had these five years and the velcro does not hold very well anymore the rest of the shoe is in good shape I am hoping I can have the velcro replaced and I think they will last years more, the Italians are the best shoemakers and this shoe is well worth the price as other brands have fallen apart much quicker.the buckle is not a problem, one did wear out.
Strengths: Great looking, durable, excellent fitting and adjustments,
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
yes it`s expensive but the long wearing lorica feels like leather,looks like leather, but will not shrink like leather, the buckles are replaceable. The shoes are quick to get into. I`ve had the Dom.2 for about 8 years now,I also had the original Dominator back around 1992 both of these shoes have been the best cycling shoes I`ve owned. When the velcro and soles finally wore out after thousands of offroad miles(literally), I took them to a shoe repair shop and had them put new velcro on and relaminated the soles and they lasted atleast another season. When I try on a different brand of shoe my first thought is `how does it feel compared to my Dominators?` I also have the Sidi superbike boot. Sidi is the premier cycling/motorcycle footwear company that all others in my opinion try to follow.
Submitted by
js
a Cross Country Rider
from mill valley, CA
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2006
Strengths: These shoes fit my (very wide) feet like slipers. They've worn really well. I've had them for several years the soles have just cracked recently. Now I use them as my commuter shoes since they're comfy to walk in with the cracked soles.
Weaknesses: My dog ate one of the footbeds. Buckles unscrew themselves so keep an eye on 'em. Expensive but worth it. Soles pretty hard for scrambling around on rock.
Bike Setup: 03 Yeti Kokopelli Fox Talas Fork SRAM XO Drivetrain w/ Gripshifts
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Burkhardt
a Cross Country Rider
from Oakland, CA
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2006
Strengths: Italian shoe magic. They've been making shoes for a long time over there and the fit is impeccable. Lorica material is bulletproof
Weaknesses: These shoes have seen a slide in quality since the Dominator 1 and Dominator 2 eras. The new $229 price is laughable... There is some fat guy from Sidi on a beach somewhere, smoking a cigar with his buddies and ridiculing our American consumer spending habits. Despite the strengths mentioned above, the buckle design sucks. It comes unscrewed, jams, and after a few technical rides between rocks, logs, and boulders, it breaks- rendering the shoe useless. To add insult to injury, they ding you $20-30 for replacements. Apparently, I wasn't the only one with the problem as I had to wait to get my replacement buckles for over a month because they were sold out. Rep was rude too.
Bottom Line:
I'm not buying another pair of these overpriced, over-hyped pieces of garbage. I'm looking to find a shoe that doesn't have all the buckle riff-raff, and has a simple, velcro three strap design. Carnac, perhaps.
Favorite Trail: locally, oat hill mine, nationally, porcupine ridge in moab
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$198.00
Purchased At: Local Shop
Similar Products Used: Carnac (great), Nike Nguba (worst shoe made)
Bike Setup: Bianchi Grizzly steel xc hardtail..
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Chris B
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2004
Strengths: Buckle is great, I see why all the other manufactures are changing to this design. The newer buckles are better though, I've had to replace one of my buckles.
Weaknesses: Had to replace one buckle. The buckles and straps are expensive too. I do believe that the new better buckles fit the shoes though.
Bottom Line:
Great shoes, still going pretty well after three years of mud. I will replace them when the finally die with the next model or two up, as they have stiffer soles and a better buckel.
The fact that so many other brands have copied them is testiment that they are a great shoe.
Submitted by
Karl Marlowe
a Cross Country Rider
from Reno, NV, USA
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2004
Strengths: Durability, fit, rigidity, power transfer
Weaknesses: Price - but what Italian shoes aren't overpriced. Ratcheting buckle can get clogged with shrubbery parts.
Bottom Line:
I've used the SIDI Dominator since they were introduced in about 1992. First pair lasted through 9 years of abuse before I finally wore out the soles and a couple of seams started to rip. In fact the shoes outlasted 3 sets of pedals. Dominator 2's fit better and I expect at least another 8 years out of this pair. It's not immediately obvious how to undo the ratcheting buckle, and occaisonally I've clogged it with bits of trailside shrubbery, but it is much more durable than it looks. Price is steep at first, but considering the cost per use, it's trivial.
Strengths: fits well damn stiff durable looks cool rather water resistent after all, it's simply trouple - free. wear and wroget it
Weaknesses: buckle mechanism is not flawless, but soon you learn to operate it. bukles are directed into the inner side of the shoes, so if your feet is thin and you tight the buckle it tight, the buckles may rub the crank...
Bottom Line:
if you're a racer or a CX rider - this is the shoes for ya. they are solid and very STIFF, but still light and comfortabe enough.
don't buy them if you expect to use them in some long travels and you'll need to WALK long distances. it's hard to walk in 'em. your feel will get tired quickly!
Similar Products Used: none yet (and it's not likely that i'm ever gonna try any other :-) )
Bike Setup: light XC cannondale hartail.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Don Nywening
a Cross Country Rider
from Wind Gap, PA USA
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2003
Strengths: The fit of these shoes is second to none. They are exceptionally durable; I have had them for 5 years and, while they show signs of wear, they have yet to fail.
Weaknesses: None. Some may complain about the price, but I can't complain about a shoe that has lasted for 5 years and counting.
Bottom Line:
These shoes are the epitome of comfort and quality. I don't forsee myself ever buying a shoe from any other manufacturer; Sidi has made a customer for life. As I said, I've had these shoes for 5 years and counting. I used to replace my shoes every year at a cost of $80 to $100. In the end, the Sidi shoes are the more economical choice.
