I thought I would provide some follow-up and closure on this thread - my new cycling shoes were delivered today.

They look exactly as advertised. Most importantly, THEY FIT. They are all leather, even the soles, so the fit will only improve.

They're nice and nicely made. I'm looking forward to my first ride with them (I've already completed today's ride).

The model I ordered is at this link.
He also has an older style for Eroica.

Just when I thought this story was over, I got a nasty surprise. This was so surprising, so odd, at first I thought it was a scam. Unfortunately, it is real.

I got an email notification from FedEx, stating that I owe a $50 import duty payment on this already-delivered package.


This started out as a quest to find some shoes, in my size, for $100. Reality started to set in and I raised that budget to $150. I was even willing to go to $200. <-- That's $200 for a pair of cycling shoes!

I couldn't find any in my size except for left-over, weird looking, oddball shoes no one else would buy.

I came across these shoes after a couple days of looking. They were listed as $200. Okay, I bit the bullet.

Then the shipping charges got added, raising the price to $250.

Now, the sneaky (not-previously disclosed) duty charges have raised the total to $300.

Had I known where it would end up, I would have never started this purchase transaction. The shoes are nice but they are NOT $300 worth of nice.

As I sit here typing this, I am now, officially disgusted with this purchase. The only way it could be worse is if the shoes do not work for me. I haven't yet ridden in them (I'm still using the old ones).

Oh well, it's too late now.

Ouch - hoping they are perfect for you and they last the rest of your cycling days. Amortized over hundreds of rides and miles….

contact fedex and dispute and contest the charges ?

it isn't the same situation, but years ago I got charged like this after-the-fact once when I bought a used frame from the UK.

After a bunch of back and forth it turns out they were using the duty code for a new frame.

Fedex is dealing with a couple of million packages an hour. Crap like this is all part of "the system", no doubt helped along with a variety of unfailable algorithyms.

We all feel for you, brutha . . .

FWIW Dromarti's are $359.95 including shipping and all tariffs

I know the max 47 did not fit the OP

I have a pair of the touring and they are super nice. I did take a risk as they do not come in wide and my feet are Fred Flintstonesque.
I got 45 and used shoe stretchers and bunion push out thing to get them fitting

highest quality shoe making worth considering

https://dromarti.com/collections/tou...ck-tan-leather

Well, I should have known. Actually, I did know. I was hoping against hope but lost.

The shoes fit me in length but they are, as squirtdad says, for "Fred Flintstone" in width. I did not ask for wide shoes. These are much wider than the Giro Republic they are intended to replace.

They are so wide, the shoe's upper leather bulges out rubs on the crank arm on every rotation.

They are so wide, they do not fit on quill pedals. The little guide on the rear of the pedal cage AND the little spur on the cage's outboard edge both poke up into the sole's leather. See photo, below.

My foot actually rides above the pedal supported on these points.

If you are selling race-inspired cycling shoes, you should know about the quill pedal interface.

I'm not sure what to do, how to proceed.

I know we've been over this plenty of times so still just spitballen but I would bend the quill down, maybe not on these, something with quill cages, MKS Sylvan road or one of the billions of pairs of SL Campy, maybe leave the inside quill to move the the foot away from the crank.

I would do Soma Oppy dual gate toe clips too, to add more corral to the setup, my feet don't like it to move around too much but can't be strapped down, I don't cinch them down at all but but they keep them where I need them to be.

My left ankle was broken on a bike when I was 14, 3/4in. from the end of the tibia and not set so its pretty crooked and oscillates as I'm pedaling, so far it's ok but I think it may not hold up forever, we'll see.

This gives an amazing amount of stability for me even though it allows plenty of movement.

Seems as though the simple solution is to go clipless with a shoe that fits and find a place at work to stash another pair of shoes to walk around in.

And hope to recoup anything you can on the others cos you ain't never gonna be happy with them

Best of luck

I'm afraid this is all too true. It is unfortunate because the shoes, themselves, are really nice.

I was thinking of adding some thickness to the sole - a second thickness of leather sole. It would be sized/tapered so it fits between the two points. It would be not unlike a cleat.

You could also add a platform to the pedal.

Could be pretty thin to bend and drill or slot it.

Buy a pair of SR SP-11 pedals and then see if you enjoy the shoes a bit more.

Good ideas, guys, thanks for the input.

I have a pair of rat trap pedal on another bike which gets rarely used. I may try those, too.

My general approach is to prioritize the best fitting and most comfortable shoes for my feet and intended riding, then optimize the pedals around the shoe and bicycle.

Some good suggestions above to try and make it all work… but only if the shoes are otherwise comfortable.

Some kludges to be sure but desperate times.........