1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
My Sidi 5's were worn out, so I bought a pair of these. Here are the more obvious differences - the Factor's sole is stiffer and thinner, the Factor is lighter, and the Factor's heel pocket holds my heel better the Sidis. It's not a perfect fit, though, a few comments after my first few weeks in the shoes
I have a pretty narrow foot, so I inserted a slightly thicker footbed (Specialized, blue) than the factory version, which helps take up a little space. I still have to tighten the velcro straps down just about as far as they'll go - and I still feel like if I wear a really thin sock there's just a bit too much room inside. But on the upside, the straps do have more range of adjustment than the Sidis, so it's manageable. Slightly thicker socks and all is well.
The heel, as I said, fits beautifully with no extra motion. This is true even when the buckled straps aren't completely ratcheted down - very nice for keeping the circulation going.
The toebox is a bit roomier than the Sidis, which is more comfortable on longer rides, but I do get just a little more lateral movement at the front of my foot when pedaling, which I think I just have to get used to. It's not a problem - just a different fit.
The soles are great - very stiff, very light, very thin. I had to drop my seatpost about 0.75 to 1 mm to compensate for the difference from my old shoes to these. I like the way the underside of the sole interfaces with the cleats - there's a nice anti-skid surface there.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with them. I didn't rate them 5 stars just because the fit isn't perfect - but my foot is actually kind of hard to fit perfectly.
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