Are my cycling shoes too big? With 3/4 inch of room

Question

My shoes came in the mail and I have about 3/4 inch of room to the end. On a short ride I didn’t notice any slipping when I had the boa tightened all the way up. I also don’t have any hotspots or blisters. If my shoes are too big will they affect my efficiency or are they fine?

Answer 1

1.9cm (3/4 inch) is a lot of room. I assume you looked at the imprint of your feet on the insole.

I have about 1cm room in my Specialized Expert shoes and I regret not getting them at least half a size smaller.

Things which annoy me about my too-large shoes:

• Walking can be awkward because my feet float a bit and especially ankle stability is just not there because the foot can twist inside the shoe. I’m also more likely to trip over the tip of the shoes.
• The shoe’s tongue goes too far up and starts biting into my feet after some time. Fortunately it’s possible to push it further down.
• It’s easier to hit the front wheel in sharp turns.

Riding itself is fine since they more or less just have to provide a secure platform for your feet. I can also move the cleat far enough backwards.

There is a slight advantage in cold weather because you can easily wear two pairs of socks or waterproof socks.