canklecat

Fizik Tempo Powerstrap R5 shoes. I wanted a second pair of Scott Road Pro shoes but couldn't find any. I needed another pair to try some Shimano SPD-SL pedals/cleats on a second road bike -- my other uses Look Delta.

The Tempo shoes are okay, especially at less than half price on an Amazon open box return special.

On the plus side they seem sturdy and well made. The sole is reasonably stiff. Paired with SPD-SL cleats they're easier and quieter for walking than my Scott shoes with Look Delta cleats (those are like ice skating in high heels). It's also easier to clip in, mostly due to the cleat design. But there's less float than the Deltas and I had to stop a few times the first ride to adjust the cleat angle.

On the minus side, they're not ventilated well enough for summer. No cloth mesh in the uppers or vents in the soles. They'll be good cool and wet weather shoes, and cold weather with shoe covers. The Scott Road Pro are about as close as you can get to a sandal, with plenty of cloth mesh and sole vents, and the shoe overall is soft yet supportive and durable.

The Fizik shoes don't fit me well, but that's not unusual. I have long, narrow, bony feet with high arches that have always been hard to fit. Even with the Scott I needed to replace the insoles with something that better suited my feet, but the width was fine. The Scott shoes fit so well I can only use thin socks, which are fine for summer use. The Tempo shoes are too wide and the Velcro straps don't snug up enough. I had to add two insoles for adequate arch support and metatarsal padding. I still need to wear thick socks to take up the excess space and get a comfortable fit without slipping.

So the Tempo shoes will be okay, and well suited to winter use. Eventually I'll get another pair of Scott shoes for the SPD-SL pedals/cleats.

Doctor Morbius

Just bought a returned Continental Grand Sport Race 700x23 folding tire from Amazon for $12.73 plus sales tax. Only needed 1 tire because of clearance issues with the front fork on one of my road bikes. I can use 700x25 on the rear and on my other road bike.

I have a set of these in 700x32 on one of my hybrids and I really like them, even though they have the lowly Pure Grip compound. Just think of how much faster I could go if I had the Black Chili compound!

https://www.continental-tires.com/bi...and-sport-race

bluezurich

Lake CX 241. I'm not 28 anymore, I can't wear Sidi's. These are a phenomenal shoe and they seem to be the only company whose normal width is many mm's wider than other's wide or high volume shoe. The boa system is so precise, my only gripe is they are a 3 hole instead of 4 since I am a Speedplay user.

TimothyH

jadocs

Press on the helmet and it squeaks. 😂😆
Very helpful when your behind the lead rider to let him know to speed it up. 🤡

phtomita

Got a MF-TZ31 from Random Bike Parts - It is very cheap - so bought for a experiment instead of going around coop to find a cheap one....

deepakvrao

What is it?

berner

I bought a bell for the bike. I'm so excited I ring it even when there is no one ahead of me.

Sy Reene

It's a silicone seatpost ring that sits on top of the frame at the clamp area.

str8jakett

Just picked up two more pair of The Black Bibs when they got my size back in stock. I was pretty happy when I gave them a shot late last year and it's time to replace some older stuff anyway. Plus, it's great to be able to support a local company.

WhyFi

Ah...

Why?

Sy Reene

because science.
seriously.. probably really no reason. I had one because my Fizik seatpost originally shipped with one. Now a couple years later it's looking a bit beat up.. so was a $5 add on to an order to get some free shipping.

They are supposed to keep water/crap from getting in your clamp/seat tube in theory. I think it's just a bit of bling, but it does help as a seatpost height marker if you remove or do any adjustments.

f4rrest

A few extra grams just because.

wipekitty

Mystery Jersey Time...

I really like Alé jerseys, but it is difficult to find the designs I like in my size and price range. So I was happy to find a deal on one, but from the vendor's website, it's entirely unclear which of the two colors it is. It will be one of these two:

wipekitty

Those are spiffy looking shoes - I'm actually somewhat surprised that they do not have vents on the sole. Too bad they don't narrow-up as well as some other Fizik shoes. I was looking into these as well, but I guess I'm glad I didn't go with them.

canklecat

After a few 20-30 mile rides with the Fizik Tempo Powerstrap shoes I'll keep 'em. At worst I'll save them for cool or rainy rides, if I can find another pair of Scott Road Pro for my summer shoes with SPD-SL cleats for my Trek 5900. My first pair of Scott Road Pro wear Look Delta cleats for my Centurion Ironman.

