I recently read Flecks review on the Specialized BG S-Works Road Shoe. I checked it out at the store and was amazed at the great fit, ease of entry and comfort.
I have always wondered why road shoes were not more like MTB shoes for ease of walking. etc.
Well, the dealer also had the Specialized S-Works MTB shoe. This shoe is virtually identical to the road show with the exception of the recessed cleat area. They open super wide to allow quick entry, fit identical to the road show and are very comfortable.
Anyone have any thoughts on why a mountain bike shoe like the BG S-Works shoe could not work for triathlons. I love my MTB Eggbeater pedals and wonder why not use them for a tri. The shoes are easier to walk in, easy to clip in.
I have heard of a lot of people using the BG road shoe with tri. I am on the fence with the very same shoe right now. I have been using the tri vents for the past 3-4 years and have loved them. Went to the LBS and they were out. They said the they are revamping the shoe and it will be releasing beginning of Aug. Debating waiting or just going with the road shoe. I really like the Boa system vs. the velco on the trivent. But the ventilation is the key thing for me living in Texas and this road heat. Temps at foot level can be steady at 130.
No problems at all. Just extra weight. Depending on what data you read, that extra weight can make a big difference. But if you prefer the comfort of the MTB shoe, i don’t see any reason why you couldn’t or shouldn’t use it.
**I really like the Boa system vs. the velco on the trivent. But the ventilation is the key thing for me living in Texas and this road heat. Temps at foot level can be steady at 130. **
Now granted I have not ridden in Texas like heat, but so far the Specalized S-Works shoes have been running fairly cool. They have very good venting on the sides of the shoe - about half of the side of the shoe is a metalic mesh that the has great flow-through air.
I ride here in Florida and find that my Tri-vents are VERY ventillated. But, my standard Specialized road shoes work fine and don’t really notice any discomfort. However, after a 2 hour ride I am drenched with sweat with or without the extra ventillation.
The reason for the question was that I walked into a bagel shop the other day at the halfway point of a 2 HR ride. The floor was tile and I was not paying attention, I almost killed myself on my Keo’s. The little rubber non-slip pads had worn down pretty well and I didn’t realize it.
Just seemed that if everything else was fairly equal, a MTB shoe might make sense for safety when walking into Bagel Shops! Now that I see Specialized has the same design for both the MTB and road/triathlon BG S-Works, if figured it might save my life.
Also, I wasn’t too worried about the weight of the shoe. The Specialized BG S-Works MTB shoe pair is 180g or aboyt .4 pounds heavier, but my eggbeater pedals are 80g lighter than the Keo Carbon. So the net difference is about 100g or .22 pounds. In my mind, not a deal breaker.
I ride in TriVents, and have had two pair now. I use them on everyday road rides as well as TT bike/triathlon racing.
I’m 6’3, 180 and they are plenty stiff. I have just modified my 2007 TRi-Vents for Xterra/Adventure Racing like Conrad
Stoltz. I have used Specialized S Works shoes since 1999 and they have always been fantastic.
I also have the S works MTB shoe with the BOA strap, they are extremely light, probably lighter than some road shoes.
I have used them in hundreds of hours of training rides and last year wore them in seven 24 hour adventure races and
two expedition length adventure races in Mexico and Moab…which involved sometimes running/hiking/mountaineering/scrambling
for several hours at a time in the mountain bike shoes. They’re still in awesome shape. No, they are not a sponsor.
My training partner http://www.trailtime.blogspot.com/ uses them on his road bike with eggbeaters.
They are the only shoe that doesn’t give him problems.
Only downside to these shoes is if you over-tighten the BOA system and need to replace the BOA string…involves
some knot tying with tweezers! ** Do NOT over-tighten**. I would invest in a SOLE insert as the sole of these shoes
is very thin.
Make sure you use the correct length bolt for attaching your cleats. I did not, and wound up doing a 72 hour race with the cleat
screws rubbing into my forefoot. Painful!
**I really like the Boa system vs. the velco on the trivent. But the ventilation is the key thing for me living in Texas and this road heat. Temps at foot level can be steady at 130. **
Now granted I have not ridden in Texas like heat, but so far the Specalized S-Works shoes have been running fairly cool. They have very good venting on the sides of the shoe - about half of the side of the shoe is a metalic mesh that the has great flow-through air.
I have both and the trivents vent FAR BETTER than the s-works shoes. I’ve experimented using the s-works for colder tris and the boa system is great. But I think I’m going to stick with trivents and toe covers when necessary from this point forward. My 2cents.
I also think the trivents are more comfy without socks.
I’ll bring up a point no one else has: cleat size, stability and clipping out angle.
Mountain shoes/pedals are made to be able to clip in and out easier, and becaue of this there will be a lot less contact area between the cleat and pedal (look at your eggbeaters (two little metal “beaters”) versus your keos (a broad flat area on the botton of the pedal)). Thus they usually have a lot “looser” feel when engaged in the cleat. They also usually will have a lot looser float to them, and may have earlier (lower angle) release.
I don’t think you have as “solid” a feel in a mountain bike cleat/pedal. it doesn’t always feel like you are “attached” to the bike.
Also think about running over a bumpy grass field with your shoes clipped in, there is a good chance they will fall off, as the cleat/pedal is a looser connection. Although I guess if you are running in the mountain bike shoes they make more sense than road (works for cross, right?).
Depends on how picky you are. Mtb shoes are heavier and less aero. Big differences, no but every little bit helps.
Styrrell
Yep, it’s right up there with worrying about your choice of tires, or tubes…and flying mounts/dismounts. If you aren’t competing at that level yet, then it can be valuable to have a shoe you can run around in transition with.
For years the only pair of cycling shoes I had was a pair of MTB shoes, and I only had a road bike. I got them for comfort and walkability more than anything else, on a recommendation from the guy who sold me the bike and gear. I used them for the first few years of tri until I finally stepped up to a better road shoe.
The MTB shoes were “ok”, but I wouldn’t go back to them. The biggest drawback (though I don’t know if this is a universal with all MTB shoes) is that they were much more flexible. I would lose a ton of power each pedal stroke just from the flex in the shoe. But if they’re pretty solid, I don’t see any reason they wouldn’t work fine.
Now that I see Specialized has the same design for both the MTB and road/triathlon BG S-Works, if figured it might save my life.