General Cycling Discussion - Specialized shoes are angled outwards

I was chatting with a very knowlegable roadie this morning and found out that Specialized shoes are angled outwards, meaning they slope outwards.
Does anyone else know this?
So I go home and check it out... and he's right!
Well now I can fix my ITB knee pain problem. Damn Specialized. :mad:

EDIT: I resolved my ITB problem by purchasing the Specialized shoe insoles with the 1.5% degree arches. How cheeky of them to offer these.

Or put wedges under the cleats. It's why people will say get fitted, a good fitting things like this are all part of that.

I was chatting with a very knowlegable roadie this morning and found out that Specialized shoes are angled outwards, meaning they slope outwards.
Does anyone else know this?
So I go home and check it out... and he's right!
Well now I can fix my ITB knee pain problem. Damn Specialized. :mad:

EDIT: I resolved my ITB problem by purchasing the Specialized shoe insoles with the 1.5% degree arches. How cheeky of them to offer these.

i have itb problems too.

googled some stretches and this week (1st week of doing them) it hasnt bothered me. only 2 short rides though...but still

Or put wedges under the cleats. It's why people will say get fitted, a good fitting things like this are all part of that.

If Specialized is the only shoe company manufacturing shoes that are on an angle, that's not very smart.
If your fitter doesn't catch it because it's not a normal practice, not very smart either.
This will be my last pair of Specialized.

EDIT: Also not very smart to have the customer spend extra $$$ to correct the shoe's angles.

if it wasn't for the built-in angle of my S-works shoes, I would not be riding a bicycle at this point.

The design of the shoes corrected many problems that my other shoes made much worse!

To each their own. In may case, I own two pairs, a white and a black set of the 09 model.

http://www.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/8cd/16b/8c3/29812/product_page/specialized-bg-s-works-road-shoes.jpg

if it wasn't for the built-in angle of my S-works shoes, I would not be riding a bicycle at this point.

The design of the shoes corrected many problems that my other shoes made much worse!

To each their own. In may case, I own two pairs, a white and a black set of the 09 model.

http://www.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/8cd/16b/8c3/29812/product_page/specialized-bg-s-works-road-shoes.jpg

I'm glad that it worked for you, but my point is that specialized is building these against the norm.
Cycling shoes should all come as flat, like any walking pair of shoes, and angled as needed for those who require it.

I was chatting with a very knowlegable roadie this morning and found out that Specialized shoes are angled outwards, meaning they slope outwards.
Does anyone else know this?
So I go home and check it out... and he's right!
Well now I can fix my ITB knee pain problem. Damn Specialized. :mad:

EDIT: I resolved my ITB problem by purchasing the Specialized shoe insoles with the 1.5% degree arches. How cheeky of them to offer these.

Placebo effect. You think you found the cause but indeed, you have not. If you have IT Band issues, they are a result of repeated movement and cyclist and runners are very prone to it. Try spending an appropriate amount of time stretching your IT Bands after a ride or in consultation with a doctor, determine treatment.

Or keep going on the medical advice of an unquantified roadie, your choice.

Body Geometry shoes by Specialized are tipped to compensate for an unnatural foot position caused by the mechanics of sitting on a bike. I have never heard of them inducing IT Band problems.

Placebo effect. You think you found the cause but indeed, you have not. If you have IT Band issues, they are a result of repeated movement and cyclist and runners are very prone to it. Try spending an appropriate amount of time stretching your IT Bands after a ride or in consultation with a doctor, determine treatment.

Or keep going on the medical advice of an unquantified roadie, your choice.

Body Geometry shoes by Specialized are tipped to compensate for an unnatural foot position caused by the mechanics of sitting on a bike. I have never heard of them inducing IT Band problems.

I should have mentionned that this individual was trained by the same Doctor (he told me his name but I forget) who fitted The Schlecks on the Specialized bikes this year. This individual also the same height and has the same leg length discrepancy as I have, so it made for a very interesting conversation. :)

I went out last night for 1.5 hours with no ITB pain. I do keep an open mind and will go out longer today and report back if the shoe angle correction is a viable solution or a placebo.

