Real World Experience
I am really impressed with the Sidi Genius 6.6 Carbon. After a spin around the block or two, a couple short rides to fine-tune the cleat position, I decided that I would need an additional footbed for a perfect fit (I have a low instep). I was then, off to the mountains.

On my favorite afternoon loop, there’s an 8 mile climb that I use to test my fitness or state of fatigue. On this climb, there are a few steeper sections before flicking left and rolling along a mountain ridge for about 13 miles. During the first few mountain loops wearing these shoes, I noticed that I was pushing a bigger gear than normal…which I attributed partly to the “new shoe high”, but more so to the added efficiency and rigidity of the 6.6’s.

This shoe meets all the needs of a fashion conscious, road rider who enjoys efficiency in an easy-to-use shoe for long or short rides. I, myself, am a slave to cycling fashion. That being said, I like to keep my gear clean, tidy and well aligned. One day, post-ride at my favorite coffee shop, I noticed that one of the straps to the Caliper Buckle system was longer than the other. After a very brief inspection, I noticed that they are removeable/replaceable/adjustable. AWESOME! I, then adjusted the strap to perfect length…matching the other shoe.

Bottom Line
I love the Genius 6.6 shoe. I think it could be a near-perfect shoe with a little more attention given to the buckle system. For a guy like me who loves to wear shoe covers year-round, however…I would consider the other two, based on ease of adjustability of the fore-foot retention alone.

Strengths:

• Ride efficiency – direct power/energy transfer from shoe to pedal with extreme comfort
• Fit – versatile adjustability in the heel-cup, buckle, buckle strap for a perfect fit
• BLING! – incredible style with that certain Italian flash

Weaknesses:

• Buckle – rattling noise on less-than-perfectly smooth roads
• Buckle – poor regulation of tension release
• Longevity in cleanliness – ok, they’re white. A little soap & water does the trick.

Overall
¾ bottles…near perfection.
Value

Pages: 1 2 3