Learn How to Properly Fit Your New Road Cycling Shoes

Fit Road Bike Shoes

Finding the right fit for road bike shoes is a lot different than regular shoes.  Road bike shoes are completely different and getting just the right fit is critical for rider comfort.  Your feet should always feel good even after the shoe is removed.  So just what is the best way to get the best fit for your road bike shoes?

A properly fitted road bike shoe should fit much like a properly fitted running shoe.  It should be snug in the heal area and offer just a little room in the toebox area.  You should also experience even pressure in the instep without feeling any pinching whatsoever.  A little bit of room is fine but keep in mind that as you ride, your foot will swell. 

Another important thing to consider is the position of the ball of your foot.  It should be positioned in the widest part of the road bike shoe.  This will allow for the proper positioning of the cleat within the adjustment range of the shoe.

Every manufacturer has and uses different dimensions when making road bike shoes.  They also use the metric system for sizing their shoes.  These dimensions can vary greatly between manufacturers so it is recommended that you find and compare their sizing chart before you purchase.  Additionally you should try on different brands because some brands will be more suited for riders with narrow feet while others will be more suited for riders with wider feet. 

Mavic Zxellium Road Cycling Shoe Review

The Mavic Zxellium is a must have if you're thinking about riding with the hammer group!  These Mavic cycling shoes were developed with advanced technologies and superior construction qualities specifically for Team Mavic's picky professional riders.  Addressing a variety of the the small details that many riders don't even think about until you're 40 miles away from home with aches and pains.  If they are good enough for World Champion Thor Hushovd then they'll certainly be good enough for whatever most riders can throw at them on weekends.

They are stiff in the right places and flexable just where they need to be. The comfort of this shoe will amaze you!  The Mavic Zxellium was introduced for riders who rather have a more robust and unyeilding upper.  Professional cyclist and more powerful riders will certainly appreciate a more substantial and stiffer upper as compared to other less expensive road cycling shoes.

Another pretty cool feature is that the outsole is made of full carbon and has a patented technology. It also offers a full carbon Energy Lock heel cup for maximum heel hold and minimal weight. It holds the heel in precisely the right position above the calcareous bone. The result is the most comfort that your heel has ever felt.

Check out some of the Mavic Zxellium's road shoe features...

• ERGO FIT 3D Molder Insole - Experienced riders will like the high density heel craddle that keeps your foot in place and minimizes road vibration.
• ENERGY FULL CARBON SL SOLE - Providing the rider with serious stiffness which translates to effective power transfer
• ERGOLITE TOE CAP - Protects you from all those unexpected bumps and scrapes
• ENERGY LOCK Carbon 3D Heel Counter puts the rider in the right position for maximum efficiency
• ERGO Lite Ratch System along with two adjustable straps will enable you to dial in the perfect fit
• ERGO LITE Upper - Mavic's design created a upper that eliminates stitch seams for added rider comfort
• Ergo Tongue with 3D Mesh provides on a silver platter exceptional rider comfort and airflow

The Mavic Zxellium has plenty of shortcommings...


Although a decent road cycling shoe, the Mavic Zxellium is far from the best and the $299 price tag is simply ridiculas.

The Price - With a whopping $299.95 price tag this shoe falls way shoe of being a contender for the best shoe and value award.  There are plenty of mid-priced shoes that offer much more value than Mavic.

Ergo Toe Cap - Eventhough it's listed as a feature, we also consider it a shortcoming.  The Ergo Toe Cap has a weird fit in the toe box of the shoe that most riders with regular feet will find to be way too tight.  It may proect you and the shoe from bumps and scrapes but you'll sacrifice comfort.

ERGO Lite Upper - Another feature truned shortcoming is the shoe's upper.  Although it may be a little lighter than most other high end road cycling shoes it is extremely stiff for most riders to enjoy. 

