This seems like the shoe for me, but I'm unable to find a local shop that carries inventory and will have to resort to ordering a pair. In other brands I fit:

Giro: 45-45.5
Specialized: 45
Bont: 44.5-45 (too narrow in 44.5, too much volume in 45)
Sidi: 45 mega
Mavic: 11
Shimano: 45

On Competitive Cylist, their sizing chart puts me at about a 44 in Northwave, but the size comparator at artscyclery.com suggests a 45 (comparing Northwave Aerlite to Giro Trans in size 45). My foot is generally wider and flatter than average.

Does anyone have experience with NW Extreme Tech sizing?

Snap!

Got some Extreme Techs to try in size 44. Size wise they compare to Spec 44 and Mavic 10s.

I have 2 pairs of Extremes and Extreme Techs both 41.

All Else I've worn:

Sidi: 41.5
Mavic: 41.3/8 or whatever the size they use
NW Evolutions: 41.5
Lake: 41
Specialized: 41.5
Rocket 7: 42

They fit a lot like a regular Sidi, only more toe room. The rest of the shoe fits pretty snug. The best shoe I've worn, but thats my opinion. I also use Pearl Izumi 1:1 insoles. Great investment as well.

_________________
green jacket, gold jacket...who gives a sh*t

In Specialized I wear a 45 and my Extreme Tech's are 45 also. Perfect fit

Ordered the 45s. Hopefully they fit well, but Competitive Cyclist has an awesome returns policy so I can try something else if they don't work out.

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

My shoes came this week and they fit pretty well so far. The toebox squeezes just slightly, but it's probably the best fit I've felt so far. I'm trying out the Superfeet blue insoles and Spenco Total Support Original insoles, and I think the Spenco might win out.

Warning, shitty phone images incoming!

Left Shoe (259g)


Right Shoe (255g)


Shoes only (514g)


Keo cleats, hardware (66g)


Stock insoles (23g)


Spenco insoles (126g)


Specialized varus wedges (20g)


Shoes, cleats, Spenco insolves, wedges (728g)


Total weight for the shoes and stock insoles would be 537g. Competitive Cyclist lists claimed weight as 198g per shoe (unstated size). Actual weight for size 45 tips the scales at an additional 141g for the pair.

The fit works okay for me. Length is adequate, without too much excess length in the toe. The tongue bunches up when the buckle is ratcheted tightly, but I've been riding the shoes with both ratchet and boa lace on low tension. The sides of the shoe in the ankle area bow out slightly when my foot flexes, but it hasn't been an issue. The heel cup doesn't cradle the heel very tightly, but arch retention is good enough that my foot stays planted on the upstroke. The cat's tongue material on the inside of the heel cup feels neat, but I don't think it helps at all with heel retention. I doubt I would notice if it were replaced with a more mundane material.

The black incremental tension release button on the S.B.S. buckle is pretty crudely designed, and can easily let out 2 or 3 teeth at a time if the buckle is under high tension. It simply releases the buckle's hold on the teeth momentarily, then reengages. Better systems on Sidi or Bont physically hold on to the teeth while tension is released, so you always get just one tooth's worth of tension release. Accidentally pressing against the ratchet tightening lever will also release the buckle's tension. This isn't really a problem while riding, but it can be irritating while walking or sitting. I accidentally released tension this way several times while putting on my shoe covers today.

A couple of the vented holes on the bottom of the shoe arrived with some textile material still covering the wire mesh openings. It's not a huge deal, but that's one point off for build quality. The rest of the shoe seems very well put together. The carbon sole is plenty wide for my foot, so I don't feel like my foot is spilling over the side, like it does on the more narrow Shimano, Sidi, and Specialized shoes.

Overall I'm very satisfied with my purchase so far, and I expect the fit to feel better and better as the uppers and insoles break in and conform to my feet. With the abundance of ventilation, I'm looking forward to riding these shoes in summer, where I've had problems with overheating in the past. Power transfer feels solid and natural, with a more forgiving feel than my previous Bonts but maybe not quite as much stiffness. (That may be due to the additional padding of the insoles I'm now using though.) The price I got through Competitive Cycling was unbeatable. The shoes were temporarily out of stock when I ordered, though their website did not reflect this. I contacted their service department to ask about it, and they were kind enough to upgrade my shipping to 2nd day air as compensation for the inconvenience.

Give the upper and tongue a chance to break in, I think you will find them more comfortable the more you wear them.

I've put in about 7 hours with these shoes so far. I think they're already starting to break in and feel real nice.