Road bike shoes

[trigrl06]

This is my first post. I'm looking for help purchasing my first pair of road bike shoes. I have clipless pedals. They seem to very in price. What do I need to look for? Should I buy womens shoes or are they unisex?

Thanks

[indysteel]

What kind of clipless pedals do you have? Different shoes work with different pedals. If your pedals work with SIDI shoes, that's the brand that I would recommend. They offer several women-specific styles. Even the cheapest style isn't cheap, but they will last you a long time (or so I've been told). I have a pair of Zeta Mesh SIDIs that I like. I also have a pair of (men's) Vittoria Arrows that I bought from Nashbar. I like them too, but they don't fit as well. I would recommend that you go with a women-specific shoe, especially if your foot is narrow. My LBS recommended that I go up a size too. Shop around and try on as many as you can.

[CorsairMac]

your type of shoe will depend on the type of pedal you have: is it an SPD? Look? Dura-Ace?.........you'll need to make sure your cleats fit the shoe you're looking at. I've heard wonderful things about Sidi but they tend to be very pricey, my road shoes are Specialized and I got them for under $75.00. It was the perfect entry-level road shoe to get me used to riding with clipless and the stiff sole. Nike also makes a really good road shoe as does so many others. Indy is right: you need to try them on and try them on With the socks you'll be riding in. Also remember, your feet will tend to swell in the shoes so look for shoes that will be easy to adjust/loosen.

[aicabsolut]

I LOVE my Specialized. I got an entry level unisex pair for spinning when I started. But I just upgraded to a women's carbon pair for my road bike. I like them because they have a neoprene-like sock liner, so there's a good snug fit without going crazy with the straps. I have a high instep, so I can't make the middle strap too tight. I also like the arch support inserts and varus/valgus wedges available. I put my orthotics in my first pair, but these I can customize and get a better fit (orthotics too thick), and don't have to swap out my insoles constantly.

[neuroticcyclist]

Sidi. the ones with the little rachet adjustment mechanism that lets you tighten and loosen while you ride.