Buying my first pair of road shoes! Please help

[przc]

I am going shopping thursday to buy my road shoes and i need some advice on what brand is good. I don't want to spend hundreds but don't want a cheap pair either. Any feedback would be great. I want a pair that is easy to clip out of !!!!!!!!! LOL

[texascampgal]

I love my Bontragers. Good support, have not been uncomfortable since the first day I used them, AND my feet no longer fall asleep during rides--even the 66mile charity ride I did this weekend.

ETA: I also purchased them on sale.... they were originally $129 - got them for less than $100.

[nscrbug]

I am going shopping thursday to buy my road shoes and i need some advice on what brand is good. I don't want to spend hundreds but don't want a cheap pair either. Any feedback would be great. I want a pair that is easy to clip out of !!!!!!!!! LOL

Shoes won't really make a difference in regards to clipping out easily. THAT is really all about the cleats/pedals.

That being said, I would suggest trying on a bunch of different brands...since sizing tends to be a bit different between most brands. Also, you will want to take into consideration whether or not you need a wide shoe, a wide toe box, etc. Me personally, I needed a wider toe box but a narrower heel. I went with Northwave Velvet SBS road shoes and I love 'em. I also have a pair of Specialized MTB shoes that I use for spin class, but I find them to be quite restricting in the toe box...my toes feel squished after about 30 minutes of wearing them. So I am actively searching for a new pair of spin shoes.

[ridenread]

Try on lots of different styles. Make sure your toes have plenty of room and are not at all squished. They should be comfortable from the start as they will not stretch out. Depending on the size and shape of your foot don't rule out mens shoes.

[tulip]

My first pair of cycling shoes were Sidis that I bought in the mid-1980s. They were over $100 then! And my mother's puppy soon made shreds of one of them. Not being able to replace them with Sidi's, I went with some Specialized, which worked well. Then at some point I got some Shimano mtn. bike shoes and wore them for a couple of decades (2 pair; the first pair lasted 10 years and I still have the second pair). They are great and affordable. Then I ran across some Sidis on sale, however, and I like them alot. But even on sale they are pricey. It took me almost 25 years to get justify another pair of Sidis. And there are no puppies this time around. My dog doesn't chew on shoes.

[Owlie]

Get what fits. DBF's mom told me that when she went to buy her shoes, she had wanted to get something cheap. She ended up buying Sidis because those fit her high arch the best. Bit more than she had initially wanted to spend, I think...

[DarcyInOregon]

Also ... the men's sizes are considered to be unisex sizes, especially if it is in the European sizes, so don't neglect to try on shoes in the men's area. My cycling shoes and sandals are all the European unisex size, and I am real happy with the fit.

[warneral]

I first got Shimano WR40. They are comfortable road shoes and fit well. But I could not get in and out of the pedal clips. That wasn't the shoes fault though. I had purchased "clear out" clipless pedals made by Wellego and they did not seem to be a good match with the cleats the shop installed on my shoes.

I came here and researched and learned that Frog pedals (by speedplay) are super easy to get and out of. I knew they were MTB pedals but b/c my shoes had the right hole type, I thought I could use the MTB cleats on my road shoes. Went to a shop and the girl didn't seem to be familiar. She installed them for me and I had a heck of a time getting into these pedals! I came to realize it was because they were road shoes and I needed recessed cleats. I ended up finding Diadora carbon MTB shoes from Nashbar to go with my Frog pedals. I finally have a combo that works. The Diadora shoes are stiff enough that I haven't had any issues with hotspots during long rides.

In the end I bought more stuff than I needed. I have these nice road shoes that sit in a box. I may try some road pedals/cleats some day so I will save them. I only wish I had known what I was doing - or that someone in the shops had known what THEY were doing!!!

Alison

[tulip]

Also ... the men's sizes are considered to be unisex sizes, especially if it is in the European sizes, so don't neglect to try on shoes in the men's area. My cycling shoes and sandals are all the European unisex size, and I am real happy with the fit.

Good point. I got Sidi men's shoes because the women's shoes were ridiculous-looking in my opinion. I see no point in having flowery, sparkly shoes anytime, anywhere, especially when I'm on a bike. I'm long over my princess days.

