I have Specialized road, tri and mtb shoes but would like to try something different. Any suggestions? I am thinking about Sidi…how do they fit compared to Specialized? Unfortunately I won’t be able to try before I buy so how so the sizes compare? I am a 12 US.
Not sure how Specialized fit - but I have found Sidi to be very very narrow
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The Sidi’s I tried fit fairly close to the S word.
I ended up with the shimano’s in the same size (wide). Sidi was heavy and a bit underwhelming.
Thanks.
buy the shoe that fits best.
i had a pair of sidi’s that lasted for 15 years and fit like a glove. I bought a pair of specialized road shoes last fall and they fit well and I hope last just as long. I also have a wide foot and wear a 2E in NB shoes.
I’ve had Specialized, and they were a fraction too narrow for me in hindsight. I’ve got standard fit Bont Vaypor+ at the moment. They feel a little funky when you first put them on and walk around readying the bike, but then they feel fantastic on the bike; a slight tilt to the foot and good arch support. I’d quite like a metatarsal button; I really enjoyed that feeling in the Specialized shoes.
Are you the same size in both brands?
Lake cycling make fantastic shoes and are very stiff and comfortable. I switched from s works specialized and find the lake cx 401 or cx 402 a lot more comfortable. Custom molded insoles made a huge difference for me and weren’t too expensive either. Just my 2 cents
I tried Specialized, Sidi, lake, then finally Giro. Hands-down Giro were the best product and can usually be found at about 1/2 the cost of a pair of sidis. The included fit kit and High volume (HV models) make them great for a wide range of sizes.
Sidi’s run narrow but they’re phenominally durable. I’ve had my T3.6s for two years now and they hardly show any wear.
I’ll second the fact that Sidi brand shoes last a long time. I have a pair of Specialized road shoes, but always pick the Sidi pair. I love they way they fit, but do run narrow. However I should note that they do sell a wider size in the men’s sizes. I believe Sidi calls it “Mega” for the wider shoes.
buy the shoe that fits best.
i had a pair of sidi’s that lasted for 15 years and fit like a glove. I bought a pair of specialized road shoes last fall and they fit well and I hope last just as long. I also have a wide foot and wear a 2E in NB shoes.
I am still rocking my Sidi T1 from 1998!
“Hands-down Giro were the best product and can usually be found at about 1/2 the cost of a pair of sidis.”
+1 on the Giro.
I recently switched to Giro from Sidi. I went with the Factor (road) and Code (MTB). I’ve wear size 9.5 in Asics running shoes and the size 43 in both models fit me perfectly. I have fairly high arches, so the fit kit which gives you the option of more support was a big plus. Very comfortable, wish I’d made the change sooner.
I had Sidi’s and liked them but switched to Specialized because i wanted to try something new. The Specialized were just too narrow for my feet. I actually just picked up the Bontrager RXL road shoes a couple weeks ago and so far my feet are very happy.
I wear a 42.5 in sidi shoes and a 42 in specialized shoes
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Interesting…so you think Specialized are narrower than Sidi?.
My opinion is that specialized has gotten narrower the last few years. I have worn their shoes for almost ten years and have decided to switch because they are running a little too narrow for me. I have not tried Sidis recently.
I can tell you Mavic is pretty narrow.
Tried the bontrager line recently and thought they were very solid shoes from top to bottom.
Tried Shimano which seemed similar in size to bontrager, but the downside was the shoe liner seemed very cheap.
The link below is a pretty good summary of some major market shoes, not sure how up to date it is, but Sidi gets a favorable review.
I wear 12 or 13US, depending on the manufacturer. I have a couple of pair of Specialized. 46.5 or 47 depending on model. The 47 Sidi is too short and the 48 is too long, but otherwise very comfortable. Sidi doesn’t make a 47.5.
hth
Specialized is nice. but they rarely last much more than 2 seasons if you do any serious riding volume.
Sidis are heavier and around the same price as a spec… but they are beautfully made- stitching is excellent, build quality rock solid- and they will last. almost everything- buckles, wires, heel pads, toe pads, closure systems- are replaceable and easily available.
‘Newer’ Sidis fit abit different from the older ones- anything before the sidi wire fits abit narrower with a small toe box. the wire and later models have bigger toeboxes.
Sidi by far the best shoes I’ve used, followed by Shimano, Spec, then northwave .