what shoes

catman1973

Can anyone tell me the difference between a road shoe and triathlon shoe. Saw nice pair of triathlon shoes and was wondering are they ok to use on normal road bike?

maddog 2

tri shoes are easier to get on/less straps. Can't imagine there is much else different about them.

chriskempton

Triathlon shoes have fewer straps and tend to avoid ratchet buckles to make transitions quicker. They also tend to be more open to the elements as they're assuming you'll be sticking wet, sockless feet in them.

For road use, they're going to be compromised. The fewer straps tends to mean a less secure fit, and the openness means they're likely to be less snug if you get cold feet.

They'll do a job fine, but you're better off with a road shoe for road use IMO. I had some Adidas tri shoes briefly and wouldn't have wanted to use them for anything other than a short triathlon on a hot day.

maddog 2

tri shoes suit people with webbed feet, such as triathletes

Monty Dog

Lack of straps means a tri shoe is never quite as firm on the fit - most top-end race shoes have micro-ratchet buckles which are very secure IME. If you want a shoe to do both, look at a road shoe with three velcro straps.