My Sidis are very comfy. They are the mtb shoes, but they work fine for my road bike.

[bcipam]

I love Sidi's they are so comfortable and functional - that said they are also expensive. They will however last a long time.

Bike shoes should be like regular shoes in that when you put them on they should fit well and feel good. If they pinch or rub or feel tight, those aren't the shoes for you. Keep in mind different materials need care. Sidi's are good leather and like any good leather side are flexible and breath. Some other shoes not so much. Just remember to try on everything. I tried a very expensive pair of Specialized shoes (over $300) which I bought and not listening to my own advise, never got used to them. They sit in a drawer practically brand new. Learned my lesson - always go with what works - for me Sidi's...

My original Sidis were their road shoes but I now buy their Dominators (MTB shoes) because I like the same pedal system on my road and MTBike (Time Alium for road and ZControl for MTB). Plus I got tired of walking around on the cleats and ruining them. I can't tell you how many Dura Ace cleats I wrecked!

[ChillyWilly]

I just bought my first pair as well. I tried on several first with the idea that if they weren't comfortable walking around the store, they weren't going to feel any better on the bike.

That worked well for me. I found pairs in both men's and women's and ended up with a pair of women's Specialized Mtb in a size a bit larger than I usually wear. I spent about $130 on them. I couldn't afford anything more after the bike and the fitting.

But they are very comfortable, a great fit and I'm SO glad I went clipless and got these shoes.

No more numb toes. I'm loving them. Happy shopping!

[przc]

If i am reading the posts correct. Do people use MTB shoes for there road bike?? I thought road bike shoes are the only thing for a road bike.

[warneral]

If i am reading the posts correct. Do people use MTB shoes for there road bike?? I thought road bike shoes are the only thing for a road bike.

You can use MTB shoes on a road bike. But you need to make sure the pedals & cleats are compatible. Road shoes (from what I understand) tend to be stiffer - but there are some stiff MTB shoes out there.

[nscrbug]

Yup...for my first year, I used MTB shoes and SPD pedals/cleats on my road bike. After that first year, I started to develop some "hot spots" and foot/toe numbing issues, so I switched over to a road pedal/cleats and shoes. Now I am using a Shimano Ultegra pedal with Northwave road shoes and I love this combination.

[RolliePollie]

I love my Sidis. But I could never afford to pay full price for them...I found a close-out online and paid under $100. I have super narrow feet with very narrow heels and Sidis are the only cycling shoes I've found that hug my feet. And they're very comfy!

[Seal]

I have the floral "ridiculous looking" Sidis. http://www.sierratradingpost.com/i/2248A,01,_Sidi-Genius-5-Pro-Carbon-Road-Cycling-Shoes-3-Hole-For-Women.html

Someone must have been smoking something in Italy when they made these shoes; white with royal blue flowers and iridescent blue and pink glaze! They're crazy! And they were $274 although the add above has them for significantly less.

I was terrified of buying shoes that wouldn't fit because I have very high arches and a very high instep and blister easily. My friend's mom said they were "like butter". She was correct. They are really comfortable and the owner of one of our LBS's daughter who's like 5 years old saw them and said "Those are the prettiest bike shoes ever!!!" :D Apparently they'll last a long time too.

Also I have a pair of crazy hot pink Oakleys which are cool but somewhat ridiculous (they look better on my husband!). As they guy at the bike store said if you're already wearing a helmet don't you look pretty silly anyway? I figured why not just have fun? I would never in a million years buy actual shoes like that but for the bike it seemed kinda funny.

Incidentally apparently Sidi has consolidated their North American distributors and prices will go up next year. I was told to expect not to be able to find them for under $300 so if you can get some on sale probably ought to.

[nikkoblu2]

So if I'm not ready to go clipless with my new bike, but would like to find shoes to wear now and plan on going clipless in the Spring...should I find shoes I like and then worry about the cleats later?

Will the type of shoes I buy drastically limit the different styles of clips I can choose from?

[Owlie]

DBF's advice was to find shoes that fit well first and worry about the pedals second. Yes, it will limit your cleat choices (unless you find a universally compatible model).

Re Sidi prices: Seriously?!