Home Chat General Chat

Tri or Road Shoes

Hi all

I'm looking at getting a pair of shoes for my new bike (got to treat her right ) and couldn't make up my mind between tri shoes or road shoes.

I'm doing my first tri in May and hoping to get several mor in before the end of the season.

I've got about £100 to £150 to spend and have narrowed it down to these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Sidi_ ... 360045634/
or these
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/North ... 360045872/
for tri shoes and these
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/North ... 360039465/
or these
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Sidi_ ... 360045637/
for road shoes.

As I'm new to road cycling I'm not 100% sure on what I'm looking for.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Comments

  • It dependx are what your Tri aspirations are. Tri shoes are really only of benefit if you are planning onhaving your shoes ready slipped on in T1 and then mount the bike, and get your feet into the shoes as you start the bike leg. The will also be of benefit if you plan on removing your feet from the shoes, leaving shoes clipped on into T2. This is uspposed to save vital seconds in transition, and when practiced and well executed is does. However, a vast majority don;t execure it at all well, and end up ballsing it up. Eithe rhave trouble getting their feet into the shoes on the move, back into T2 the shoes spin on the cranks hit the floor and become unclipped so they have to return to reocver their shoes etc etc.

    With road shoes, then it's shoes on it T1 and run in them to the mount line and mount the bike. Running in cleats isn't ideal, but you can get non-slip one for Look pedals.

    At some Tri's, Cotswold for example, theires abotu a 200m run over gravel from Transition tot he mount line, doing this in bare foot was a definate no no, so it was shoes on and run.

    Tri shoes are well vented, to allow and water to drain out. But this also means that yoru feet will get cold, and therefore they areonly any use in warmer weather. If you're looking to buy one pair of cycling shoes and use them all year, then road shoes are the way forward. Once your into Tri, and looking to shave a few seconds here andthere, then Tri shoes are the next step.
  • AtomicAtomic Posts: 126
    Thanks TRIumphant

    I've taken your advice and gone for the SIDI road shoes. If I feel that I can justify a pair of tri shoes later on I'll just beg a bit to the WAT officer and see what I can get away with (or try and hide them)

    Ta
  • shadowone1shadowone1 Posts: 1,408
    I would comment in what I've got. I bought shimano tr31 or 51's. Can't remember.. the cheaper option.

    During the summer, they were ace. Nicely vented and my feet were nice and cool.... in the winter well they get bloody freezing. However, you can still opt for the tri shoe and get some overshoes to go over the shoe. This will keep your feel warm and they have a tri specific shoe with the single strap and rear loophole etc.

    It much depends on what you want. I personally I'll stick with the tri shoes and at some point I shall remember to buy overshoes.....

    Also running in those Look cleats are crap... although they have grippers, they don't last long
  • AtomicAtomic Posts: 126
    AAAAARGH!!!!!!!!!!

    I have ordered the road shoes but I'm now having second thoughts.

    My head says road shoes but my heart says tri shoes

    HELP!!!!!!!!!
  • I would still go for road shoes over Tri shoes. I have both, but my road shoes get the most use.
  • AtomicAtomic Posts: 126
    TRIumphant wrote:
    I would still go for road shoes over Tri shoes. I have both, but my road shoes get the most use.
    Yeah. Thanks

    Thats probably the way I'll go.

    For just now at least
  • Atomic wrote:
    For just now at least
    That's Tri. At least you know you've got one other purchase further down the line.
  • AtomicAtomic Posts: 126
    TRIumphant wrote:
    [quote="Atomic":1qvmz5nm]For just now at least
    That's Tri. At least you know you've got one other purchase further down the line.[/quote:1qvmz5nm]

    Yip. Pay day today and I've just spent all day at work sending all of my hard earned cash straight to wiggle.

    I love it
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    Atomic wrote:
    [quote="TRIumphant":1oxeel68][quote="Atomic":1oxeel68]For just now at least
    That's Tri. At least you know you've got one other purchase further down the line.[/quote:1oxeel68]

    Yip. Pay day today and I've just spent all day at work sending all of my hard earned cash straight to wiggle.

    I love it [/quote:1oxeel68]

    You mean your salary isn't just paid direct to wiggle??? so much to learn.

    I think if you are only getting one pair, go for road shoes. I find that even on days that aren't too cold my feet freeze in tri shoes - they large open bit at the top is probably to blame, or the holes in the sole, or the webbed material around the sides...well you get the point. Tri shoes can save you quite a bit of time in T2 and T1 if you practise getting onto the bike with them clipped on, and getting off with the shoes still attached I spent ages practising jumpin on only to cock up on my first (and 2nd and 3rd) attempt - it was much harder with a slightly dizzy feeling after a hard swim. Getting off was quite easy and if the pedals are tight then the shoes shouldn't come off.
Sign In or Register to comment.