[Closed] Expensive cycling shoes, worth it?

or what about going the other way?

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/SHAGTQMTB/agu-torquay-mtb-shoe

limited sizes though

Hard to say, is that your budget?

I use SWorks CX/MTB shoes for CX and they're perfect for me, £280 though.

Roadie stuff is Giro top end, same cost and I've a few pairs.

But I've also got a pair of Bontrager MTB shoes with plastic soles and they're really comfortable and nice to wear, £100.

Hard to say, but suggest your budget defines the small quality losses but the driver should always be fit/comfort.

Popped into the local shop to get new shoes - budget like yours.
Tried teh bonty MTBs for about £100 (but with extra 30% off as was a sale).
The manager popped on another pair on the counter and said 'try these'.
They felt much more comfortable... they were the carbon soled race shoes with fancy this and posh that...!

Of course I had to have those, but he did a good price for them!

DrP

Whatever fits best. I'm lucky that sidi fits me best, and they last for ever. Even the top of the line ones.

My oldest mtb ones are something like 18 years old. Still useable.

I would probably still have my original road ones, except they got killed in a crash. (A car hit me) They were 10+ years old then and still working fine. (Sidi genius iirc)

Shimano last well IME and also Sidi. I tend to pay around £100 for my shoes as it generally gets you good quality and stiffness without breaking the bank. Have tried cheaper and they've always had an issue of some sort.

I use SWorks CX/MTB shoes for CX and they're perfect for me, £280 though.

Have these as well as the road ones. Been a bit disappointed in the road ones for the price. Functionally really good but have gone to look a bit shabby quite quickly.

Roadie stuff is Giro top end, same cost and I've a few pairs.

Bikebouy, was a toss up between the s-works and a Giro last time out, might go Giro next time. Wasn't quite brave enough to switch brand. How does fit compare?

But I've also got a pair of Bontrager MTB shoes with plastic soles and they're really comfortable and nice to wear, £100.

Had an old Specialized Expert plastic soled shoe that I've used the past few winters, was probably about 100 quid new. It's comfy and for longer slower rides I didn't really notice much difference most of the time. It's when pushing hard that I noticed the lack of stiffness (<- sorry!) It has now died though as the sole has split around the cleat, so maybe less durable.

Never pay close to RRP for shoes, make sure you search for a good deal. Sidis are worth it since they're durable. You can usually get most of the top end models for between £100 to £150 is you shop about. Dragons or Eagle 6s should do you. Shimano are pretty solid too. Giro OTOH....

If you ride clipless then it can be worth it for the stiffer soles that a more expensive shoe should have.

davidtaylforth, you're probably right, I just can't get on with the look of most Sidi shoes though. Giro OTOH...

I have XC50N and reckon they're a good shoe. They're at least as durable as more expensive shoes IMO. More money doesn't buy more durable shoes typically, just lighter/stiffer/more features/more spangly ones.

I also have and have had cheaper and much more expensive shoes. I typically go for shoes in the £75 - £150 RRP range but never at full price and only very rarely over £100.

It depends, fit's more important than anything else. I've got weird shaped appendages (fnarr fnarr) so gloves, shoes and helmets are all a PITA.

+1m for SIDI lasting a lifetime though. If they fit then nothing comes close.

I use SWorks CX/MTB shoes for CX and they're perfect for me, £280 though.

**** me! Are they made from the tears of unicorns? 😯

Put a Giro shoe next to a Sidi and you'll easily notice the difference in quality. Despite being about the same price there's absolutely no comparison.
Giro are having a larf.

Lakes are spendy, but well worth paying for, especially as they do a proper wide fitting, in real Pittards Leather. Quality stuff!

mrblobby - Member
Have these as well as the road ones. Been a bit disappointed in the road ones for the price. Functionally really good but have gone to look a bit shabby quite quickly.

I chose the black pair, been great so far. The ratchet has been particularly good in that a simple click whilst covered in mud has actually worked. I wash mine after every really grotty race, then let dry. I wipe them down after just general riding. The matt/gloss black has lasted well, the carbon undersoles are scratched to buggery what with XTR Spud interface 😆

Bikebouy, was a toss up between the s-works and a Giro last time out, might go Giro next time. Wasn't quite brave enough to switch brand. How does fit compare?

The Bonties should be looked at. Mine are white and look neat, fit really well ( I was very surprised at this because for me they look longer in the sole than the SWorks ) cheap and again bought as a temporary stop gap whilst away and forgot to take my SWorks with me. I like them, should I need a cheap pair again I'm definitely getting another pair.

But like I said, loads out there, fit and comfort are the main drivers.

