Bike Shoes & Cycling Footwear

I'm still getting the Merlin. In more than a week, less than a month, I am going to have to justify owning such a thing. Anticipating this, over the past six weeks or so, I've been seeking out the gear I'll need to make a proper attempt at *serious road biking*. I think I posted this in another thread, but I ultimately decided to go w/ mtn. bike clipless gear (comfort in long-distance riding is the priority for now). I've since purchased some pedals, but I still need to get shoes. Or I may need to get shoes?

Here's the thing: I bought this pair of shoes on Ebay

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/570/shoesay.jpg

(ftr these are Eur 46 & every pair of shoes I have ever owned that have had the Eur sizing have been 46. I am US 11.5-12)

Pretty rad-looking, right? A little banged up, but still perfectly functional. I was able to get them 4 cheap & just figured I could resell them if they didn't fit. Here's the thing, tho - they literally fit perfectly w/ no wiggle room to speak of, but also no toe-curling or unwanted constraint. As far as I've been able to tell, there are two schools of thought on this matter: (02) buy them snug, break them in & your shoes will fit you perfectly & such is the ideal scenario. I've had rewarding experiences w/ allowing time to break-in initially constricting soccer cleats, hiking boots etc. BUT (02) plenty of other folks say that you need these things to be a half-size big to accommodate for foot-swelling & if u don't do this u will pay w/ PAIN.

Which side of this argument do you fall on, or do you have a different opinion. I'm just trying to figure out if I should go ahead & resell them & just buy new ones that I can try on, or if I should take a chance on the snugness being a good thing?

for the time being, I'm leaning toward selling them & just doing this up proper at a shop, tho I should note that I am reluctant to do so b/c these imo look cooler than about 85% of bike shoes I've seen, in stores at least.

I think if they fit you perfectly then they'll be fine (and bear in mind that the straps will allow you to alter the fit in that direction at least - and it's not like your feet gets much *longer* when it swells up)). But you'll only know by riding with them, and riding a fair distance.

Definitely don't sell them, and don't waste money on a new pair (which may not even fit as well) until you've given them a go.

Thanks Mark C. You have given me faith.

xp - christ i get long-winded when I drank

will i look like a massive fred if i swap road pedals for nice MTB pedals and a good new MTB shoe on the roadie?

do ppl care about this stuff anymore??

Do it, haitch. No-one who matters cares :)

as long as they are white you're untouchable

i've got eggbeaters on my tarmac and wear mtb shoes, fuck em

(tho i'm prob gonna buy my friends road shoes/pedals and then i will start judging u)

i wear dominators w/ eggbeaters pretty much nov-march

still haven't gone on a ride on my new road bike tho

I've been going the other way. Mavic whatevertheyares and Look Kéos. Mainly because the Mavic shoes are more comfortable.

I wish wearing road shoes was more practical.

lol hunt3r, was thinking that re: whiteness

ed are they the YELLOW mavics? saw some chap in the rapha anti-mantis pro fit stuff, riding steel lemond (i think) w/ last-generation dura-ace on way to work yesterday - would've said show pony but he was built like a damn rake.

This is Ed we're talking about - of course they're yellow! With infra-yellow detail and meta-yellow stitching.

Am in need of a replacement for my ancient Specialized Sonoma, casual cycling shoe of choice, which are looking increasingly threadbare. They're lace-ups which isn't the best for a secure fit but they look quite innocuous and not at all cycling-nerdy. Not that I mind looking cycling-nerdy but only in the right time and place...

http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/images/sp/specialized-sonoma-mens-shoe.jpg

Not yellow, graphite coloured. I try to buy all my clothing in sales which means the choice of colour pallet isn't always mine.

My commuting shoes are Mavic Alpines and are a similar, innocuous looking black suede number and were pretty cheap too.

Mavic cruize are the sameshoe as old adidas minrett, v cheap on closeout. Keen look good but ridiculous expensive.

I had some adidas MTB shoes, I broke the footbed in an endo.

ended up sticking wit da road shoe lyfestile:

http://s3.wiggle.co.uk/images/shimano-r191-shoes-11-med.jpg?w=350&h=350&a=7&Lo0P=614513bdeb4ef0859997bee6bed36b0821971

they are HILARIOUSLY shiny. i am gonna have to step the game up before i wear these.

The world does, of course, now have these

http://www.rapha.cc/images/gallery/3222-59.jpg

the giros that they're based on are meant to be really good, it must be said. for all the complaints about the price they're pretty competitive with, say, if you bought a pair of ergo 3s or those new fiziks locally.

Indeed, and neither of those are made with finest Yak leather.

i thought it was all about roo leather

Rapha take it to the next level. I'm holding out for Musk Ox.

Blue whale scrotum is light supple and 10 times stronger than Kevlar. And it's sorta renewable if they keep growing blue whales