By Rick Schultz
As bike fitters, one of the main items we adjust are cleats. But it seems the first question clients have is about their shoes. Shoe questions range from clients asking if I think they need a new pair to some just bringing in new shoes and saying, “I hope these will work?” So, I spend time advising about shoes, cleats, and pedals. So, what are the things to look for when shopping for a pair of cycling shoes?
Shoes come in three main flavors, road, mountain bike and indoor. In general, high-end shoes have more carbon fiber, making them stiffer and harder. Mid tier shoes have plastic soles with added carbon fiber flock (which is basically small carbon fiber particles) during the injection molding process. Lower end shoes have a mostly plastic sole.
This article will focus on road shoes, but the same rules apply to mountain bike shoes, which are often used for gravel riding and sometimes on the road.
Every bike fitter sees a different percentage of different shoes coming in to being fit. In my area, South Orange County, California, I see mainly Sidi, Shimano, Specialized and a very few Lake shoes.
I believe shopping for cycling shoes is as simple as looking at just three things. Now, be warned, the salesperson will probably not like that you will come prepared.
First, Look For Slots
The problem with a lot of shoes is that they only have a single hole for the cleat ‘nut.’ This means that the bike fitter has only the slots in the cleat for adjustments. The problem is that usually the cleat needs to be moved further than only the slots in the cleat will allow.
Sidi shoes have a single hole and are not very adjustable. In fact, I have yet to be able to get a client with (newer) Sidi shoes into the correct position because there’s just not enough adjustability within the cleat itself. Shimano, Specialized and Lake usually have a minimum of 4mm of added adjustability. A Shimano shoe is pictured to the right showing red rubber spacers that can be removed for a total of 8mm added adjustability – 4mm one way, 4mm the other. Lake and Specialized have between 5-6mm added adjustability.
Second, the Twist Test
This is a simple test that will show you how stiff a cycling shoe is. Grab the shoe in each hand and twist as hard as you can. The photo to the right shows an $80 spin shoe. Rubber sole with a thin piece of PVC under the cleat. A light twist easily shows the lack of stiffness of this shoe. Great for a spin class, horrible for use on an actual road or MTB bike.
This shoe is a $325 Lake with a full carbon fiber sole. The stiffness level is a full 14 – that’s among the stiffest made. With all my might, I could not even twist the shoe 1mm. Also notice that the sole is FULL carbon fiber vs a small piece of carbon fiber glued into a nylon sole. Believe me, get the stiffest shoe you can afford.
Third, the Width Test
The widest sole, by far, is Lake cycling shoes. In fact, their top 6 shoes come with full carbon fiber soles. The narrowest is Sidi, and they have such a narrow sole that many clients pedal with all or part of their 1st and 5th metatarsals off the side of the shoe. It’s no wonder most who come in with SIDIs have foot pain. Somewhere middle width is Shimano and Specialized.
To perform the test, turn the shoe over so you are looking at the bottom. Position shoe’s toe forward and heel back towards you. Cover the rear 2 cleat nuts with your thumbs. Next, place your middle fingers around the outside of the shoe in-line with your thumbs and squeeze.
Now, notice how much of the outside of the shoe flattens out. This flattened area is where your 1st and 5th metatarsals will be located at – usually partially or fully off the sole. Doesn’t do much for power transfer if two of your metatarsals are hanging off the edges of the shoes, does it?
Width Test Part 2
My left foot measures 113mm at its widest. The shoe pictured below is a Shimano R320 Wide. The brown marks on the sides of the shoes indicate the middle of my 1st and 5th metatarsals. The actual width of the sole (at the metatarsals) is 88mm. In contrast, the Lake shoes shown above have a full carbon width (at the metatarsals) of 95mm.
You can easily do this measurement for yourself to see where your metatarsals will be.
There you have it, three simple tests to help you pick a great shoe from a so-so shoe. I hope this helps you pick your next shoe.
Another quick width test that is easy to do with any shoe right in the store is to remove the shoe insoles and put them on the floor. Then stand on them with bare/socked feet . . . if the edges of your feet are wider than the insole then the shoe soles are probably too skinny for your feet. I say ‘probably’ as most soles are slightly wider than the insoles, but it gives you a good idea of the width.
That’s a great tip, Brandon! Thanks!
Understanding that clipping in is more efficient, it would be nice to feature shoes for cycling, yes road, not mountain , that are for flat pedals. Not EVERYONE clips in. And keeping in mind the huge numbers that have taken up cycling or have returned to cycling during the current situation, it would be great to get some viable suggestions. There are avid cyclists out there who never clip in.
