On durability; SIDI versus BONT shoes.

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Liggero
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by Liggero

guyc wrote:Yes. He was definitely lying then and so was Wiggins when he said he same thing when asked about it. I'm making it all up and pros never talk to each other about any of the kit they use. They don't know anything about their kit either.


You are not lying kid, they are liying, painfully obvious. Money talks, Giro, the big yankee daddy, with a ton of cash for product placement in pro tour, of their brand new line of cyclign shoes... A guy that won tour the France, who likes laces due to his track background... Win win. Bont has no resources to sponsor a tour the france winner. Still, if wiggo would have wanted, he would be riding bont. Indurain refused a huge contract with Nike, and stayed with sidi's.

Another clear example: nobody who is not on sever drugs use, and/or, big cash behind, would use the new jawbones from oakley. I mean, do you really think that Cav likes those extremely ugly glasses? I mean, it's just painful to look at them in photos. Do you think that the guy that brags on twitter about christian dior or paul smith clothing likes that shit? I bet he insults the glasses when he is in the privacy of his house, hahahahahahahha; -D


Money talks.
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guyc
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by guyc

Jesus. Step away from the crack pipe eh

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TMz
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by TMz

Image

This thread makes for a great read.

I've had 2 pairs of Sidis and found them to be pretty average in terms of build quality and performance. Wouldn't buy again, I know they have a loyal following thought that will defend them to the death.

I've had Mavic previously which I thought were better fitting and more durable than Sidi, and since had some Fizik R3s but these although nicely made don't fit my feet well, and the insoles are crap.

I've got some Giro MTB shoes with the Easton soles which I found far superior to Sidi in terms of comfort, great insoles but outsoles not as durable, overall not much difference in durability really, and they seem to have held their shape much better than the sidis.

I've just ordered some Empires as I have narrow feet and think the lace fit will be really good for me, I've been waiting for price to come down and with the release of the SLX the price has come down considerably. I've been really impressed with the easton sole so hoping these will suit me well.

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Kayrehn
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by Kayrehn

Topic has kind of veered off from talking about durability to 'performance' (which is actually a few different things). One point I should add about Bont is that I love their protective toe cap thing, really good for going up stairs.

Hope my Bont will last after hearing these stories about cracked soles...

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Liggero
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by Liggero

TMz wrote:Image

This thread makes for a great read.

I've had 2 pairs of Sidis and found them to be pretty average in terms of build quality and performance. Wouldn't buy again, I know they have a loyal following thought that will defend them to the death.

I've had Mavic previously which I thought were better fitting and more durable than Sidi, and since had some Fizik R3s but these although nicely made don't fit my feet well, and the insoles are crap.

I've got some Giro MTB shoes with the Easton soles which I found far superior to Sidi in terms of comfort, great insoles but outsoles not as durable, overall not much difference in durability really, and they seem to have held their shape much better than the sidis.

I've just ordered some Empires as I have narrow feet and think the lace fit will be really good for me, I've been waiting for price to come down and with the release of the SLX the price has come down considerably. I've been really impressed with the easton sole so hoping these will suit me well.


Well, if you find sidi finishing average, and mavic better. And if you find the Sidas insoles in the fizik crap... Mmmmm.... Well, maybe you should visit the eye doctor, perhaps?

I ordered a Mavic shoes a while ago. I ordered two sizes, just to make sure they will fit me perfectly. Conclusion, one was too large, the other too small. That is what happens with shoes that have sizes every 2/3, unlike sidi that offers sizes every 1/2. Not to mention the finish was quite bad, compared to sidi. And the fit was horrible for a regular volume feet like mine. It was one of their top of the line mtb mavic shoes, with carbon sole. They were returned the same day ;-D, not even good enough to give them a chance, I ordered a Sidi dragon in size 46.
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Liggero
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by Liggero

Kayrehn wrote:Topic has kind of veered off from talking about durability to 'performance' (which is actually a few different things). One point I should add about Bont is that I love their protective toe cap thing, really good for going up stairs.

Hope my Bont will last after hearing these stories about cracked soles...


In my personal opinion, the toe cap makes sense in mtb, in road shoes, it is just looking to increase toe overlap with the wheel. Also, it makes very little sense to have toe caps in a road shoe made to perform, it increases the weight, and anyways who cares about the toe if it's gonna crack on the heels and or in another part of the shoe... Looks good though, but seems quite pointless, in my personal opinion.

