Road Cycling - Removal of last toe

I'm facing a shoe problem and am looking for suggestions.

My feet aren't abnormally wide but I can't seem to find shoes that provide enough room on the outside of my left foot. I measure 9D US irregardless of which shoe I try on I find that the tips of the outside 2 toes on my left foot ard hard against the outside of the boot, hard against it while there is plenty of room on the big toes side. It seems to me that every shoe I've found is built on a curved last that results in the toebox volume being skewed to the inside of the shoe I have as much as 3/8s inch of space available inside my big toe.

The result is extensive burning pain in the outside toes on my left foot. :(

I'm currently using Shimano 151's 43.5 wide and each day I ride the problem just becomes worse. I'm using custom molded insoles but they really don't help. My right foot is fine and dandy.

Please provide some guidence before I take the lopping shears to the little toe on my left foot. ;)

Did you remove the paper stuffing from the toe of the shoe before riding? ;-) Sorry, couldn't resist.

I had a burning on the outside of my foot when I first rode with clipless pedals. Turned out I had the cleats mounted improperly. Try twisting your cleat.

When I bought ski boots a couple years back, I had a similar problem. There were two main solutions that they applied... a different footbed and they heated up the tight part of the boot to expand it. Sure, it's a different foot product altogether, but I'm thinking that some sort of customized solution is out there. Perhaps find a shoe you like that's too big (but fits the tight area nicely), take it to a podiatrist who specializes in things like this and see if he can't do more than just a custom footbed, but fill the too lose area with foam or something.

If you don't know of any such doctor/shop, check out the ski shops in your area, they might be able to recommend someone?

You're probably look at $200-400 dollars above the cost of the shoe, but that's just gotta be worth it, no?

Well most of us have one foot that is bigger than the other, with me it's the left that's about a 1/4 size larger. I wear Sidi shoes 43 without socks 43.5 with. I just bought a pair of DMT's off of ebay for my spinning class (spd cleats) and low and behold they are much wider than my Sidi's. You might want to find an LBS that carries several lines of shoes and try them on untill one fits you correctly.

You might want to find an LBS that carries several lines of shoes and try them on untill one fits you correctly.

I agree. The only shoe at the LBS that fit me comfortably were Carnac$$$.

Blame those darn Italians and their narrow feet. Same thing if you try on Italian dress shoes.

Good luck.

Blame those darn Italians and their narrow feet.
Don't blame me. I wear a size 13, Sidi Genius 4 Megas. Very comfortable shoe for those of us with wide feet.

Another happy camper with Sidi Megas here