Rick, thanks for the informative article. I have been wearing Specialized S-Works road bike shoes for many years and love the fit and durability. All was well for decades and then about three months ago a numb feeling would begin to creep into my left foot at about 20 miles into a ride. No problem with the right foot. Getting off and walking for a minute or so eases the numbness but it resumes after a few more miles on the bike. The sensation never occurs during daily life between rides. My primary ride is a Cervelo R3 but I also occasionally head out on one of my old steel-frame LeMond bikes. All have Speedplay pedals and Fizik Alliante saddles. I also have several pairs of Specialized shoes (all well broken-in) and the numbness becomes a problem regardless of which pair I wear. Cleat positions on all are precisely the same. Any suggestions?
Most common cause is transverse arch collapsing then metatarsal cutting off nerve supply to toes. A good insole like icebugs with a large metatarsal bump lifts and supports the transverse arch.
Rick, I took your advice and searched the web for the Icebugs insole and while doing so discovered the Specialized Body Geometry SL Footbed for cycling shoes. Three color-coded versions are available, red for feet with low arches, blue for medium-high arches and green for high arches. I already knew my arches are high and my local Specialized bicycle dealer confirmed that with a cleverly-designed arch checker. According to the literature, the Specialized insole (A) Prevents foot/arch collapse during the down stroke (B) Increases power by improving stroke efficiency (C) Reduces the chance of injury by aligning foot, hip and knee (D) Metatarsal button increases comfort and reduces foot numbness. I just returned from a four-hour ride and while it is too soon for me to comment on claims A, B, and C, I will say that for the first time in a very long time I experienced absolutely no foot numbness with the insoles in my shoes. If the same holds true for a few more long rides I will be buying them for my other road bike shoes. I use flat pedals on my mountain bike and will also be putting the insoles in the Five Ten shoes I wear when riding dirt trails. The cost for a pair is $35 and they are compatible with all brands and types of cycling shoes. Thanks again for the suggestion.
Lady Cyclist, my mountain bike has Shimano Saint flat pedals and the mountain bike shoes I wear on the trail work equally well when switching to flat pedals on one of my road bikes better suits the occasion. Several companies that make shoes for clipless pedals also make shoes designed specifically for flat pedals. The main difference between them and casual street shoes worn by many cyclists is better support for the foot and a sole designed specifically for cycling with flat pedals. The “grippy” sole is not as likely to slip off the pedal as the soles of most other types of shoes. .
I was having problems with numb toes. Shopped for new shoes with a wider toe box. Looked at Lake and Bont. Both are very nice options. Ended up with Bont. Believe me your toes cant hang of the sides of them. Sole is like a tub. My toes are slowly getting back to normal.
Thanks for recommending Bont shoes, Paul. I love mine. If anyone’s interested, so far we have reviewed 3 pairs of Bont shoes. Here are links:
Bont Vaypor
https://www.roadbikerider.com/bont-vaypor-s-shoes-d3/
Bont Riot
https://www.roadbikerider.com/bont-cycling-riot-buckle-road-shoe/
Bont Helix
https://www.roadbikerider.com/bont-helix-cycling-shoes-review/
Thanks again,
Jim
Sidi shoes are — or at least were — available in a “MegaWide” version. (Unless that’s only the MTB SPD versions that I use.)
I wear a B or C width street shoe (mens) and I find that women’s shoes are the only way to go to get the reduced volume for my foot. Even the Sidi men’s ‘narrow’ was too big. However, some manufacturers sizing is unisex which seems to translate to men’s medium width
In my four decades of road riding, only one piece of equipment has made a phenomenal improvement in my enjoyment of the activity. Not indexed shifting, clip-less pedals, carbon fiber frames/wheels, flexible tire casings, more and more cogs on the rear; that one thing is my Bont shoes. After I switched to them ten years ago, no amount of distance could make me notice my feet. All discomfort banished. Gone forever. I now have six pairs where all my bikes live, off the shelf, nothing special – I don’t even need the heat-molding feature. Heaven.
Hmm, I own three pairs each of both Sidi AND Lake shoes and find the Lake’s are much narrower than the Sidi’s, and my width is a C which is quite narrow for a male foot. The Sidi’s have a larger toe box than the Lakes and if I wear the Lakes too many days in a row my metatarsals become pinched and painful. I find the fit of Lakes shoes is best for my low volume, narrow feet.
Good Afternoon;
Are you available for a late entry/comment on your shoe selection issue?
I have had trouble the last few years with calluses and and sore pads between the balls of my feet and my toes, fairly significant calluses under the second and third toes.
Any thoughts?
Also, no offense, but I could have done without seeing the photo of your(?) foot being measured for width.:(
Many thanks
Hi, you might be one of the few candidates for cleat wedges. Make sure you go to a competent bike fitter, since the majority of the cyclists that come in for a fit that have wedges, the fitter installed them the wrong way.