All the equipment I’ve purchased, between the bike, power meters, pedals, saddles, bars, etc, the last thing I’ve touched was the shoes.
I’ve gone from spd mountain bike shoes, to bontrager three strap shoes. Good condition, you can feel the flex in the foot or your foot coming out of the back of the shoe, I’d call them an okay shoe. I bet I paid between the 100 and 200 range.
Kickin around the idea of new shoes, curious of everyone’s experiences, favorite shoes, how much you go over board on shoes or don’t go over board.
Since I’m really into the speedplay lately, I’ve thought about speedplay shoes but won’t limit myself to specifically speedplay. Sidi keeps coming up for speedplay and previous generation are more reasonable but still not cheap. But if shoes should last a long time, a good investment should be worth it. I’ve been riding 6 to 8 hours a week lately and want my feet, support, etc to be the best it can be.
Well for what it’s worth I ride a 20 year old steel frame Lemond bike but I did just upgrade my 20-year-old shoes to a gently used pair of Sidi Carbon Vents
Those are the ones I keep seeing. Top of my list right now. You can get those for 300 versus the new pair run 500. They move the adjustment dial from the side to the tongue and added padding to the tongue.
$200 more is an awful lot specially for me LOL. I can tell you that the tongue definitely digs in a bit but I must be callusing up or something because I am getting used to it
Used to ride Sidi for years, tried a $300 pair of Specialized last year…worst shoe I’ve ever ridden. Shopping for new Sidi’s that’ll probably run me C$500.
But oh so good!
SPD shoes all the way for me - I’m not sold on the road shoe rort.
Shimano XC7
I bought a pair of Fizik X5 (Similar to the R5) but my foot was just a fraction too wide for them - which sucks because they’re a really nice shoe.
I also really liked the Northwave shoes but they feel a fraction long for some reason.
I’ve also got a set of Road touring shoes RT82’s that I still use on the trainer. Sub $100 shoe they’re pretty great - unless you’re putting down a massive sprint I somehow don’t think you’re going to notice they’re not as stiff as a carbon sole.
I started off in 2013 on entry level Mavic shoes which fit great and I used them for a while as I got into cycling but as time passed and I got faster, the desire for higher performance led to many different brands. All in, I ended up trying over 20 pairs from over 10 brands so it would be fair to say I splurge on shoes.
Currently rotating between a white pair of Specialized’s 74 and a black pair of Giro Prolight Techlace. The 74’s were $150 on sale and the Prolights were $250 on sale.
My arch is starting to collapse so the next step from here is to go custom, maybe something from Luck Bike if custom insoles don’t help.
I have a skinny foot, and have probably had the best luck with Giro. Running the Empire knits now mostly, except in winter I use my Shimano S-Phyre XC-9s with old M737 mtb pedals.
I previously used Sidi Ergos, never really liked them though.
Sidi Shot for me. For me (and shoes are probably as ‘personal’ as saddles), they are bonkers comfortable! The center mounted wire retention works really well and I can easily do a 200-mile day with zero foot pain/hot spots/etc. Stupid expensive, but crazy comfortable.
Yes, mine are total flouro yellow. I place a higher value on arriving home alive than looking like some kind of pro (that I’m not).
I’ve got some crappy Diadora Vortex shoes I wear if the weather is dicey and some SUPER CRAPPY Shimano shoes if the weather is atrocious.
Look for sales on last years models, or maybe even in an unpopular colorway. Thats how I got my Giro Empires. They were a previous years model/color, on sale for almost 50% off and I had a bunch of rewards so only ended up costing me ~$70 out of pocket for a $300 pair of shoes.
NW is the only other brand to fit me as well as Sidi. I didn’t go NW cuz it was back when they were doing the loud primary colour scheme (think Cipo). I’ll have to give them another look now.
I wish that Sidi’s fit me, because I really appreciate that the entire shoe is more or less rebuildable.
The Giro Empire’s worked well for me for many years for both road and MTB. Trying something new this year and I’m on the Spesh Sworks 6 (which are…ok but I might ditch them) and the Shimano XC7 (previous model with only one dial)
For me shoes are incredibly important, and incredibly personal. I really advise trying on as many pairs as possible. I have a friend who works at a bike shop so we spent a few hours working my way through all their stock one day, and realised how vast the differences are in fit.
I have very narrow feet, so Giro Empire ACCs plus the secret ingredient - G8 insoles - have made a big difference in how comfortable I am on the bike.
I run Shimano SH-XC9B and I’m so happy with them that I even bought a second pair as training shoes. On the road I’m looking to purchase something new because my Bont Riots are too big.
