I'm not sure the weight issue would make nearly as much difference as properly fitting shoes. The MTB shoes also may not be as stiff as a good tri/road shoe. Fit is key and footbeds help even more. I took 15 minutes off a 100 mile race sim workout in consecutive weeks by adding a custom orthotic. Before orthotics I had a big knee wobble and the orthotic made it go away completely.

Good luck

---

http://www.mountainmettle.com

I won't call you an idoit.

I have seen the website analyticalcycling.com mentioned on this topic. I can't see the weight of the shoe making much of a difference. ( talking 2 seconds over 40k) But it might not be as aero and stiff.

Just a thought.

---

Brian

http://www.biketechreview.com/archive/wheel_theory.htm

I have been looking for something on this too. I found a page on the Rocket7 website that I cannot find now but I printed it out. It said Edmund Burke ran some numbers and found that 1 pound on a wheel or a shoe pedal system is equivalent to 2 pounds on the bicycle frame. Throw 2 pounds into analyticcycling.com and now more significant time chunks result over IM distance. Also stated, adding 250g per shoe required additional power output of 1.5-1.7 percent. With just 125g added to each shoe, O2 consumption increased 1.3% while riding at 200W. Both are significant in my mind if they are true. The reference given was velonews vol 28, no 16. I can't find this but if anyone has it I'd love to read it.

Your question has been studied to death in the automotive/ motorcycle etc world....i beleive, if i can remember correctly, 1lb of rotating weight is equal to 10 horse power...just think of a spin bike....that big heavy wheel take alot to get moving but once it does is spins a long time, were as the oposite is true, if it's light, it spins up fast but does not spin long ....

Would i ride with a set of mtb shoes?? sure, train with them and switch to cycling specific ones for racing [or train wearing steel shank work boots when running, then switch to your running shoes when racing...i bet you'll fall flat on your face the first 100 feet!!!]....