Racer Ex 

Brilliant observation.

If you want a comfortable shoe, get one of those tennis shoe things with a cleat mount.

SwingBlade

I tried the Sidi's and the S-Works but they just didn't work for my feet. I tried the Specialized BG Pro Road Shoe and found a winner. 3.5 ounces more weight but much more comfortable for my foot issues.

Your feet are important. Forget style. Forget weight. Forget everything except what feels great for you. If you ride for two hours and never think about your feet for a single second, you've probably found an optimum shoe for you. You can't really ask anyone's advice because their feet are completely different.

Same considerations for helmets & shoes - fit is all that matters as long as you are looking at top quality equipment.

Racer Ex 

Yeah, all smart ass replies notwithstanding, shoes are like saddles.

Some of the hot molded footbeds are supposed to be the shiznit though.

NEUROSPORT

well my feet feel great in my 12 year old basketball shoes when i ride. problem is they don't stay centered and every once in a while i have to readjust their position on the pedal. this tends to screw with my cadence making it uneven and very annoying.

also the sole of the sneaker is so wide it rubs against the crank and is trying to wear down the "ultegra" insignia which is a no-no ! also when cornering the huge shoes often rub the pavement.

thing is though i know that injuries tend to follow dramatic changes in technique. doesn't matter if the technique is getting better or worse - the change itself can precipitate an injury. i also know that the younger you are the better injuries heal. that's why i want to switch to clipless ASAP to start getting used to proper pedaling technique sooner rather than later.

and as far as i can tell aside form the clipping in the main difference from regular shoes is the closure system. that's why i want to go for a shoe that didn't cut corners on that, otherwise i feel like i am not getting a "real" road shoe.

sleazy

always liked the look of Sidis... could never justify the price. used shimano R300s for the past three years (good deal from local shop).

had a fistful of prize money so blew it on a pair of Sidis. thought i was "rewarding myself." holy crap! i never thought shoes could make that big a difference. felt COMPLETELY different. high arch support, high stack height and felt like the fore-footbed was angled.

threw off everything in my bike fit. set me back to square one.


short story: TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. BUY WHAT WORKS.

NEUROSPORT

oh oh !

i tried about 5 saddles before i found one that fit me. hm ...

so when trying on shoes - do you have to pedal in them to tell if they fit well ?

NEUROSPORT

got it. so what should be the procedure for trying shoes ?

pdedes

try on shoes in the afternoon, it's when your feet are the swelliest. you need a bit of room in the toe box. when cinching up your shoes, ball up your toes so that you don't overtighten the forefoot closures.

jwible

Vittoria lace up 'roo hides.

Racer Ex 

Check with your local LBS and see if you can demo. If not places like Performance will take returns no questions asked; worst case you might be out shipping but it's a small fee not to get stuck with something that doesn't work.

I know there's one in Walnut Creek.

Beyond not having colors that clash with the team kit, I just don't care about looks. I spend a huge amount of time in those shoes and I want them to work. Like you I've had shoe experiences that were just horrible fits.

I'd like them to last also. Had one brand that fell apart in less than a season, have a lot of miles on the S-Works and they seem to hold up really well. Can't wear them with thick socks though, toe box gets too tight.

NEUROSPORT

was it any of the major brands like Shimano ?

NEUROSPORT

thanks for the advice.

sleazy

the best thing i ever saw was at RBM in Frisco Texas. it was a stationary bike, with machined aluminum blocks as pedals. the blocks (diff blocks for diff pedals) would hold the cleat in place, allow you to position the shoe on the cleat, then you could remove the shoe/cleat and tighten w/o losing the position. you could tune cleat position and try out diff shoes, all while in the shop.

i wish i had the time to try my sidis on that set up before i bought- just didnt have the time (had to catch the plane home).

SwingBlade

When I decided to make the latest change, my LBS guys went through all the positives and negatives of the various latest and greatest systems from Speedplay, Shimano, Look, & 2 others) while discussing my specific needs and wants (float issues, clipping & un-clipping issues, stability & pedal width, power transfer, bearing quality & quietness, price, color scheme match & weight [ah vanity!] etc. etc.). I'm 6'3' and 210.

When done we all felt that the Shimano Ultegra Galaxy Black PD-R670 Spd-SL pedals probably met all my unique criteria more than any other. Then they threw the new pedals on my bike, adjusted the new cleats on my shoes and had me ride & clip/unclip for maybe 10 minutes on their trainer. Once that was satisfactory they allowed me to go ride the system on the road for as long as I wanted. After 30 minutes, I was sold and bought them and I've been very happy ever since. I wish all shops could afford the time and investment to do business in this manner.

Esthetically, also spelled V-A-N-I-T-Y, I liked the R670's because the Galaxy Black matches the carbon cranks and and dark black carbon areas of the S-Works frame and it doesn't say Shimano or Ultegra or Look to conflict with the SRAM equipment. I seriously considered the Look Keo 2 Max Carbon pedals, but the Shimano pedals edged them out based on cleats, clipping action, design scheme, and price. I think the extra wide platform is a big plus for heavier people like me with big clodhoppers.