Wide single strap - they felt a little tight at first - but buy one size up and remove the wafer thin insert sole - and you have a nice wide shoe that works well even with socks - and as for the removal of the insert - it has no adverse effect. In fact - it was an experiment I tried (removing it) as I was getting numb toes on longer (3hr plus) rides. No sole - no numbness.
But no two feet are the same and for IMAZ or any other IM distance race - it comes down to trying on as many pairs as you can to get the best fit.
I second the vote on the Lakes. Roomy toebox and just right in the heel. I also have a pair of Diadora road shoes which fit me very well, altho I’m not wild about the cleat slot placement.
I’ve been pondering the very same thing, along with the orthotics question. I’ve tried on damn near every shoe on the market and the Shimano TR-01’s fit my EEE bunioned feet the best (even though I wish there was another option) that fit as well or better. I’ve decided to go with a thin, custom orthotic inside them. I quite like the concept of custom shoes, but 1) it’s a lot of dough, and 2) my feet have changed shape over the years - what’s to say they won’t again, rendering my $600 shoes worthless?
Maybe one day I’ll spring for custom shoes, but for the time being I’ll “settle” for custom orthotics and “good” shoes.
$600 for a pair of shoes? Are they made of gold???
I can only think in the nice pair of second-hand wheels, or any other high end bike gadget…I could buy with that!
Or even better, take the money and travel somewhere to race…
But that just my opinion, and I have “normal” feet and usually race short distance!
I have been in the market for wider cycling shoes as well. I tried on both the new LG tri shoe and the PI tri shoe. The LG was too narrow. The PI might work as the entire upper portion of the shoe is made out of a flexible material that gives the foot a little extra room. My only problem with the PI was that I found it hard to get into. Anyone else have that problem with the PI - i think it is the SLR.
To say that $600 are worth every cent is plain silly…
For the record, I wasn’t the one who said that. Nor am I the one who rides in $300 bibs, or owns a $3000 Ghibli disc. Nice stuff I’m sure, but way out of my league.
Still, comfy feet are worth paying for. I’d lay $600 down in a heartbeat for something that could fix my shoulder…
Don’t the Lakes have a sock-type liner? I like have the shoes already mounted in the pedals, and a sock liner would make it harder to get my foot in the shoe quickly. If it’s an Iron distance race, that little extra time is meaningless, but for sprints, it can save precious seconds.