Very similar thread:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Are_expensive_cycling_shoes_worth_the_price%3F_P6155144/?search_string=entry%20level%20shoes#p6155144

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The above poster has eschewed traditional employment and is currently undertaking the ill-conceived task of launching his own hardgoods company. Statements are not made on behalf of nor reflective of anything in any manner... unless they're good, then they count.
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My initial pair of cycling shoes, which is still my main pair of cycling shoes, are Bontrager with a carbon sole. Now, that is entirely a coincidence, because I went to the store and tried literally all shoes. I was ready to pay tons of dollars for the "best" shoes, but none fit right. The Bontrager, cheaper, did. Comfort is key here. You can shave a few watts with "better" shoes maybe, but if you're in pain for 2h+, what good is it.

Unless I'm doing a sprint, where I'll use triathlon specific shoes for a flying mount and a 30min bike ride, I use my good old ratcheting shoes.

Thanks for the input, based on the prior posting I think I may stick with my TR32's for now. They're super comfortable.

I do not think you can only gain something wirh stiffer soles, but aerodynamics are probably more important. There are windtunneltests which support this.
Just note that the body has more drag than the bike and note that the feet have quite some surface.

Performance from a perspective of weight and/or aerodynamics probably doesn't matter unless you are running all carbon and are counting the grams and watt savings for every component.

That said, I switched out shoes about half-way through training season last year because my feet were really sore after 4+ hr bike rides. Turns out my original pair were just too narrow. Sore feet were definitely dragging down my performance on the bike and the subsequent run bricks.

One of the biggest factors in going fast....but you won't learn it on here.Shhh...keep it secret...

I rode in low to mid tier Specialized road shoes when I first started riding. They were great, but after 3yrs of very consistent and vigorous use, they began to really show the signs of age (leather cracking, ratchet strap not working as well, etc). I ended up getting a pair of Shimano TR9s (ironically, exactly what you're considering), which are more mid to top of the line. The comfort difference was incredible. For me, it made a big difference - no more sore feet, just generally more comfortable at any effort level, and I went from plastic sole to carbon sole. I love them and would buy them again in a heartbeat.

I recommend going to the store (if you've got a local vendor that carries them) and trying them on, and seeing if the difference is noticeable to you.

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"Don't you have to go be stupid somewhere else?"..."Not until 4!"

When you mention "sore feet", where is it, exactly that you get sore? I'm wondering, as I have a cheaper pair of LG tri cycling shoes that I love (they are great for flying mount). They seem comfortable when I am riding...no difficulties there, but I'm curious if soreness on the top of my feet could be related to the shoes.

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Not everything is as it seems -Mr. Miyagi

Get some new shoes with dimples on them!

Jk.....keep what you got.

When my feet got sore, it was usually either the top or the ball of my foot. Pain on the top may have been because the ratchet strap was too rigid to allow my feet to swell, and the ball of my foot probably was sore because of the lower quality footbed/sole.

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"Don't you have to go be stupid somewhere else?"..."Not until 4!"

On my computrainer, with running shoes and rat traps on my platform pedals, I can barely see any difference in my sustained wattage while riding seated and riding aero. If I stand and get out of the saddle, clipless pedals help me put out more watts on the upstroke. Between different shoe models, while riding out of the saddle, there is no difference. Between bike shoes and running shoes seated, I see zero difference.

The only delta is going to be aerodynamics of the shoe and fit. I bet you most low end shoes offer a bit more "play" so you can get a decent fit. A bit of sliding around inside the shoe will make zero diff in wattage. It's all just marketing hype in the same vein as marketing hype for women fashion shoes. They need to sell more, so they come out with a zillion colour and style themes, but just consider all of that about as functional in improvement as women's fashion footwear. They know people will buy more, so they make more.

Your lowest end clipless pedal that FITS is going to probably be the best shoe you can get. If you have fit issues, that's another story (as is my case).

If they're super comfortable, I would stick with them.

 
As a general rule, if you are not thinking about your shoes, you're good. No need to change or upgrade!


Shoe price does not equal performance but a shoe that really fits well and, if necessary, has been specifically set up with your cleats and pedals to match your individual leg and foot specs can be a huge performance and comfort benefit. If you are not one of the lucky people who are comfortable with an off the shelf, I did it myself shoe/cleat set up, a professional fit and at a minimum a new insole is well worth the money. Personally, I went from being about to quit cycling to not thinking about my feet at all with a few cleat wedges and new insoles. I do have high end shoes but they are not the reason I am pain free now.

There a few benefits to more expensive shoes (assuming they fit of course). Generally, a more expensive shoe will be lighter and may have a stiffer sole both of which do provide an actual performance benefit but it is pretty small in the grand scheme of things. More expensive shoes can be easier to adjust on the fly as they often come with higher end strap features (boa dials etc) that are not available on lower end shoes and they may have better ventilation. These are not directly related to performance but they can make a show way more comfortable than another shoe without those features. If you are like the idea of those things, upgrade. Otherwise, stand pat.

Thanks for all the feedback folks, looks like I'll just keep my shoes for the time being. Weight/savings aside (I'm atrocious at transitions) there are other things I can work on to shave time (read: transitions).

As an example, I had 20 min T1 at IM Mont Tremblant (super choppy swells on the swim but I ending up with a 6:40 bike split (which I thought was pretty good given the deluge of rain that day).