Well, we are all built differently and perhaps your biomechanics don't work with them. Here is a promo video for you though that explains the concept a little. Maybe he is the same doctor you referenced. The video is of Team Saxobank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjefafbeT74

Well, we are all built differently and perhaps your biomechanics don't work with them. Here is a promo video for you though that explains the concept a little. Maybe he is the same doctor you referenced. The video is of Team Saxobank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjefafbeT74

Interesting video, thanks for posting.
They didn't really explain why it was important for Specialized to design the shoe to be angled, that I would have liked.

I went out last night for 1.5 hours with no ITB pain. I do keep an open mind and will go out longer today and report back if the shoe angle correction is a viable solution or a placebo.

Went out for a 60-miler this afternoon, good news is no knee pain. Bad news is I experienced thigh pain, but only on one side.
Bottom line at this point is to get a Retul fitting done and be done with it.
Thanks everyone for your ears. :thumb:

You really should have researched a little better before accusing Specialized of building bad shoes. They angle them to correct a common misalignment condition on the bike. Which the vast majority of humans have. Some worse than others, which is why they sell extra wedges to increase the angle if necessary. Both pairs of my Specialized shoes came with an insert explaining the need for this correction. Their web site also has some excellent information and graphics to explain this correction.
I'd have to agree with jdon though; you most likely have not found the cause of your IT band problems, but if countering the angle by putting the wedges in opposite works for you then go with it!

Specialized builds a characteristic in their shoe in which no other company has; I should have seen that? C'mon, be serious.

In passing, the shoes were purchased during a fit session at a Specialized Dealer certified for BG Fit.
I believe I'm entitled to criticize Specialized and the fitter, for different reasons, for this "lack of research" on my needs.

On a more positive note, I purchased a pair of Northwave's today and they fit like a glove. After a few cleat adjustments, no knee pain and power output seems to be slightly up. These are exciting times indeed.

For anyone searching for info on this topic, this is an interesting thread:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=323226&highlight=shoes+neutral+foot

I have BG fit shoes as well and had to go the -other- direction (right foot only). Bottom line: know what you are buying.

I have BG fit shoes as well and had to go the -other- direction (right foot only). Bottom line: know what you are buying.

If I knew what I was buying, I would not have relied on a fit specialist.

If I knew what I was buying, I would not have relied on a fit specialist.

Based on your original post, you didn't. You talked to a "knowledgable roadie". The longer this thread continues the more obvious it becomes that you're more interested in bashing Specialized than knowing why they are the way they are. Not everyone is "standard" and had you originally been fitted as you claim by a "fit specialist" the issue would have been caught if they were worth anything. I'm beginning to think Trolls must just be hard to fit. :P

I had ITB issues, and I wear Specialized shoes. But I was fitted by a pro fitter and they swapped the insoles for Superfeet insoles. I ride 50 miles a day 5 days a week and frequently longer on weekends with no more issues.

Based on your original post, you didn't. You talked to a "knowledgable roadie".

Either you're not reading the posts or you simply don't know how to read.
I went to a fit specialist, so I am relying on an expert. That' what I said earlier. Read the posts, read it 5 times if you have to and get it right.


I had ITB issues, and I wear Specialized shoes. But I was fitted by a pro fitter and they swapped the insoles for Superfeet insoles. I ride 50 miles a day 5 days a week and frequently longer on weekends with no more issues.

Please explain how your experience changes mine. It doesn't. So what is your point? There is none. You have had a different experience that has no relevancy on mine. Think about that one.

I was chatting with a very knowlegable roadie this morning and found out that Specialized shoes are angled outwards, meaning they slope outwards.

Yes your trollness. This is QUITE clear and I CAN read. Had you been fitted and the fitter was worth a damn the whole initial post would be moot. Which part of that can you not fathom?

And you're blaming your ITB issues on the shoes. My experience was an indicator that not everyone is "standard" as you say the shoes should be. Want me to requote that part for you too?

I can see this is going to be like having a battle of wits with an unarmed person......

Web forum cat fight in 3... 2... 1...

Had you been fitted and the fitter was worth a damn the whole initial post would be moot.

How does "if" change anything? It doesn't. Let me give you an example of using the word "if"; "If Germany had not invaded Britain...". You cannot use "if" in a discussion. Stick to the present and the facts.


