Review of Sidi Dominator 5 Lorica� Mountain Bike Shoes

Sidi Dominator 5 Lorica� Mountain Bike Shoes - Black
By: Sidi Average Rating: 5.0 Total Reviews: 2
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The original and still the best. Worth every penny and will give you years of comfort and performance.

On: 2006-01-09

SIDI invented the cycling shoe. Before SIDI there was hard soled dress shoes--thats it. And not only did they invent the cycling shoe but remain the unparallelled top choice and brand of cycling shoe in the world.

But its not about showing up at your local event with the best, most expensive, professional equiptment or the fine Italian craftspersonship; its about whether or not its worth it to shell out a couple of hundred dollars for cycling shoes. Well, if youre just starting out with clipless pedals I have to say the answer is no, absolutely not. In that case, get yourself a pair of Shimano mountain bike shoes for about $60--which youll probably keep using long after youve gotten yourself a pair of SIDIs as well. But if youre already an avid cyclist who has been riding for years and who already uses and likes clipless pedals, then Im pretty sure youve already been lusting after a pair of SIDIs and deserve them.

Will they last for years? Yes, even without treating them like the treasured possessions that they are.

Will they look and fit great out of the box then wear out in a year or two? Absolutely not. In fact, they just get more comfortable--though replacing the insoles is a good idea.

More pros of praise:

Lorica breaks in like leather but doesnt get wet, moldy, and stinky like leather. It actually wears better than leather and is a lot more resistant to the wear and tear of heavy use and the elements. You dont have to condition it, since its synthetic, and the most you would clean it with is a damp cloth. If the materials werent so good, mine would have rotted off my feet long ago.

Linings of these shoes have yet to show any wear at all in my case--and Ive been riding mine for about 3000 kilometers a year for about 4 years so far.

The insoles are OK, but you might want to just order better ones to replace them with.

Install the toe spikes and youre good to climb up and down all but hard rock.

The buckle is very easy to tighten or loosen just that little bit needed without stopping--just reach down and give it a click either way (because your feet swell as you warm up and sometimes you just need just a little less play in the instep).

These shoes actually do come in widths, though you might not be able to choose widths here on Amazon or maybe even in the United States. If your feet are wide like mine though, Im sure the material will form well to your foot regardless.

CONS:

Id really have to make up something or flat out lie. I suppose the insoles could be better but that would raise the price and theres no such thing as one insole thats good for all people. I actually still use the original ones, but look forward to replacing them.

BOTTOM LINE: If youre going to spend serious money on cycling shoes, buy SIDIs--these or others. Theyre worth it, theyll last, and theyll break in so that theyve really got your very individual fit and personality to them--yet still look fairly new. These arent an item thats going to wear out any season soon, and will probably outlast any of your drivechain components. Simply put, these are a better investment than any other cycling item I can name.

The Best Cycling Shoe I've Owned

On: 2006-01-09

I have small feet and this is the first cycling shoe that has been a perfect fit.

The comfort of these shoes is beyond words. The support from the ultra SL buckel is fantastic (the ratchet helps me get the shoe nice and snug).

I wear these for my road bike (like to have something I can walk in just in case). You wont want to walk too far because the bottom cleats feel almost like hard plastic when walking, but it beats sliding around in a pair of road shoes when attempting to walk a mile.

These shoes breath extremely well. With that said, if you ride in a downpoor you may want to purchase some covers otherwise your feet are going to be extremely wet at the end of the ride. This isnt a complaint. When you see that many vents in a shoe, something should click that waters going to get inside.

Ive read where people have had problems with the buckle sticking or breaking with this shoe. Ive never experienced that problem with the shoes.

Best shoe Ive ever owned and wont go back to any others. The only other shoe Ive considered is Sidi Dragon, but Im still trying to justify the additional expense of that shoe.