A week or so ago, I ordered a pair of new bike shoes, and they arrived today.  I decided to invest in a pair of cycling specific shoes, rather than a pair of triathlon specific shoes.

I have only ever owned one pair of shoes for my bike.  That pair was designed specifically for triathlon, with velcro straps and a loop on the heel, to help put them on quickly.  Those shoes have served me well, but they are getting old and worn out.

I went with cycling specific shoes this time around.  I made this choice because I am a long course triathlete. In long course races, taking a few extra seconds to put on bike shoes in T1, isn’t going to impact my position in the race.  This meant I didn’t need to emphasize the ease of putting on the shoe, when buying shoes this time around.

I went with a high end cycling shoe for a couple of reasons.  First is performance.  My new shoes are more aerodynamic, they are stiffer and lighter.  I am pretty sure the performance gains are going to very small and probably not noticeable, but why not take every small gain that I can.  The second reason and the one that is more important to me, is comfort.  These shoes are highly adjustable via the Boa closure system.  I can tighten or loosen my shoe on the go. I’m thinking this might help, as my feet swell on a long ride.  Time will tell.

I have a number of long rides scheduled in the next week or two.  Perfect for trying out these new shoes. I’ll report back, with a review, in a few weeks.