[smellmypeebody]

I'm coming from toe clips so I'm sure it'll feel very weird to me any route I go.

With that being said, I have a choice of:

1. New sidi dominators and crank bros chrome egg beaters for $260
2. New sidi dominators and time atax alum for $260
3. New sidi dominators and USED (eBay) crank bros candy C for $230

I'm also open to cheaper alternatives.. Sidi is much more expensive than the other brands out there..

 

[PeanutButterBreath]

Why Dominators? I'd go for a cheaper (Sidi) shoe and Eggbeater SLs, personally. That's worked for me for 5+ years of CX racing and MTB riding.

I'm sure there is a lot to like about higher end shoes, but I don't think they are necessary (unless for fit reasons), especially if it comes down to compromising on other items because of the cost.

 

[bopApocalypse]

First clipless setup and you're going w/ dominators? Unless you're flush with cash, look at some cheaper shoes, Sidi or otherwise. Look at the Sidi Bullet - ratchets are good and all, but not worth the price difference between the Bullet and The Dominator...

Finding a shoe that your feet are happy in is the most important - unfortunately Sidi's just don't work for my feet (unfortunate because they're super nice shoes). I've had good luck with Specialized shoes - been racing cx on their BG Sport MTB shoe for three years now, and my only complaint is that they don't accept toe spikes - a feature that you may want after you try running up a muddy or snowy hill...

Pedals - might be worth getting a cheap pair to try - crank bros has the MXR for (practically) pennies... Get those, if you like them, keep using them till they die, then get some SLs. Or, just get the SLs to begin with. Keep in mind that the candy pedals may interfere w/ the tread on your shoes, forcing you to carve out some of the tread w/ a knife...

Time ATAX are nice too - if you can find an old pair (bar of soap!) on ebay they should work just as well.

 

[kbiker3111]

I like Crank's for the mtb, but I haven't found them that confident to clip into, so I'd avoid them for cross. Time's are my choice

+1 for cheaper shoes, unless you like spending money.

 

[colinr]

There are tons of shoes cheaper than dominators that are totally adequate. You're coming from toe clips for chrissake, so you're going to be blown away by how good a real cycling shoe is.

There are so many options in the $100 or less range, at least if you know your shoe size and can buy online.

As for pedals I don't like eggbeaters, they seem to have a much higher failure rate than other pedal brands: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=140648. But plenty of people love em, so who knows.

Personally I just picked up some Shimano xt pedals from ebay for cross, it was cheaper than SL's and I've already had a few rock impacts MTB'ing that made me think "gee, that's just like the hit that broke my eggbeaters" with the pedal holding up fine.

 

[The Sundance Kid]

There are so many options in the $100 or less range, at least if you know your shoe size and can buy online.

Buying bike shoes on line makes very little sense unless you're you already know which brand fits your feet best. If you're on a budget, ebay and nashbar and performance can save you money on components, clothing, etc., but bike shoes that fit well are really really important. I've known people who try on shoes at a bike store and then go home and order them on line, but that pretty much says (f*** you) to your LBS.

Not attacking you in particular Colin, just the idea of buying one's first ever pair of bike shoes online.

I also endorse the theory of budgeting more $ for shoes than pedals because comfortable feet make more of a performance and fun factor difference than slightly lighter pedals.

If anyone knows of a cheap really narrow shoe, I'd love to hear it (currently using and enjoying Sidis)

 

[colinr]

Buying bike shoes on line makes very little sense unless you're you already know which brand fits your feet best. If you're on a budget, ebay and nashbar and performance can save you money on components, clothing, etc., but bike shoes that fit well are really really important. I've known people who try on shoes at a bike store and then go home and order them on line, but that pretty much says (f*** you) to your LBS.

Not attacking you in particular Colin, just the idea of buying one's first ever pair of bike shoes online.

I also endorse the theory of budgeting more $ for shoes than pedals because comfortable feet make more of a performance and fun factor difference than slightly lighter pedals.

If anyone knows of a cheap really narrow shoe, I'd love to hear it (currently using and enjoying Sidis)

Trying on at a store and not buying there is a huge F you, don't do that.

Anyway, some people (like me) have pretty average feet and most shoes tend to fit. I tend to buy random brands online and it works out fine, but like I said most shoes fit me. I'm not one of those guys that needs to try on 14 different shoes in 18 different sizes to find something he likes. So that's what I meant by "if you know your size", if you're comfortable saying "gimme a 43" and walking out then you can do it online.

But yeah, you're right, that's not great advice for some/most people. Although IMO if you notice your feet hurting during a CX race you either have the worst fitting shoes on the planet or you aren't going hard enough

 

[The Sundance Kid]

Although IMO if you notice your feet hurting during a CX race you either have the worst fitting shoes on the planet or you aren't going hard enough

Very, very true.

I was going to point out in my first post that all this applies way more to longer rides, but I confess I made the assumption that the OP wasn't hoping to race on his clipless-equiped cx bike and do all his other riding in toe clips and sneakers. If you are never riding more than an hour in your bike shoes, it's hard to go too far wrong. That said, I've seen people step right out of their shoes in a mud bog during a race. I'm pretty sure that would ruin my day.

 

[bluemarinoni]

Though I love my old SS egg beaters, it seems like many experienced cyclists:

1. Tried the beaters when they came out,
2. The novelty wore off.
3. They went back to Time ATAC's

That said, I'll ride my old eggbeaters until I've worn them through.

 

[peyo]

I'd have to disagree wit those who think Dominators are much too expensive. Try out different shoes from different manufacturers and go with what feels best to you...that should be the only criteria. If you feel most comfortable in Dominators, then buy them.

As for pedal system, I am using Crank Bros eggbeaters on my bikes. I like that they engage even when I am ankle-deep in mud. The drawback is that you should service the pedals once a season. This is typically a 5 minute job, so it's not a big deal. Also, I have heard some riders having durability issues with eggbeaters.