So I have a set of Shimano SH-XC300 in a 44. Bought them slightly used. They've always felt too narrow. I've been looking at Lake shoes and according to their size charts, Im like a 41.5. I went into the LBS yesterday and tried on a a pair of 44 wide XC300 and they fit much better. I tried 43 wide and way too snug. So ordering the 41/42 from Lake seems off. Anyone else have lakes, how do they compare size wise to other shoes? No one local sells Lake here unfortunately.

I talked to Lake about my sizing and ordered a pair from them. They ended up a little tight and talked to them again and was able to return them for a larger size without any problem. They were very good to work with and the shoes work great for me.

Lake’s size chart confused me too. I wear a 44 in most brands, but had to size up in Lake, even in their wide fit. They run small. If you're in between, go bigger, especially since returns can be a pain without a local shop.

Questions about Lake shoes seem to come up a lot here on BF. Or at least that brand shoe sticks in my mind more so than any other. Perhaps it's because I've never seen their shoes anywhere. BF's search filters can sometimes be a pain. However you can let google do it by adding the site you want searched.

In google search, just put in your search terms, Lake Shoes and then specify what site you want results from using site:www.bikeforums.net. You can change up the search terms you put prior to site: to refine the results

lake shoes site:www.bikeforums.net

Probably works the same for many of the other browsers/search engines.

Not that you shouldn't ask here today. But this will let you see more information from the past. Perhaps it still applies. Perhaps not.

If you like the current XC300's, and the wide version in 44 fits, just get that. I have been very comfortable in Shimano shoes for 2 decades, the wides always fit perfetly.

I thought about this, but then I worry that it’s not just the fit, I should try something else, if that makes sense?

I have Lake winter cycling boots and winter shoes. Lake recommends ordering these a size larger to accommodate thicker socks used in winter cycling. So, that's what I did. Based on the sizes of my other cycling shoes, which are 47 I got t the Lake winter shoes in 48. Fit great. I didn't use their size chart or measure my foot.

I suspect Lake shoes are sized accurately and would base my choice on the sizes of shoes known to work. If measuring your foot and using their size chart gives you something much different, I would assume either their size chart is wrong or you made a mistake measuring your foot.

Looking at their size chart, it looks like they only consider the length of the foot for the size. I know that wouldn't work for me as the ball of my foot is relatively far forward or my toes are short. However, you want to look at it. So, I need larger shoes to fit the ball of my foot and arch in the proper place.

No. Shoes, like saddles, are not something easily experimented with as you can find yourself with a collection of stuff that doesn’t fit or work. My attitude is once I find something that works, I stick with it. Thus I pretty much always wear Shimano wide shoes. I did a few years ago purchase an expensive pair of Lake 303 winter boots and didn’t pay enough attention to the Lake size guide to learn they were not really a wide shoe. My feet were constantly cold due to poor fit and I ended up giving away a pair of $200 shoes. My recent purchase of the Lake 304 in extra wide and was done thru Amazon as they have a liberal return policy. I wore those shoes on many warm days to make sure these fit.

You can go that route with Lake, order thru Amazon, who and unlike a LBS doesn’t care if you mount cleats, wear and ride them for 2 weeks and hate them. My LBS won’t let me do that.

unfortunately Lake shoes arent really available on Amazon Canada, and US won't ship them up here.

I recently went from a size 45 wide fit shimano XC5 to a size 44 wide fit Lake MX219. I wouldn't want to go shorter than that in the Lake.

Thats unfortunate. Last summer I was in the need for a new saddle. My LBS's policy is essentially once you mount it and ride it, it's yours and no return. They have no try on policy. As opposed to the U.S. Amazon, where you had a decent selection of models and brands. I purchased 5 different saddles, tried each out for a few rides till I found one I liked and returned the others. I feel bad going to Amazon as opposed to my LBS, but they are not helpful when buying shoes and saddles.

yeah, and Lake Cycling Canada doesnt offer free returns either from what the website says. Still waiting on a reply back from them, so I'll confirm that first.

Bike shoes in Euro sizes are all over the place and subjective to the brand, in my experience. I have Pearl Izumi SPD shoes in size 44 and they are almost too small, but fit. I have Shimano SPD waterproof shoes for gravel biking in size 45 and they are slightly too big, so I added Dr Scholls insoles. I have Lake MXZ 303 boots for winter/cold weather riding... and they are 45's and fit perfectly with my ski socks. I wear a size 9.5 in USA. Go figure.

The "wide" is not wide enough. Needs additional 2x for that area. Length is not horribly off. 1 size maybe different than the norm.
I wouldn't go with custom unless you like waiting to find out fitment is off by a lot

It has been a couple of years, but I was able to return shoes with no problem paying the return shipping myself.

says here buyer is responsible. But again, will confirm. Long weekend must have them delayed, I originally emailed on the 13th, and only heard back from them once.

so bodge award goes to me. Went into LBS to try on more shoes. Ended up with the XC300 in wide. They didnt feel as good this time for some reason. Tried a few others on, but this was the only wide they had on hand. Trek Forey was ok, but was a size larger than I needed and felt too loose. Anyways, I got the XC300 home, tossed them on. Again, didnt feel as good. So I looked closer at the old shoes....44E on the insole. Same as the new. ffs. I already owned the wide. When I bought them on marketplace, they were never advertised as wide, so who would have thought? Soooo no idea what shoes buddy gave me the other day when I was in and felt so much better. Soooo these will be going back, and Im on the hunt once again lol