My XC50ns were retired recently in favour of some XC51Ns. Only paid £62 for them from Probikekit.co.uk. They are slightly chunkier than the 50ns, particularly in the toebox area and certainly don't look any less robust. My XC50ns lasted quite well, I thought. They look very tatty now, but still function as intended.

Most definitely yes - if you can get them for cheap. I got a pair of £300 Fizik shoes for less than 1/4 of the RRP. Well worth it. More comfy than the Sidis I paid full price for.

davidtaylforth, you're probably right, I just can't get on with the look of most Sidi shoes though. Giro OTOH...

Yeh, I hear ya! To be honest, I love the look of Sidi (or at least the top end ones); they've got a pretty strong "brand identity" whereas most other shoes all look similar to me.

Giro make good shoes, no doubt about it, dead light and stiff, used to have some Factors. Quality's not there though I don't think.

I had a pair of sidi dominators. They fell apart just after their 1st birthday. The innersole was compressed card that went bendy in the first 6 months, and the toe box on both peeled away from the outer sole. Crap and bendy. I bought mavic after that (alpine xl) and they knock the sidis into a cocked hat. Better in every way, including stiffness.

Most definitely yes - if you can get them for cheap. I got a pair of £300 Fizik shoes for less than 1/4 of the RRP.

Fizik shoes are another one; nice fit; quality is a bit ropey though. I had some and the sole was not straight so it meant the cleat was effectively bent when it was tightened down. Planet X refunded me no questions asked though.

The innersole was compressed card that went bendy in the first 6 months,

Generally, you'll have your own favourite insoles, so it seems daft for shoe manufacturers to supply you with one.

Really? 😆

I'm pretty picky with shoes but have only changed insoles on one occasion that I can think of when I just couldn't get on with the shoe otherwise.

Anyway, I would have thought he's talking about older Sidis which IMO were crap for durability and tended to come apart. No worries for me as they've never fitted me and I dislike the looks but I'm pretty sure the current models are more robust.

You misunderstand my comment. Theres a cushioned insert, which was fine, by under that, and forming the inner structural part of the sole, was a thick layer of compressed card. It's thermo resin in shimano and the the Mavics.

You misunderstand my comment. Theres a cushionef an insert, which was fine, by under that, and forming the inner structural part of the sole, was a thick layer of compressed card. It's thermo resin in shimano and the the Mavics.

Oh right, yeh I know which bit you're on about! Yeh, not sure what it's made from, something like a carboard type material. I don't mind it though, easy to cut through which is good if you're prone to stripping the cleat threads like me 😉

If you're size 44 I've got some un-worn Spesh BG Expert I need to offload, they were just too small for me but really nice, having been £150 originally.

What's wrong with Giro quality? I'm thinking about buying a pair of Empire SLX.

I currently have a pair of Sidi, but some days they feel slightly too narrow for me. I tried the Empires, and they felt great, but the shop didn't have my size in stock.

I'm also toying with the idea of custom shoes, mainly because I'd like to try a mid-sole cleat position, but the price of customs make the Empires seem like bargain basement shoes!

If you're size 44 I've got some un-worn Spesh BG Expert I need to offload, they were just too small for me but really nice, having been £150 originally.

I have a pair of the same in 43 to get rid of - unused, in box.

What's wrong with Giro quality?

I recently had some giro terraduro, chunks of rubber started breaking off the sole within a couple of weeks, these were supposedly the newer ones that this problem had been fixed on.

[quote="wanmankylung"]More comfy than the Sidis I paid full price for.Well done, you're the first person I've ever known who has paid full price for Sidi!

Normally some cheap sidis at sidi cafe. Ive been using giro factor for the last 12k very pleased. Think they may have gone a bit in heel support. Replacement too end sidis do look much more durable.

I've tried everything over the years and always end up back with Shimano.

Currently on XC90s, the difference in stiffness, support, fit and power transfer compared to my old M315s is remarkable. They've done 2 seasons now and still look great. Nothing else seems to last like Shimano.

I've got Rapha Climbing and Bontrager RLXL - after running Shimano AM45 for everything for the previous year inc a good 5000 road miles,

cannot say i can tell the difference,

Bont (not Bonty) are great if you have 'blunt' feet like mine. Most shoes are too pointy for me.
Some models look a bit (bad) funky and they definitely feel very hand made, but my Vaypors are coming up 5 years old and I'll buy them next time.

5 years from a set of Vaypors? bravo that man, five miles were all my feet could stand at a time in them

I was really disappointed with my SIDI Dragons, very comfy off the bike, but sod all support on the bike. Had several sets of S-Works, but the last ones didn't last as well as I'd have hoped. Replaced with Bontrager RXLs, which are noticeably heavier, but also have far more 'structure' than S-Works ones. Clumpier for sure, but not worse For it.

Generally though I think high end shoes make a difference, they last well, and it's the sort of thing there are often bargains on.