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Men and women are different in many ways, especially their feet. Women usually have smaller feet than men, however, also differing physiology. The big differences are that women's Achilles tendons tend to meet the ankle lower, they have narrower heels and wider ball's of the feet. These key areas are what make a women's specific shoe shorter and narrower at the back heel area and wider at the toe area.

As we all know, finding the perfect cycling shoe is difficult. It takes a lot of time, trying on, getting advice, finding brands and because we do not all fit into the "mould", and what feels good in the shop may end up with an un-enjoyable ride.

There are some brands out there that have concentrated on the key features of a women's foot and some are successful, however, some are not, making the mistake of basing women's shoes on men's but smaller.

Shimano is one such brand that has, in my opinion, created a successful women's specific cycle shoe in the SH-R099W Performance Road Shoe. The R099 W does have the lower, narrower heel and lower front, as discussed above, which make it a comfortable shoe plus the triple Velcro straps are exactly where they need to be and make the shoe extremely secure. They also do not put pressure on the top of the foot, as I have experienced with some ratchet type closures.

The carbon sole is stiff and lightweight with excellent power transfer to the pedal. The difference between carbon and reinforced plastic in this case, is very noticeable. However, the stiff sole makes it very hard to walk in these shoes, so be warned.

The inside sole of the shoe is anatomically curved to give a good fit and keep your foot secure. The upper is synthetic which means it will not stretch like leather and you don't have to worry about getting the shoe wet. There are mesh inserts throughout the upper part of the shoe that provide great ventilation too.

They are SPD-SL and Look(R) cleat compatible soles with easy guide lines to get the exact placement.