And you're blaming your ITB issues on the shoes. My experience was an indicator that not everyone is "standard" as you say the shoes should be.

As I wrote earlier, I am not experiencing knee pain with the pair of Northwave's I purchased, that is a fact, not an "if".


I can see this is going to be like having a battle of wits with an unarmed person......

C'mon, you can do better than that.

Web forum cat fight in 3... 2... 1...

LOL
All I wanted to do was to give a heads-up on the angle specifics of Specialized BG shoes in case other riders, who love the sport as much as I do, have knee problems that just make you want to quit. And yes, vent a little, I think I'm allowed to after 3 years of pure torture.

I wear Specialized shoes and switched from Time shoes. I have not had any issues and I fit them myself. No extra shims and if there is an angle, it seems to correct any built in problems I have.

All you need to do is go to a Specialized dealer and see if they have a "Valgus" shim and counter the Varus in the shoe. It's not hard to counter.

All you need to do is go to a Specialized dealer and see if they have a "Valgus" shim and counter the Varus in the shoe. It's not hard to counter.

Yeah I did try that, it still didn't feel right and pain was less but still present. Having 2 valgus shims inside the shoe didn't help much on the side of breathing space either, pretty tight.
There maybe something else in the way the shoe is designed that just isn't a good fit for me. Trying the Northwave's has been very positive, we'll see.

If I knew what I was buying, I would not have relied on a fit specialist.

Lol, I've felt the same way. I just think the problem is the fitter, not the shoes. I mean - yes, I think the shoes are wrong for your feet. But like myself, I had a pair of Specialized mountain bike shoes - fit well, no foot pain or hotspots. Then I went looking for road shoes for my new road bike - Sidi's seemed the most comfortable in the store. Bought them.

For the next year and I half I spent almost every ride in immense foot pain after 5 minutes of riding. (The reason I didn't go back using my mountain bike shoes was that the road shoes did clear up most of my knee pain). I also spent a nearly endless amount of time and some money trying to figure it out. I bought 3 different shoe insoles (including the Super Feet ones), some of which made it slightly less painful but never made a significant difference.

You know what finally fixed it? I bought the Specialized footbeds, and added those varus wedges (to give me that outward angle thing that Specialized shoes come with) and *finally* 90% of my foot pain went away. I just bought a pair of Specialized shoes (why can't they make them in normal looking colors like the Sidi's??) which will *hopefully* be even a little bit better.

Some shoes, like some saddles, fit some people great and fit other people really terribly. I think there's something wrong that your fitter didn't correct your problem, either with those reverse wedges or with another brand of shoes, for sure. And I think it's good for people to know this info about Specialized shoes. But I don't think there's anything wrong with shoes themselves - they're worked great for a lot of people including me, and for people like myself other flat bottom shoes cause me a great deal of foot pain.

Lol, I've felt the same way. I just think the problem is the fitter, not the shoes. I mean - yes, I think the shoes are wrong for your feet. But like myself, I had a pair of Specialized mountain bike shoes - fit well, no foot pain or hotspots. Then I went looking for road shoes for my new road bike - Sidi's seemed the most comfortable in the store. Bought them.

For the next year and I half I spent almost every ride in immense foot pain after 5 minutes of riding. (The reason I didn't go back using my mountain bike shoes was that the road shoes did clear up most of my knee pain). I also spent a nearly endless amount of time and some money trying to figure it out. I bought 3 different shoe insoles (including the Super Feet ones), some of which made it slightly less painful but never made a significant difference.

You know what finally fixed it? I bought the Specialized footbeds, and added those varus wedges (to give me that outward angle thing that Specialized shoes come with) and *finally* 90% of my foot pain went away. I just bought a pair of Specialized shoes (why can't they make them in normal looking colors like the Sidi's??) which will *hopefully* be even a little bit better.

Some shoes, like some saddles, fit some people great and fit other people really terribly. I think there's something wrong that your fitter didn't correct your problem, either with those reverse wedges or with another brand of shoes, for sure. And I think it's good for people to know this info about Specialized shoes. But I don't think there's anything wrong with shoes themselves - they're worked great for a lot of people including me, and for people like myself other flat bottom shoes cause me a great deal of foot pain.

It's a great summary and informative... do you work for Specialized? Just kidding! ;)