Tri shoes vs. road shoes

[jgandionco]

Anyone not doing triathlons using tri shoes just for road riding. They seem to be lighter than regular road shoes and better ventilated. Any other advantages or disadvantages? Any insight would be appreciated.

[cyclingsivells]

I use Specialized Trivent shoes which are tri shoes. I've done a couple sprint tris but 99% of my riding is road biking. I love the shoes because they are easy on, easy off. I keep the strap closet to my toes velcroed all the time and loosen/tighten the top strap to slip my foot in or out. They are well ventilated for hot riding but are cold on the feet in the winter. I probably will get tri shoes again next time I have to buy. As far as the lightness-I don't know. They were 20 dollars cheaper than the road version of the shoe so that's why I bought them, but I love them now.

[Warpdatframe]

The biggest disadvantage is that you look like a triathlete.

[stanseven]

You must have good eyes to recognize tri shoes as the tri bike blows by you so fast

[Jay Strongbow]

All else equal the retention system is better on road shoes. By better I mean for fine tuning on the bike and three vs two straps so, in theory, more even pressure and/or better ability to separately adjust separate areas of pressure.
And easy on/easy off is pretty much a useless feature for road cyclists so while it's not a problem, who cares.

But if the retention of tri shoes works just as well for you (it does for plenty of people) there's be no reason not to use them for road racing.

[tihsepa]

You must have good eyes to recognize tri shoes as the tri bike blows by you so fast

Feeling a little insulted?

[wim]

Any other advantages or disadvantages? Any insight would be appreciated.

Not sure if this is still true, but one, some or all straps on tri shoes would close toward the frame and open away from the frame. That allows you to ride the bike with the strap completely open and flopping around without it getting hung up on some part of the bike. Not exactly sure how that would be useful in road riding, but perhaps it is to someone somewhere.

[locustfist]

The biggest disadvantage is that you look like a triathlete.

but, if you are a triathlete, you'd keep everyone safer in the group if it were easier to spot you should you arrive on a road bike sans man-kini, compression socks and bidons hanging on the back of your saddle.

[Blackbeerthepirate]

I really like tri shoes when the weather is hot.

They are well ventilated top and bottom and made to be worn without socks. They have only two straps and everyone was insisting I would get hot spots. That has never been a problem for me.

I went for a cold weather ride last month, close to 50 degrees at the start of my ride. I took the insole out of my shoes and put some blue tape over the vents, some wool socks and I'm down the road.

I'm just not a shoe wearing kind of guy so tri shoes were my best option. YMMV

[Blackbeerthepirate]

Not sure if this is still true, but one, some or all straps on tri shoes would close toward the frame and open away from the frame. That allows you to ride the bike with the strap completely open and flopping around without it getting hung up on some part of the bike. Not exactly sure how that would be useful in road riding, but perhaps it is to someone somewhere.

My Carnac's close opposite of of road shoes (toward the bike). I found that with a little extra thought, I was still able to tighten my shoes. On my SIDI's the top strap closes in and the bottom strap closes out. Those things are still a mystery to me, but I'm working on it.

[Warpdatframe]

you Mean as they lay on the side of the road with their p3 snapped in half?