Ventilation - A vital feature that most serious cyclists demands is ventilation.  When you first look at the Mavic Zxellium shoes you'll see that much of the outer part of the shoe is covered in a mesh material giving the illusion that this shoe must provide great ventilation.  Well, looks can be decieving.  The mesh is dual layered with a much more dense material woven behind the outer mesh material that restricts air circulation a lot more that realized.

Overall, although a pretty decent road cycling shoe the Mavic Zxellium falls short of both our expectations and it's lofty price tag.  While these Mavic shoes look good, there are simply better choices out there for the money such as the Sidi Genius 6 Carbon and the Sidi Ergo.  We applaud Mavic for offering cyclist more choices in road shoes (they do offer a full line of less expensive road cycling shoes as well as MTB shoes) but this one just doesn't make the grade.

We recently found the Mavic Zxellium road shoes much cheaper at Nashbar ($199.00) but they only offer limited sizes.

Click here to check out the NASHBAR website.

Diadora ProRacer 3 Road Cycling Shoe Review

Diadora Proracer 3 – Think Cycling Shoes Diadora are Just for the Pro’s?  Think Again!

The Diadora Proracer 3 is a road cycling shoe that screams power, performance and comfort.  It would be extremely hard and utterly irresponsible of us to have a website about the best road cycling shoes and not review one of the many Diadora cycling shoes on the market today.

The Diadora Proracer carbon is the shoe of choice for one of our favorite cyclist today, Cadel Evans.  A true champion and statesman of the sport of road cycling.

Although Sidi occupies the top two spots on our list of road cycling shoes reviews the Diadora Proracer 3 is comfortable holding in an extremely close third.  Other than the Sidi Ergo Carbon and the Sidi Genuis 6.6 you’ll have a hard time finding a more technologically advanced road cycling shoe than these.  I dare you to try!

Designed with high-tech solutions for power transfer, ventilation and ergonomic rider comfort from the ground up, its no wander these beauties are standing proudly at the very top of the Diadora cycling shoes line…and a few major cycling event podiums around the world too!

A very nice feature that I want to highlight is the Diadora Pro Racer Regular Race Last.  This shoe’s last offers precise fit and ergonomic support that provides a “glove-like” fit for your foot.  Simply a remarkable comfort that for many riders surpasses Sidi shoes.

Lets take a close look at all the Diadora Proracer 3 Carbon features…

Diadora’s Full Carbon Sole – The super thin, yet highly rigid full carbon sole provides even the weakest rider unparalleled support and stiffness at the same time maintaining a low stack for added control, direct thrust and improved power.

Morpho Cage is a medial pre-molded cage made with antibacterial D-Skin technology and Suprell-Tech microfiber that holds the rider’s foot in place for a long-lasting closure of the upper for more stability, better power transfer and more comfort when your rides reaches those critical miles.

Power Flow breathability system with hi-vent insole maximizes airflow within the shoe to keep your foot cool and dry during your most intense activities. 

Micro-CL micrometric buckle with an automatic release button and 2 additional Velcro straps offers a perfect fit and it’s easy to make fit adjustments quick and easy even while racing.

Duratech rubber, removable heel pad gives better grip when you get off the bike.

Let’s take a look at some of the things that keeps Diadora Proracer 3 in third place in our road cycling shoes reviews…

Although quite comfortable the Diadora Proracer 3 Carbon still has a ways to go to catch the Sidi shoes.  Their lasts really do seem to conform to a rider’s foot but some with wider feet may have a slightly difficult time getting the precise fit that they would enjoy.  They seem to fit on the tighter side.

Some reviews that we seen online mentions that since the shoes fit tighter, riders tend to develop hot spots on longer rides. 

The bottom line is that the Diadora Proracer 3 Carbon is a very sturdy and comfortable shoe that will certainly enhance your cycling performance.  Price, value and technology pushes the Diadora Proracer a head of Specialized and Pearl Izumi at the same time coasting into our Best Road Cycling Shoes category.  Despite the few shortcomings that we found during our research the Italian styling and colors alone brings to mind major tour victories of our heroes of the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia or your perhaps your own Tuesday evening “Hammer” rides. 

