Shimano shoes: what is the correct equivalence of US and EU sizes? Or, which to trust more? Shimano seems to have some contradictory sizing information for their cycling shoes. Their EU/US sizing corresponds differently from shoe to shoe, and also with some industry &quot;norms&quot; (if that's really a thing).
Here are some examples from actual shoes:

vs.

So which is it Shimano, does EU47 = US12.5 or does it equal US11.8? That's a significant variation. (Plus I've never heard of an US size which is not a multiple of ½?)
Wikipedia agrees with the first one, FWIW.

It took a little hunting to find a Shimano size chart. On &quot;Which Shimano Kicks Are Right For You?&quot; it says &quot;...Shimano offers a useful size guide...&quot; but actually doesn't seem to include that. But I did find one on their product pages:

(From here, then click &quot;adaptive size spec&quot; - seems to be generic, not only pertinent to the specific product at this link?)
This chart seems to be consistent with the second tag.
All in all, I'm confused. What to make of all this? Am I more likely to get a good fit assuming the US or EU size is accurate?

Note - obviously the ideal would be to visit a good store and try stuff on; if it fit the number doesn't matter. But given Covid and maybe limited local availability it would be great to be able to order online with some confidence that a good fit is possible vs. being a waste of time &amp; money.
EU sizing is generally more inconsistent than US and UK sizes. For example, my shoes are all labeled 10 or 10.5US, but the EU size labels vary between 42 to 45. The size 45s are Shimano SPD shoes so yes, for the same EU size Shimano shoes are the smallest.
It is interesting that centimeter sizes are almost as inconsistent as EU sizes, even though it should be easy to take exact measurement of the shoe. Some brands are also inconsistent between models, so when shopping online it's worth it to read reviews and comments. Finally, to get an idea how the shoe could fit, find a photo taken from the top and compare the shape against shoes you have. The outline of the sole does not tell how the foot fits inside.