Picking up my first pair of cycling shoes and I'm torn about the fit. Tried on the 46.5 and they felt snug but comfortable. The 47 felt a little roomier. My question is is it better to go with a snug fit or a looser one

Snug is better, but if they squeeze your toes you can get hotfoot. Where are they snug?

Different manufacturers fit differently. My feet are relatively narrow (size 13, B width) and I find Shimano shoes work well for me. YMMV.

They're snug across the top of the foot. Once I tighten the straps on the 47s there is no movement of my foot.

Too Tight....most feet swell when riding.

I like mine slightly loose ... that way I can add extra socks in winter.

My cycling shoes have laces so I can lace them tighter if necessary, or loosen them off if necessary.

The old advice about getting them small-ish was from the days when they were pretty much all leather uppers, which tended to stretch. Synthetic materials don't do that so much. I go for the same fit I would want in street shoes.

I think 1st you need a better than they supply with the shoes, insole..
then bring your favorite insole with you, when you go trying on shoes.

I would Not buy 1st pair of bike shoes over the web..


Purpose? go fast performance the shoe would be tighter, sacrificing comfort,
for high rpm lack of slop/motion inside shoe.


A plodding Tourist, my best fitting shoes worked with my <C> record steel pedals and toe clips

Stiff soled, they were like pennyloafers off the bike,
but with Birkenstock cork composite insoles and the loose fit,
the feet were fine on 4+ month tours..

Mine are slightly loose, and I've considered adding an insole, but doesn't that defeat one of the advantages of cycling shoes, namely, less give in the sole??

The cushiest insole in the world won't do anything to alter the stiffness of the shoe's own sole. And that's the part that needs to be stiff.

Better a tiny bit loose. I need room in the toe area, and I've had shooes that were snug and comfortable when trying them on in the store, but painful at mile 60 on a hot day.

All the shoes I've tried on give me hotfoot after mile 10 :c

bike fitter told me to get specialized wide shoes

In My experience its not the cush , but the supportive shape of them..
and arch support stiffeners have made so so shoes, into something decent for commuting ,
without needing special bike Shoes.

Funny. A few months ago I read an article in Bicycling magazine, in which they interviewed a number of cycling shoes representatives. And one of them said the exact opposite of what you wrote. He said cycling shoes should be snug and not fit like regular shoes.

Phillyfan:

I have two pairs of Northwave Aerlite S.B.S.; one is size 42.5, the other is 42. I bought the 42.5 first and while they felt, and still feel ok, I wanted a lil more snug fit. Both are fine, I just like the tighter fit better. I'm sure if you go up half size, you'll be fine.

A shoe manuf could probably make a fortune if they made and adv WIDE shoes. For some stupid reason they still seem to follow the italian foot print of shoes that are too narrow. I for instance wear a double E if I am fitted right. For me it is compounded by the fact that I have a very high instep. Shoes that are too narrow give hot foot and pain.

For most of my life I wished that shoe manufacturers would make much narrower shoes. B is the average width for women, and it's too wide ... I'm flopping about in Bs like they're flippers.

Unfortunately, about 10 years ago I developed arthritis in my right foot and now I have to buy Bs ... but they're too wide for my left foot and still too wide in the heel on the right.

That's partly why I like my Lake shoes ... they've got laces and I can do something to adjust the width, like tighten the left one tighter than the right.

I certainly would not go with the snug fit .... As another poster said your feet will swell a bit, especially when warm out. I know mine do.

It's hard enough finding a good fit in regular shoes, but damn near impossible in cycling shoes. I'm wearing some garbage cheap Specialized mtb shoes that are ok. Everything I try fits like a size 3 ballerina slipper, no volume, straight as a string, loose in the heel. Even worse when you're slow and gotta walk the bike up horrendously steep climbs with stiff soles and a slick cleats. Going up a half size, they flex like clown shoes with the flex point behind the ball of my foot, but whatcha gonna do?

I like a roomy toe box and I have wide feet. I use Sidi Mega's

I've just been using normal shoes when I ride. I didn't even realise there were cycling shoes.