Have a 58 cm CrossCheck set up as a 1x9, also have size 50 bike shoes- have plenty of toe overlap
but have gotten use to it.
Just recently took delivery of a Trek 520, didn't need the high gears so I asked the bike shop to remove
the outer 50 t chain ring, replace the inner with a 28 and swap the cassette for an 11-34. So I have 28 and 39 t chain rings. This 2x9 set up gives me a range of 22-97. So far only a couple of hundred km on it, the 2x9 set up has worked well- however no loaded tours yet. No toe over lap with the 520.