Submitted by
George
a Weekend Warrior
from Lufkin, TX (US of A)
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2003
Strengths: Comfort; styling; fit and finish.
Weaknesses: None so far. If you buy these shoes new, you get totally raped - who in their right mind would pay more than $200 for bike shoes?
Bottom Line:
These are the best bike shoes I've ever owned. They are comfy, durable and good looking. As stated above I bought them used off eBay for a fraction of the MSRP for a new pair. Mine are all black, and in the "Lorica" synthetic leather, with bright orange soles. They are a couple of years old, but they arrived in completely new condition, with only one slight mark on the toe of one shoe. The soles looked like someone has walked in them in the parking lot for about 5 minutes - hardly noticeable wear. I am a hard rider and I go through lots of slop. I ride plenty of technical terrain with lots of steep hills so I wind up pushing up some of those, plus I have to hike-a-bike through lots of unridable swamp bottoms here in east Texas. Never buy a new pair of Sidi's cause the economic utility is definitely not there for the money. The MSRP for the '04 model of these shoes is $209! Screw that and the manufacturer! Buy a "gently worn" pair off eBay or a biking buddy and you won't regret it.
NOTES ON RATING: I am rating the value as one chili as if these were purchased for full-boat retail. Overall rating is 5 flaming chili's cause the shoes ROCK, and you can get them for a good price if you look around.
Similar Products Used: Other Sidi models - Rampa and Bullet; Answer Impact.
Bike Setup: '03 model Trek 8000 with a few tweaks.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Ward Tuttle
a Cross Country Rider
from SF, CA
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2003
Strengths: They work great and last forever.
Weaknesses: Buckle can become loose. Just tighten it.
Bottom Line:
These are great shoes, I've been using them for about 6 years and they are starting to show their age and need to be replaced soon. But how many cycling products do you get six years of service life on? Not many.
Submitted by
C. P.
a Cross Country Rider
from N Easton
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2003
Strengths: Durable, comfortable, classic styling, velcro that still works after 4 seasons of hard mtn biking, did I mention durable!
Weaknesses: after 4 seasons-none
Bottom Line:
SIDI makes a rock solid product. I am amazed at the number of seasons I have gotten out of these...I just got the SIDI road shoe that is this shoe's companion, I'll always buy SIDI shoes from now on.
Submitted by
Big Al
a Cross Country Rider
from Ogden, UT
Date Reviewed: December 2, 2002
Strengths: Fit, comfort, and function.
Weaknesses: Not enough toe protection. While non of my other shoes stank from sweat, these shoes smelled like hell for some reason.
Bottom Line:
I loved the shoes fit and comfort but did not like the toe protection. Clipped a large rock with my foot and broke my toe in four pieces; no riding for one month. After studying other shoes (Shimano, specialized, Pearl Izumi), I noticed that they had more toe protection at the tip. I'm convinced if the same accident happened with one of these other shoes, I wouldn't have broken my toe.
I do not want another pair of these SIDI's. I'm too scared to use them.
I'm gonna try the Shimano M-221 since I like their road shoes and see how that goes.
Similar Products Used: Nike Yuha Plus, Shimano road shoes.
Bike Setup: GT Idrive, 1.0. Full XT, Zoke fork,. Set up for aggressive X-country and mild freeride (2.4 and 2.5 inch tires)
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dirk Diggler
a Cross Country Rider
from Pornville
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2002
Strengths: Durability, fit and comfort. Very comfortable out of the box and you get a free sticker.
Weaknesses: Not as stiff, but no hotspots on long rides and standing climbs.
Bottom Line:
Of all the shoes I owned, the Sidi has been the most durable. You do get the legendary fit and durability that Sidi's has been famous for. Most of the shoes I owned including the pricy Northwave Comp lasted only a few months. My rides are usually technical muddy trails where average shoes would lose their soles in short time due to the high humidity and wet conditions where I'm from. The buckle is kind of fragile but it survived after getting all banged up on rocks and boulders on the trail. It is light and airy (yellow Mesh/Lorica). Soles are showing wears on the front spikes but still intact with the uppers. The soles are not as stiff as other competition level shoes but adequate. This is the shoe to buy if you want durability like a good set of Chris King headset. Just the usual cleaning after your muddy rides and the shoe will serve you well for years. I will definitely get me another pair once these pairs are trashed, so far so good.
Similar Products Used: Nike, Northwave, Specialized.
Bike Setup: Marin Dualie XT/LX
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Jeff Sturgess
a Cross Country Rider
from Myersville, MD
Date Reviewed: June 28, 2002
Strengths: Exceptional fit, great style, on the fly adjustability, great durability, exceptional customer support, first class workmanship, Italian quality
Weaknesses: Screw for buckle came out once. Hardly a weakness. I rode with them unbuckled. SIDI USA customer support at Veltec had me back in business with a replacement in no time. The buckle design actually tries to retain the screw. I didn't know it at the time and lost it. Tough to handle if you have to walk through a rock garden but I'd imagine most shoes are.
Bottom Line:
You get what you pay for. Pay a lot and get a lot. This shoe is worth it and I'd buy it again if I had to. The shoe fits like a slipper and I'd wear them to bed if I needed to. At the LBS, I couldn't figure the buckle out but one or two rides with it and you'll be in love. I love being able to reach down while riding and snug the buckle up. This shoe mush have been designed by a cyclist because the features are all there! The Lorica is very durable and the stitching has held up exceptionally well given several stream crossings on most every ride. Nice job SIDI & keep up the good work!
Best shoes you can buy. They form-fit to your feet, kinda like my soccer shoes used to fit. The carbon sole really helps with maximum transfer of your force through the shoe.
