Third pair of Fizik. Gorgeous silhouette. Outstanding craftsmanship. These fit a bit large- maybe 5mm longer than my Fizik R1 Uomo. Experienced the same as previous reviewer where edge of tongue dug into ankle but after 50 miles broke-in. Very stiff carbon sole. Prefer an aftermarket insert vs OEM on all of my shoes. Durability on par with Sidi. Flat white scuffs easily vs wheel rub but cleans well. At this price point hard to beat. BikeTiresDirect.com shipped promptly.
I pulled the trigger on these when they were on sale, and so glad that I did. They not only look awesome (black on black for me), but are very comfy. When I opened the box and tried them on I did kind of wear them around the house for a few minutes (but that's not weird, right?). After I had my bike fit guy get me going in them, my rides have been great. The size was true to what I expected not too big or small, narrow or wide. I've gotten, over the years, to used to adjusting orders based on consensus reviews concerning sizing, so I'm happy that enough people said that these were fine. The sole is very stiff, so power transfer is a given.
The issues minor, but just a heads up.
1) When attaching the Speedplay cleats, yes, as reviews said, the curvature of the sole was an issue, but the shims provided just (barely) enough of a buildup to allow installation on par with other shoes. Silver lining the longer, better, stainless screws got to be used because there was so much shimming.
2) it is easy to over-tighten the top boas, they feel so good. After a while you will notice some discomfort, so a little loosening will be needed (they are boas, so this is simple). Save yourself the lingering red marks on the top of your feet and take it easy at first better to reach down and dial them tighter than be mad at yourself for not listening...).
Amateur racer, several rides per week, etc. The weather here has been unseasonably brisk since the shoes arrived with only a couple exceptions, so I can only report that they are just fine in high-40s to high 50s without thick socks. Once the temps climb into the 90s and I have a few thousand miles in the shoes I'll hopefully remember to do a follow-up.
Exceptional value on sale, pretty good value at regular price. They look good, are comfortable, and, just like my bike does, they help hide my weaknesses.
I wanted to love these shoes - i was ready to. Really great shape, nice sole, good clean shape that hugs your foot, build quality is nice, great design. AND, there is a strip along the top of the tongue - it it stiff, sharp and placed really high up at the top of the tongue against your foot. This strip digs right into your ankle at the center where your ankle pivots over and over, all day long. This is just crazy poor design and there is no way this could possibly be comfortable for most riders. I've been riding for a long time and have tried lots of shoes. I can't understand how this got through the Fizik, or any company's, testing process. I'm bummed to have to return these.