Triathlon - Recommendations on tri shoes

Looking for a set of decent tri-shoes:

Adidas Tri Sprint


Shimano SH-TR50

I own the Shimano, they are good. I didn't try the adidas?

Go for Sidi's, the fit like a slipper. They are not cheap but man I luv mine.

Another vote for Shimano. I tried the Sidi's but they were too narrow for my feet.

i love my specilized trivents but yeah cheaper than sidis, more expensive than the shimano

I'm female but I love my Sidis - got them on sale too. Sweet deal at Christmas time.

What is the difference with tri-specific shoes? I have a basic $30 pair of shoes with 2 velcro straps but dont really see much difference between my shoes and these ones.

Tri specific shoes usually have a single velcro strap that opens up to the outside of the shoe. It's supposed to make flying bike mounts easier out of T1 where you have the shoes already attached to the pedals and you slip your feet into the shoes as you ride out. Single strap makes for less work to get your foot in and secured and having the strap open backwards means it won't be hitting the bicycle and easier to grab.

my girlfriend has the shimanos and really likes them
I have the sidis and LOVE them
Sidis also have a loop in the back that make them easier to pull on and are made to be worn without socks.

What is the difference with tri-specific shoes? I have a basic $30 pair of shoes with 2 velcro straps but dont really see much difference between my shoes and these ones.

There isn't that much difference. I have both types and they take about the same level of effort/time.

But it's more swag to buy. You want more swag, don't you?

My Shimano's fit me like a glove.

What is the difference with tri-specific shoes? I have a basic $30 pair of shoes with 2 velcro straps but dont really see much difference between my shoes and these ones.

The big difference in tri-specific shoes is the Velcro straps opens and secures the opposed way than what is on a road shoes. This is so the straps are less likely to get caught in the crank and chain. Some triathlete’s will come out of the shoes prior to parking the bike.

Some other differences with tri-specific shoes are added pull tab, 1 or 2 larger Velcro straps and additional ventilation.

Sidis were too narrow for my flat feet, even the megas. Shimano TR50 works great for me. Sidis have a great upper that do fit really well. The Sidi tri shoes are not as well made as the genius though. I'd say the Shimano is built better than the Sidi tri shoes. Shimano upper doesn't fit me as well as the Sidi, but I believe the TR-50 is also one of their heat moldable shoes (haven't found a place to have that done).

I may try on the TR50 at my LBS tomorrow

I'm in the same boat, looking for a tri shoe. I have narrow feet and tend to be hard to fit. The options in my neck of the woods seems to be the Shimano TR-30 and the Garneau Tri Air 2 (both in my entry level price range). Does anyone with a foot on the narrow side use either of these, and how do you like them?

Looking here also. I recently received an e-mail from Pricepoint. Their brand is Sette. On paper it looks like a great price but I can't find much information on them. Nashbar carries Exustar which seems to be in the same boat. (I did a search here and the Exustar threads are a year or two old)

Any information on either of these would be appreciated, however I have come to the conclusion that I'll probably end up with a well known brand with a proven track record. I'll be watching to see how this thread goes since I don't know a lot about these shoes either.

I too, am looking for my first pair of tri shoes...but am having concerns about walkability in them. Since this is my first tri, I really don't want to have to be worried about whether or not I'm going to wipe out exiting the T1 area while walking my bike out. I'm seriously considering wearing my mountain bike shoes for my first tri, just to get a feel for things. I've tried on several pairs of tri shoes including Shimano and Specialized. The Specialized ones had a carbon sole that was like walking on ice...and I imagine the Shimanos probably weren't much different. I'm not sure exactly how far the distance is that I will be required to walk/run with my bike out of the T1 area until the point where we can mount the bike...but I'd rather not make a spectacle of myself by wiping out in the process.

I too, am looking for my first pair of tri shoes...but am having concerns about walkability in them. Since this is my first tri, I really don't want to have to be worried about whether or not I'm going to wipe out exiting the T1 area while walking my bike out. I'm seriously considering wearing my mountain bike shoes for my first tri, just to get a feel for things. I've tried on several pairs of tri shoes including Shimano and Specialized. The Specialized ones had a carbon sole that was like walking on ice...and I imagine the Shimanos probably weren't much different. I'm not sure exactly how far the distance is that I will be required to walk/run with my bike out of the T1 area until the point where we can mount the bike...but I'd rather not make a spectacle of myself by wiping out in the process.

Consider pre-clipping your shoes to the bike before the race, and running through T1 barefoot. When you pass the mount line, mount your bike and pedal with your feet on top of your shoes until you can build up speed, and then strap your feet into the shoes as you are rolling.

When you come into T2, do the reverse--remove your feet from the shoes as you approach T2, and then run your bike into T2 barefoot, with your shoes still attached to the pedals.

That way, you never have to walk or run in your shoes! Also, this method (arguably) saves you time in T1 and (definitely) saves you time in T2.

In theory...that sounds like a great idea. However, this is my very first triathlon. I'm at the point where I'm just learning how to get comfortable using my clipless pedals, so I seriously doubt that I will be able to finesse the art of jumping onto my bike while simultaneously sliding my feet into my cycling shoes...LOL! I have enough trouble just getting clipped in and moving...let alone trying a stunt such as that. At least not this soon. Perhaps once I gain more knowledge and experience, I'll be able to graduate to something like that. But for now...I think I'll just stick with walking the bike to the mount line. Besides...I have some issues with one of my feet, and running barefoot (or even with socks on) isn't a great idea for me and would likely cause lots of pain.

Just got the Shimano SH-TR50 at Bay Ridge Bicycle World (http://www.bayridgebikes.com) this morning - fits like a glove!! :)