New Shoes?

[ls1togo]

I used Sidi for many years and they have been incredibly durable..I currently have a couple of pairs Sidi 6.6 Vents, 45 regular (10.5) and they fit perfectly.
I have a curiosity about trying a new brand but some trepidation about messing with success.
I'm curious about Gaerne, Crono, Mavic, Fizik and especially Bont....
I'm also open to any other suggestion..so, any ideas, experiences, suggestions??
Thanks

[AngryScientist]

personally, i can not wear sidi. my feet dont agree with them.

so - i say if you're happy with sidi and they have a proven track record for you, dont mess with success!

[cinema]

I say stick with sidi. if the shoe fits...

[nmrt]

I wear Sidi, Bontrager, Specialized, Bont and Lake. Having said that, I wear my Sidi in a Mega and the rest (Bont, Bontrager, Specialized and Lake) in a normal width. This means that a normal width Sidi has a less roomy toe box than the rest; at least in the models that I own.

I have tried out Giro and Mavic at the store in the normal width. Their toe box feels just like the Sidi in a normal width.

[VTCaraco]

I have wide feet that are shaped more like a Birkenstock footbed than any "normal" shoes, and I LOVE the fit of my Sidis.
I picked up a pair of Lake shoes for the travel bike anticipating being on-and-off the bike and in situations where a more "normal" looking shoe would blend in better and they need a lot more break-in before they'll hold a candle to how my Sidis fit. And that's likely an overly optimistic position to take...
In the road-specific genre, I tried a range of road shoes from Carnac to Vittoria to Pearl Izumi to Shimano, and who-knows what else and NOTHING came close to my Sidis in comfort.

Interesting to me how experiences differ, but I'll need some hard evidence to shift my allegiance.

[eippo1]

One thing to note is that the Sidi Wire fits a bit differently. A bit more room in the toe box. Not enough to go down a size for most but it is a consideration. Also, their insoles still suck and should be replaced with something that gives support -- any support.

[MattTuck]

I too wear sidis, though I wouldn't describe them as being perfect, they are satisfactory.

I'd love to try a Bont (which I've heard is a good last for wide feet) and the Fizik (as I think the look of the Fiziks is pretty good).

I've stuck with the sidis mainly out of a 'don't rock the boat' mentality. I guess it just comes down to how adventurous you want to be :)

[Tickdoc]

I used Sidi for many years and they have been incredibly durable..I currently have a couple of pairs Sidi 6.6 Vents, 45 regular (10.5) and they fit perfectly.
I have a curiosity about trying a new brand but some trepidation about messing with success.
I'm curious about Gaerne, Crono, Mavic, Fizik and especially Bont....
I'm also open to any other suggestion..so, any ideas, experiences, suggestions??
Thanks

I was sidi loyal for years, then tried fizik, which have been great, but now am considering Lake.

My complaint against sidi is they are heavy and overly styled, but my love for sidi is that they last forever, and are Italian :~)

I don't think you will go wrong with any mentioned. Sidi tend to be narrow, so if you can wear them, should be fine with most others.

[Mzilliox]

I have enjoyed wearing Lake and Fizik. I have not as much enjoyed the mavic offerings i have tried. just fit preference, nothing more. For fizik i am true to size and stick with 44. for Lake cross shoes i have more success with 44.5 or 45.

[m_moses]

I rode Sidi Genius for many years but wanted to try something with BOAs without spending so much for top of the line Sidis. Earlier this year I got a pair of Diadoros that I'm very satisfied with but I'm not sure they will last as long as my Sidis (due to early wear and tear indications). Recently I got a pair of Lakes for off-road use and they are awesome. I've found the sizing to be consistent between the 3 brands. 45 fits me well in all three brands.


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[FlashUNC]

The idiom is literally, if the shoe fits, wear it.

If your feet like Sidi, why mix it up?

[YesNdeed]

One thing to note is that the Sidi Wire fits a bit differently. A bit more room in the toe box. Not enough to go down a size for most but it is a consideration. Also, their insoles still suck and should be replaced with something that gives support -- any support.

I was wondering about the difference in Wire sizing. Sounds like I should stick to my normal Sidi size then? Has anyone else run into fit issues with Sidi Wire, as compared to other Sidi shoes?

I tried (and still have, and still trying to re-sell) some Northwave Extreme Tech Plus shoes (43, orange, next to new, $115 shipped) half a size down from my Sidi size, and they were not at all to my liking, FWIW. I think I'm a Sidi guy, and I'm superstitious enough to never, ever attempt this dangerous experiment again.

The idiom is literally, if the shoe fits, wear it.

If your feet like Sidi, why mix it up?

Yes.

[Lewis Moon]

I was sidi loyal for years, then tried fizik, which have been great, but now am considering Lake.

My complaint against sidi is they are heavy and overly styled, but my love for sidi is that they last forever, and are Italian :~)


This is my complaint too...That and the fact that they made the "regular" width more "roomy" as of late. My foot fit the old Genius perfectly, but I'd like to move to a boa closure.
The shape of the Bonts is much closer to the shape of my foot, but they are too wide, the arch is too flat and the heel cup would fit someone with heels the size of baseballs. ...and yes, I tried pretty much every trick I could find to shape them to my foot.

[fignon's barber]

I've worn Sidi's since 1991, starting with the old genius and genius 2 (which replaced my Stephen Roche Vittorias!). I've gone from the ergos to the Wires (which I still use). About 6 months ago, I bought a pair of Bont Vaypor S (all white version). I have to say they are fantastic. Compared to the Wires, the BOA is better, the carbon "tub" is better, they are lighter, and most of all, the fit is superb. I bought them to try the heat molding, but after wearing them for a week in 100*F weather, they formed perfectly, as if they were made from a mould of my foot.
Sizewise, they are sized like the Wires, I am 43 in both. The Vaypor S actually has a bit less mid foot volume than the Sidi. The size wizard on the Bont site is very accurate. Do Not rely on the online vendor you may buy them from, as they are generally clueless on fitting.
The Bont sole puts your foot a few mm closer to the pedal spindle. It is noticeable and the saddle feels a bit higher than when wearing the Sidis. When you go back to the sidis from the Vaypor, the sidi feels like your on a bit of a platform under the ball of your foot. Bont has a bunch of ergonomic/biomechanic mumbo jumbo on their site, but all I can say is they are comfortable and you get a very efficient power transfer.
I buy my shoes for riding, not walking, so this doesn't bother me, but the VayporS's are not good for walking in. Even walking across the garage floor to the bike can be an adventure. If you tend to do a lot of socializing in your shoes, best to avoid Bont Vayps.
I have no ties to either of these shoe companies, just atmo.