Yeah, they do look good, subdued, less bikey than my Scott shoes (very bikey looking with graphics and techy buckle straps, faux-leather and lots of mesh), and with the padded SPD-SL cleats I can walk almost normally without sounding like I'm wearing high heeled ice skates when I stop for a beer or coffee after a ride. I like my Look Delta cleats but those things look and sound damned silly walking in pubs, cafes and restaurants.

At $50 for an open box special these Fiziks are a good value. At full MSRP ($120) I would have been disappointed and returned them.

While I'm picky about shoe fit, after decades of compromising to make too-wide shoes fit my narrow feet, I'll accept shoes that fit well with the addition of orthotics. The only walking shoes I've found for under $100 that fit me perfectly without added insoles/orthotics are inexpensive RBX brand shoes I bought at Ross, Marshall's or some other discount store. Usually I settle for wider shoes and add orthotics, including with my pricey Montrail low rise hiking shoes -- but I wore those suckers for more than 12 years almost daily, including many walks of 3-5 miles, until the soles were completely walked through. They're still usable but not worth repairing.

I just bought another pair of Profoot Miracle insoles, only $9 at Walgreens. By far the most comfortable insoles I've ever worn in decades of trying many, including custom made orthotics when I was younger. The Profoot Miracle uses full length memory foam as the upper, bonded to a gel partial for the heel and arch. They're very lightweight, and the set I've used in my Scott shoes are still comfortable after more than a year of regular use.

Without the Profoot Miracle insoles I did feel some hotspots on the metatarsals during a fairly hard workout ride a few days ago. I've been using a cobbled together set of the Fizik insoles that came with the shoe (full length, hard, no padding, just an arch support, nowhere near as fancy as the Scott original insole), and a favorite Dr Scholl's 3/4 length gel insole. While that Dr Scholl is comfortable for my walking shoes, it's not adequate for my cycling shoes. It's not full length and doesn't protect the metatarsals. And for some reason gel insoles don't suit my feet as well as memory foam.

Because the Fizik shoes are very slightly too wide for my feet, I can wear thicker socks (or *need* to wear thicker socks, depending on perspective and weather ). So it's been quite comfortable in our recent 60s-low 80s springtime temperatures. The thicker microfiber socks wick perspiration well so far. We'll see how it goes in summer heat.

In absolute terms, I'd probably give 'em a 7 out of 10. But in value terms, especially at the $50 I paid, I'd give 'em an 8. For me the Scott Road Pro are a 10, an incredible value at the $50 I paid through Jenson USA for the closeout. And they've held up well for more than a year of regular use, including some unavoidable walking up to around 1/4 mile at a time (to accompany a friend who had to walk up hills while recovering from injuries). I'm hoping Scott's other current shoes fit me as well.

Sojodave

Just got some Giro Empire E70 Knit shoes .. Super comfy

RidingMatthew

where did you get the duck! that is awesome!

jadocs

Ha Ha it also lights up. I got it on eBay

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F264293937617

RidingMatthew

that is great! I have a duck on my commuter bike already! this is very intriguing.

deepakvrao

I dont know about this insole thingie. Do you replace the insole that came with the shoe? Or, is this an addition? How does it help?

canklecat

Sweet!

canklecat

Your current cycling or athletic shoes probably already contain a removable insole. Pry carefully around the heel end inside the shoe and it may lift out. The Profoot Miracle insole can replace or supplement the existing insole.

The original insoles supplied with my Scott and Fizik shoes were too hard, with inadequate arch support for my skinny, bony feet with high arches. The Profoot replaces the original insoles.

The memory foam material compresses and rebounds after each use for months, cushioning the metatarsal bones without excessive padding or weight.

But if your current shoes are comfortable, you won't need any replacement insoles. My feet are just weird and hard to fit.

ARPRINCE

Got a 165mm to replace 170mm

jsigone

New Reynolds AR58 roll so nice. Officially ready for coffee shop posing