Sidi Cycling Shoes - Are They The Best Road Cycling Shoe On The Market?

Sidi cycling shoes are the preferred choice for many of today’s top professional cyclist.  They can be found leading packs of cyclist, pelotons and podiums of the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Tour of California and all over the backroads of the world.  Wherever cyclists are churning out the miles, Sidi shoes can be found.

Sidi cycling shoes are hands down the most popular of all road cycling shoes.  Their designs are flashy, robust and modern while at the same time maintaining the classy appeal that Sidi has become famous for.

But more importantly, today’s cyclist chooses SIDI cycling shoes not simply because of their style and design but also because they provide cyclist of all skill levels the foundation for a comfortable and extremely efficient pedal stroke.  A must have for tough competition races, dazzling sprints to the finish line during a neighborhood group ride or for those 100-mile charity century rides requiring long days in the saddle.  Sidi’s technical staff is constantly researching new materials and upgrading their design, so that they can deliver exactly what their customers want…a comfortable, efficient and great-looking road cycling shoe

Sidi was founded in Italy in 1960 by a young competitive cyclist named Dino Signori.  In the early days, SIDI workshop specialized in mountaineering footwear but soon shifted focus became a leader in the cycling shoe market for both professional and armature cyclist all over the world. 

For the past five decades, all Sidi cycling shoes models have been handcrafted and made from state of art technology.  The 50 years of experience and technology set the foundation for a shoe that is reliable, comfortable, durable and also affordable. They are developed with many intricate features like patented Techno II buckles and High Security Velcro straps provide riders with precise fit even while riding.  The Heel Security system is designed to prevent the heel from lifting and stealing valuable power transfer to the pedals.

Sidi has you covered on all your cycling needs.  They specialize in road cycling shoes as well as mountain biking and triathlon bike shoes.  They also feature a full line of accessories and replacement parts for all their lines of cycling shoes.

Some of their most popular road cycling shoes are:

Sidi Ergo 2 Carbon – This is Sidi’s top of the line road cycling shoe with more features than most road bikes have!

Sidi Genius 6.6 – A sleek and comfortable shoe what just happened to be worn by the 2010 winners of the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia

Sidi Genius 5 Pro – The preferred shoe for thousands of weekend warrior road racers and group riders who want to dominate the lead packs.

Sidi Nevada and Zephyr – These are Sidi cycling shoes preferred by most entry-level cyclist who want performance without spending a lot of money.  Don’t let the price fool you!  These road cycling shoes are still handcrafted, durable and very efficient for beginners

Sidi Hydro – Always thinking outside of the box, Sidi developed a high performance shoe specifically designed to be worn in winter weather and rainy days.  Now you can make wintertime. Training time while keeping your feet warm, cozy and dry!

Proud to be the Europe’s only true designer and manufacturer of road cycling shoes that are still exclusively made in Italy.   Sidi cycling shoes are designed for people who spend all day in the saddle so if the professionals can win classics and tours in them then you can be assured that you’ll be tearing up your Sunday group ride too!

Learn How to Properly Fit Your New Road Cycling Shoes

Fit Road Bike Shoes

Finding the right fit for road bike shoes is a lot different than regular shoes.  Road bike shoes are completely different and getting just the right fit is critical for rider comfort.  Your feet should always feel good even after the shoe is removed.  So just what is the best way to get the best fit for your road bike shoes?

A properly fitted road bike shoe should fit much like a properly fitted running shoe.  It should be snug in the heal area and offer just a little room in the toebox area.  You should also experience even pressure in the instep without feeling any pinching whatsoever.  A little bit of room is fine but keep in mind that as you ride, your foot will swell. 

Another important thing to consider is the position of the ball of your foot.  It should be positioned in the widest part of the road bike shoe.  This will allow for the proper positioning of the cleat within the adjustment range of the shoe.

