I've had Fizik and Pearl Izumi, but SIDI is by far the best shoe. I have mtb clips/cleats so I use them for both road and mtb. I never used the ratchet system before, but I like like it very much.
I've been using Dominator 5's for years but they don't make them anymore. These seem to be the replacement show. They are pretty much the same but the leather seems stiffer than my 5's. Could be that my 5's are old, but really it seems like the leather itself.
Otherwise, they are comfortable, stiff and great to ride in.
I use these as road shoes because I just can't deal with real road shoes and the inability to walk. They are fairly comfortable to walk in also.
I was using my MTB shoes, which were like hiking shoes with stiffish soles with SPD cleats for my gravel bike rides. But yearned for something lighter and with more power transfer. Sidis have always fit my foot like a glove and have maintained good sizing consistency through the years, so I went for the Dominator 7s in the same size as my road Sidis.
I am so glad I did. The construction quality is excellent. The ratcheting mechanism works great. They're light. They fit well. But what I like most about them: POWER TRANSFER. True enough, their stiff soles make them less than ideal for walking great distances or clamoring around on slippery rock surfaces. But they are quite easy to walk in nevertheless with their pontooned soles.
Not cheap but worth every penny. Just a super comfortable shoe that delivers pedaling efficiency like a dedicated cycling shoe should.
These were my first pair of true cycling shoes. I needed something easy to walk in off the bike and of course a well made quality shoe. These checked both boxes and more. Very well made, true to size, and walking while off the bike is no problem. Wouldn�t want to walk in them for miles but still comfortable for short walks.
As long-time club riders who do some 5000 miles per year, most of us use Sidi shoes. Although we are primarily roadies, we prefer the MTB shoes for ease of walking around, especially on tours. For us, the sizing and conforming fit of the Dominator 7s is perfect, and this latest pair does not disappoint.
Sidi shoes are extremely well-made, and their toe box is wider and more comfortable for American feet. I buy them because they come in a wide (mega) version that fits my foot better than any other shoe. Not cheap, but they last a long time. Carbon soles transfer power really well.
I was skeptical about these shoes, I don't own 3 pairs of shoes and I don't race. I've been riding in clipless pedals since the early 90's and have typically had 1 pair of shoes I used for both road and mountain biking. I commute to and from work year round so my shoes have to be comfortable and able to take a beating. I've never used traditional road shoes since they're difficult to walk in, usually lean towards mountain bike shoes. Anyways, my feet are a little on the wider side and high arches so difficult to find shoes that fit properly. I wear orthotics in my regular shoes and always thought I had wide feet. I tried the 46.5 in the mega version and they were better suited for a truly wide foot. I could barely close the straps. I switched over to the regular 46 version and I couldn't be happier after my first couple rides. Out of the box they fit perfectly and were nothing like what I expected which was more like the shimano or pearl izumi shoes which are super narrow. As I rode they became more comfortable and I figured out what other reviewers meant when they talked about the ability to adjust the fit on the fly. As my feet settled into these I adjusted the ratchet strap and they felt even better. I'm no longer a skeptic and understand where cult following to these shoes came from. A perfect adjustable fit and they feel solid enough to last for years. I've been using my previous shoes, a pair of Lake MTB shoes for 5 years.
Great fit just as the chart indicated very comfortable have had sidi road shoes in the past and currently and they wear very well last a long time
Have used sidi road shoes in the past and worked great. The MTB shoes are very well made comfortable perform well and are worth the money.
I had a pair of Sidis for about 20 years and the rubber sole began to crumble. Although I still loved the fit, it was time to part ways. I ordered the Dominator and it was like I hadn't even upgraded to a new shoe. It was just as comfortable out of the box as the old shoes.
I use these shoes 5x per week Mountain Biking and love the comfort and most importantly the performance. By far the best biking shoe I have owned
The shoes fit like gloves. Great pulling power and easy to pump high cadence wearing the sidi's. Work great on long rides. 50 to 100 mile rides.
Good fit, light weight
I use it for mountain and road riding. Top of tongue a little stiff but I'm sure will break in.
used for mountain bike riding/racing and gravel riding. Super comfortable. Supportive. I like the simple ratchet mechanism and 2 velcro straps. it is reliable and effective.
I use these shoes 3-4 times a week and fit like a glove except they stretch after a hour of use on have to adjust
I would not even think of trying other shoes than Sidi, they fit me perfectly and have given me years of service.
In general I'm a big fan of Sidi shoes. The first mountain biking shoes I bought were Sidi's and they have lasted over 15-years and held up to quite a bit of abuse. But I thought it was time to upgraderenew and so I purchased these. Frankly, these didn't live up to my expectations and here's why.
First, the red plastic levers that release the buckle are too thin and I quickly broke one off. These are undersized.
Second, one of the straps attaching the ring for the velcro straps (not shown in the pictures) ripped off at the base where it is stitched in to the shoe's upper. On my old Sidi's this ring was basically stitched right into the upper, whereas on these it is on a strap 1 - 2 long that hangs off from the upper. The old design is far strongersuperior.
I admit that I did take a few spills while wearing these. But the intended use is for mountain biking after all, and my riding style certainly hasn't changed from just a few months ago when I was still wearing my old shoes. I believe that the failures noted above are due to flaws in the design of the shoe. For a shoe at this price named Dominator I would expect them to stand up to more than a few spills and have far greater strength and durability than they showed. Personally, I would spend your money elsewhere, possibly on a different pair of Sidi's.
This is my third pair in the last 20 years - Ive had dominator 3s and 4s, and now the 7s. I use them for road and mountain biking. The uppers last extremely well, whether wet, dry or dusty. The soles are stiff but easy to walk in. After thousands of miles and hundreds of rides, the Velcro on the two front straps tends to wear out, but otherwise, theyre still in pretty good shape. The fit is good for narrow feet (mine are narrow) but you can get the mega version for wider feet. Overall, you cant get much better than this.
True to size, stiff sole, comfortable and easy to adjust fit. Very please with this purchase.
