Adidas Releases a Clipless Version of the Classic Samba Sneaker for Cycling Hypebeasts

Does this shoe design look familiar to you? Well, it's no surprise if it does as the classic Samba shoe is apparently the second-best-selling design of all time. Back in 1949, the shoe was created to help football (soccer) players train on hard surfaces and, 35 million sales later, it's still going strong to this day as one of Adidas' most iconic designs. In fact, it's so popular that it was probably the shoe that a lot of mountain bikers first learned to ride in before they picked up a pair of proper mtb shoes, including our Christina Chapetta and Mike Levy.

This is a Samba with a difference though, rather than an all-rubber sole, this comes with space for a cleat and will work with your clipless pedals.


Adidas used to be a much bigger name in cycling footwear and it has started to make a comeback in recent years. As the parent brand of Five Ten since 2011, it has created three-striped shoes for athletes in the mountain bike world and it also released its robustly named Road Cycling Shoe at the tail end of 2020 along with the promise that it was “the first step of our long-term journey towards creating a range of products that enhance the cycling experience.”

Alongside the two-bolt cleat compatibility, the Velosamba also has a reinforced internal plate for pedaling efficiency, reflective stripes for safety and a waterproof treatment so it can still be worn in damp conditions. It is primarily targeted at indoor cyclists and commuters but we wouldn't be surprised to see a few pairs showing up at the trails too for mountain bikers wanting that retro look.


Adidas is offering the Velosamba in four colours: cream white, core black, acid yellow, and crew navy. Perhaps most importantly for a truly retro cycling style, the Velosamba retains the tan wall soles of the original Samba design. The Velosamba range is available now at Adidas.com, priced at £100. International pricing is TBC. More info, here.