Having a hard time finding tri bike shoes

This is your best bet, but make sure and call those retailers and have them tell you exactly what they have in stock for you to try on before driving all over town.  I've found that lots of places listed as retailers really don't carry anything on hand.  Some may offer to order your size into the store with no obligation from you to purchase.

I agree though....it's a pain in the arse.  Even with some good tri stores around me, I've found shopping for tri bike shoes frustrating...something always needs to be shipped somewhere, I've never found anybody that actually just has my brand and size in stock, ready to walk out the door.  Admittedly, I have big feet.

It's a royal pain finding pairs to try on.  I won't buy shoes without trying them on first.  Lets face it, if they don't fit you foot right you'll never be comfortable riding.

Try calling every local shop to see what they have in stock before wasting gas driving around.  Most shops don't carry much in the way of tri shoes.  When you find a pair you like, buy them from  the shop instead of saving $5 to buy on-line.  It's the price you pay to try the shoes on first!

This is a great source for triathlon cycling shoes online 

It's a royal pain finding pairs to try on.  I won't buy shoes without trying them on first.  Lets face it, if they don't fit you foot right you'll never be comfortable riding.

Try calling every local shop to see what they have in stock before wasting gas driving around.  Most shops don't carry much in the way of tri shoes.  When you find a pair you like, buy them from  the shop instead of saving $5 to buy on-line.  It's the price you pay to try the shoes on first!

If you haven't owned hard-soled cycling specific shoes before, like a road shoe, there is something to be said for trying them on before you buy. That may mean a little (or a lot of...) driving.

I'll suggest it is worth it.

Remember also, never stand up in your triathlon cycling shoes when you are evaluating the fit. When you stand up your body weight is distributed over most of the surface area of the sole of your foot, something that will never happen on the bike since most of your weight is supported by the bike, even while standing and pedalling out of the saddle (there is still weight on the handlebars even when you're out of the saddle- it isn't all on your feet).

The most common mistake new buyers make is to buy their triathlon cycling shoes too large. The symptoms of a shoe being too large often manifest themselves as the shoe feeling too small: numb feet, hot spots under the ball of the foot, numb toes or painful toes. The shoe is large enough to allow the foot to move inside the shoe.

Now, clearly, shoes can absolutely be too small, and the symptoms of that are nearly the same as them being too large.

All that said, it reinforces the value in trying them on at a knowledgable dealer who has a good selection in stock, and that usually means a few trips to a few dealers in a big city area.

Best of luck- I hope that helps.