i’m trying to purchase my first pair of triathlon specific shoes. i have been using a non-carbon shimano shoe with a ratchet and 2 velcro straps for the past 2 years…size 45; they seem to fit fine. I ordered a pair of shimano tr-51s, size 45, and they felt too big so i sent them back for a size 44.5. When trying these on and walking around in them, i find that there is a fair amount of heel lift; this didn’t happen in my other shoes. i was wondering if this is because the sole of the shoe is stiffer? or just because of less straps? i find i can pull my foot out of the shoe without unstrapping it. thanks for the advice!
A stiffer sole will cause this but it usually goes down after a while.
Big problem if your going to use them for running/walking, however, will not be an issue if you use them for their intended purpose which is riding, i feared the same thing when I got my Tri Vents, fantastic on the bike, heel lift not an issue.
great, thanks for the replies, that’s comforting. i didn’t want to take them out on the road and have them be too big while riding and not be able to return them. i dont plan on doing too much running in them
both shoes probably had rigid soles. I think the difference is in the tri-specific design.
They are designed for easy entry/exit either in transition or on the bike pedals, so there is less hugging of the heel and upper foot designed in to them.
Once that top strap is tight, your foot should be pretty secure enabling a good pull up on the pedals when riding. If that’s not the case (ie. if your foot would pull right out while cycling), then you might have an issue.
You said you can’t return them if you take them out on the road, but do you know if you can mount the cleats, test them on your trainer, and then return them if you find them too big?
It also depends on the lenght of your event. I find I like a tight shoe for short races, but a looser fit for longer races.
Victor