although at the time our review was published there were hundreds (and it still says so on its website) at the time of writing there are more like 30 funky designs, but still a wide selection. If you like your cycling socks a little different then Sox socks a great option, and they’re not lacking in comfort either. 

The seamless build feels nice on the feet and the fabric is easy stretch, which means they absolutely stay put and the 16cm cuff is great length. 

The Scribble socks are made from medium-weight PolyLon36 fabric, which appears to be a kind of polyester exclusive to Sox. Whatever it is, we found to be of a great thickness for mild to warm days and very breathable, partly thanks to mesh panels on the top. 

The Fluro Wave Merino Socks from This is Cambridge are high wool content socks for chillier days – but because they’re not as bulky as many other wool socks, you can fit them in your normal cycling shoes. This does mean though, that they are not meant for deep winter temperatures. 

They have a thick footbed that helps to keep your feet warm and also makes the socks comfortable to wear all day both on and off the bike. Then there is the style. Most merino cycling socks come in rather uninspiring, dark colours, so these This is Cambridge Fluro Wave Merino Socks are something a little different with their bright white and orange colourway, which makes them look cool even off the bike.