Every manufacturer has and uses different dimensions when making road bike shoes.  They also use the metric system for sizing their shoes.  These dimensions can vary greatly between manufacturers so it is recommended that you find and compare their sizing chart before you purchase.  Additionally you should try on different brands because some brands will be more suited for riders with narrow feet while others will be more suited for riders with wider feet. 

Tips for Buying Road Cycling Shoes

7 Tips for Buying Road Cycling Shoes

If you plan on riding a road bike during a sizzling race or during a weekend group ride choosing the right pair of shoes can greatly improve your performance and comfort.  The shoe is one of the most important pieces of equipment you can have. Rider comfort and efficiency are the most important aspects when shopping for road cycling shoes.  If your feet are comfortable, you’ll be able to handle extended periods of time in the saddle.  If your pedal stroke is made more efficient by your shoes then you’ll be able to transfer all that comfort into power, speed and endurance.

So, taking the time now to research and trying on a few pairs now before you buy will save you a lot time, energy and money.

Listed below are some of the top tips for buying road cycling shoes:

1.  Determine where you are and where you want to be in your cycling – When choosing to buy a road cycling shoe the first thing that you want to take into consideration is just where you are currently in your road cycling and where do you want road cycling to take you.

You may be a leisurely recreational road cyclist who maybe rides maybe 20 miles total for a week or perhaps you are more into the sport and have joined a local cycling group and participate in weekly group rides and charity riding events.  Or maybe your passion is the thrill of the race and speed.

No matter where you are, choosing the best road cycling shoe is critical to your performance, efficiency and comfort. 

If you have no desire to join a road cycling club or race then there are very few reasons why you should invest in an expensive pair of road bike shoes.  However, if you want to get as much out of each long ride as you can or plan to hammer down in next year’s Tour de France then the investment in a high-end shoe may be just what you are looking for.  Higher priced road cycling shoes offer many more benefits to the rider than a less expensive pair.  They are extremely lightweight, stronger, ergonomically fit to provide maximum comfort and efficiency and will usually last for years.

2.  Snug fit - The one thing that is consistent especially for the recreational cyclist is that road cycling shoes can be difficult to fit.  It's not because there is a lack of models, styles and prices but because you want the shoe to fit snug to maximize performance...but not too snug that they will compromise rider comfort.

3.  The stiffer the sole the better!  Choose road bike shoes with the stiffest soles.  Shoes made from high-grade carbon fiber offer the best blend of stiffness, flexibility, strength and pedal power.  Stiff soles are much better at transferring the power and energy from your legs and feet to the pedals.  The more power that you can transfer to the pedals the fast you will go.

4.  Air Circulation – During the course of even a short ride your feet will begin to get hot and sweat, so it’s important to choose a shoe that is vented or constructed from breathable materials.  Most shoes are designed and constructed with mesh or nylon-blended uppers that are made to allow air to flow to your feet. 

5.  Cleats Are Not Created Equal – Once you have decided on a great new pair of road bike shoes you must also buy a cleat that is compatible with the shoe.  Or make sure that you buy a shoe that is compatible with the clipless pedal system that is already on your bike.  Most road racing shoes have adaptors on the bottom of the shoes for various kinds of cleats.  Check to make sure you have the right system.

6.  Easily Adjustable – Choose a road bike shoe that offers you either Velcro straps or a ratcheting system.  Shoes that have these features provide you with the ability to adjust the tightness of the shoe without having to stop.  This goes without saying, avoid shoes that lace up as they hinder your ability to adjust them while riding.

7.  Road Cycling shoes are not created equal – Road bike shoes can vary in size and dimensions greatly depending on the manufacturer.  To get the ultimate fit, manufacturers often use the European sizing matrix so always check to see if they have a sizing chart that tells you just the right size for your shoes.  Some brands tend to fit riders with narrow feet better while still other tend to fit rider with wider feet.

The best road cycling shoes should fit you snuggly to enhance the power transfer.  But they should not fit so tightly that your foot goes numb either.  If possible, you should try on as many different brands as possible at your local bike store to see which one provides you with the best fit.