I'd like to mention also, that the Giro heel rubber pad seems very well designed, being very perimetral, unlike sidi one, which is just one and centered; it doesn't protect the edges of the heel in the sole, which seems to be quite damaged in sidis after some walking. No big deal really, but giro deserves kudos for this. Also they seem to use allen bolts, which seems better than sidi's phillips head bolt, which can be damaged by grinding, and impossible to remove after that.
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520 Dan
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by 520 Dan

I have to disagree about the toe cap. You don't have to like it for aesthetic purposes but it is functional. My Sidis still look great after 3 years save the toe (where the toe cap would go) just from normal off the bike walking. Thats the only dinged up spot.

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Liggero
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by Liggero

520 Dan wrote:I have to disagree about the toe cap. You don't have to like it for aesthetic purposes but it is functional. My Sidis still look great after 3 years save the toe (where the toe cap would go) just from normal off the bike walking. Thats the only dinged up spot.


every case is different i guess. my sidi's are perfect after three years and a bike that has toe overlap with my feet. it has little scuffs in the toe, very small, but with a toe cap, the wheel-toe overlap would be so annoying... Durability is great, but cyclign relaxed is much more important, for me. But i´m sure tall people with frame size of 58 or larger and no toe overlap like that.

Still, I have a 10 year old sidi, mtb model, and mtb and commuting use, and they don't need a too cap. Although i have hit big stones coming form the front wheel, and in those caes, yes, a toe cap like the one on the dragon's would be great.
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kgt
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by kgt

As KWalker and Liggero admit many pros prefer Sidi, even custom Sidi, with the same materials, soles and mechanisms off the shelf shoes have. I guess this strengthens Sidi's cult status quality. No? Yes.

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Liggero
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by Liggero

kgt wrote:As KWalker and Liggero admit many pros prefer Sidi, even custom Sidi, with the same materials, soles and mechanisms off the shelf shoes have. I guess this strengthens Sidi's cult status quality. No? Yes.


Actually, I've said the completely contrary; they would all ride bont due to performance, if bont's payed as much money in sponsorship as sidi. What I have said is that sidi has a big shelves full of pro's feet lasts (models). Cause they still keep them even for retired riders.

Please do not put in my mouth words I haven't written.
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KWalker
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by KWalker

No they wouldn't. Lots of people do not like the shape and feel of Bont and all top level road shoes have soles that are more than stiff enough. Any flex is actually just deflected and not dissipated anyways. This is veering from the thread but all the pros in white S-Works buy their shoes. Specialized does not sponsor any of them. Considering a rider needs 2 pairs in the team car, one on their feet, often 1-2 backup pairs at home plus orthotics for almost all of them then you have more pros paying more money for S-Works than any other shoe brand. They could easily buy Bont, Giro, or whatever, but don't.

As for the thread topic I agree about the Sidi toe cap. The overlap from toe protection is 1-2mm at most and usually isn't an issue for most people anyways. Sidi could do what Specialized and Giro do and at least put a rubber bumper that goes a bit higher up, but don't. When I had Sidis that was my only gripe about them.

I want to like Bonts in theory, but the toe box simply doesn't fit the contour of my foot from the 3rd to 5th met. Not going to plop down $400 on shoes and hope the molding solves it. Even then the upper is not very comfortable and I would have to run it much looser, but then the foot would move around. Some I know that have tried them have felt the same way and had durability issues, others love them and refuse to ride anything else.
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guyc
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by guyc

All pros would ride Bont? Every single one of them?

Seriously?


uraqt
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by uraqt

I use the top of the toe of my shoe to roll the pedal forward, and that cause the it to discolor. I kinda thought that a replaceable toe cap would help that..

Also the really old pair of sidi have have I wore down right were the fake leather meets the sole avoiding a crash having the replaceable toe cap like the MTB shoes would have helped. And more important would help prevent me from getting really pissed the next time a car cuts me off : ) I am sure that when it happens again I am going to chase down the driver and bill them for the shoes...

The road toe cap doesn't need to be as thick as the MTB one and you could use kevlar to keep it light....

C

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MichaelB
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by MichaelB

roelez wrote:Here is my bont pictures ..
The cracked one is wear for 1 year and the other 1 is around 3 months

After a year the outer sole begin to crack but the rubber on heels are fine.. and then come the replacement and now the rubber is *f##k* up .. cut out pic as it's been seen already


I look at those and go faaaarrrrkkk :unbelievable: , but ....

It shows one of two things ;

(a) - you are really rough with your shoes and don't spend the time to maintain them, OR
(b) - you do a shed load of miles and they are crap shoes.

Without knowing either, I'm just hoping that whilst I look after my shoes (replace the replaceable bits just before they get rooted) and I'm not a million mile a year person and not a powerhouse, that they'll last me a few years and not give problems, just like my Sidi's

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