Shimano SH-TR9 Triathlon Shoes

Shimano SH-TR9 Triathlon Shoes Info

Triathletes and cyclists can often feel like family members who just don’t quite understand each other. Nowhere is this disconnect more evident than in the design of tri-specific cycling shoes. Most designers try but just don’t quite understand what is needed. With the Shimano SH-TR9 Triathlon Shoes at least you can feel like not only do your parents understand you, but they love you and want you to have all of the best.

The biggest difference between tri-specific shoes and cycling shoes meant for road riding exclusively is that you’ll need to be able to get in and out of the shoes quickly and easily in the middle of heated competition. No room for retro lace-ups in this world. Shimano addresses this requirement with their T1-Quick Strap. The large hook-and-loop strap with the D-ring on the outside makes it easy to keep the shoe open and ready for a quick entry at that first transition point. The closure strap has a notch in it to hold the strap in place right where you want it so that there will be no fumbling at that stressful moment. The strap also opens out and away from the bike. This design provides the opportunity to have a much larger opening in the shoe so you can just slip in without having to pedal several strokes on the top of the shoe. The strap design gives you the leverage to pull and fasten quickly with no loss of momentum. Just in case you are concerned about having the strap irritatingly hitting your crank of frame as you pedal, it has been scored so that you can trim to customize it to the perfect length. To help with pulling on the TR9, an asymmetrical strap has been included as a heel loop, which is easy to grab and has a texture that will withstand even the slipperiest of hands just out of the swim section.

The uppers are made from Shimano’s synthetic leather to be both durable and light weight. Sprinkled with 3D moisture control mesh, the uppers will provided a breathable space to air out your feet even as you heat up with your pedaling. The anatomical toecap with air intake vents will help push through the sort of breezes you’ll need to dry out your back paws. One thing you should keep in mind is that having the right sort of shoes does not only keep your feet comfortable, but will also help relieve fatigue in your calves, hamstrings and lower back. The SH-TR9 Triathlon Shoes alleviate any such mechanical troubles by focusing on producing a shoe last design with an optimized toe-spring section that promotes a smoother, more energy-efficient upstroke. They call this Shimano Dynalast, but what it will mean to you is that the cycling shoe will play a role in supporting your foot and pedal motion at the toe-spring section to keep the tension down in the plantar, calf, and hamstring muscles. But it will provide enough support that you won’t get a wiggly, inefficient pedaling motion. The reinforced heel cup will do its part by keeping you from slipping around in the back, something you definitely don’t want to do with bare, moist skin.

The super rigid, lightweight carbon composite sole provides perfect power transfer. It is rated at a ten out of twelve on the Shimano scale of rigidity. But what you’ll really appreciate is the level of ventilation the sole provides with a great big intake channel right at the toes that will then work through the customized channels in the insole onto the instep to govern the air through your often over-toasted tootsies.

The Shimano SH-TR9 Triathlon Shoes pair best, according to Shimano with their PD-9000 pedal, though the soles also offer the wider cleat adjustment range that pointedly offers an extra 11mm of adjustment so that you will have no limits when finding the perfect shoe to pedal fit. The soles feature the traditional three-bolt mounting pattern that is de rigueur in road shoes. They come in men’s and women’s versions, though there is no difference in quality or material; the women’s version is cut to a women’s specific last.