Advice on Road Shoe advice - special problem
 

Now that I'm well on my way to converting my newly obtained (2012) Kona Jake the Snake to a road bike, I'd like to pick your brains (and experience) about SPD-SL compatible road shoes. There is a catch: thanks to some surgeons - well, I better not get started - I've got a modestly cocked-up big toe on one foot. The upshot practically is toe box height, softness and sometimes placing of stitches are important considerations in fitting shoes for me. Anyone else dealing with a similar problem? I'd prefer a carbon composite sole (or similar stiffness), vs. all nylon/plastic and definitely not all carbon, i.e., the middle of the line, in the ~$175 or less price range. I'm posting here on the hope that there are possibilities (available in the States) that are not carried in a northern Rockies town whose shops are predominately mountain bike oriented. While my big toe length is 44 and I'm a ~D in width, outer toe box room is commonly lacking in those so I tend to end up in 45.

Here's what I've tried so far (haven't ridden on any yet).
- Shimano RP3 - appear to fit well and may have to do, but plastic/nylon soles thus not so stiff
- Shimano RP5 - carbon composite and soft upper but a little less vertical and a troublesome seam; currently in shoe stretchers to see what happens
- Bontrager Specter - nice soft upper but not much vertical
- Pearl Izumi Race Road IV - very little vertical and narrow toe box (my 15-year old PI SPDs have a lot more room)
- Specialized Comp Road - as I recall, not much vertical and seam in wrong place.
- Sidi - don't know toe box height but online toe box upper looks too firm, maybe plastic
- Giro - ditto Sidi

Any others worth looking at? Thanks,

I require a large toe box as well, for different reasons, and only offroad intended shoes have been able to meet the need.

I can use a road shoe, but it is always a compromise.

I've heard that Lake shoes -- eg CX217 offer more room at the toes. Maybe worth looking into.
Other than that, Giro is supposed to be offering a new laceup soon.. :)

It really is a special problem when your advice needs advice.

I think my feet fit best in Lake Wide 48s .... My feet are nothing like yours. They are much more like a duck's---broad, flat, and wider at the end than anywhere else.

I might need to go to custom shoes.

You might need shoe surgery. After all the uppers are just leather or synthetic--cut, sew, and glue as needed to get the fit you need.


Lol ... how did Syrene get my shoes?

I think sole stiffness is highly overrated (think about how your ankle flexes when riding......)

Unlike with cross-country skis/boots/poles, I don't have enough experience with different bike shoes to know. For now, I may have to settle for the nylon/plastic of the Shimano RP3, which Shimano rates 6/12 on stiffness. There is the suggestion of the Lake CX 217, now the 218. Lake is no longer widely distributed in the U.S. and the 218 is above what I want to spend. There is the Lake CX 175, injected fiberglass/plastic, which I'll take a look at too for fit.

After going out on a rolling hills 30 miler yesterday with the Shimano RP3 plastic/nylon mix, I'll have to disagree. I could definitely feel their flex - and didn't want to. I tried on a pair of Lake road shoes (CX176) with the fiberglass-injected nylon and they felt stiffer, and that can easily be seen in hand. Will have to see if I can find a size in that shoe which works for me.

I had a similar requirement (wider toe box), and the Lakes which have both wide and regular versions were the best solution for me. I got the CX237s when they were on sale for $199.

The wide versions were actually TOO wide for me, and the 'normal' width fit perfect. Standard width for Lake is definitely wider than PI, Shimano, etc. I did not have to go a size up and get a longer shoe to get the proper width. This was a big factor for me.

I also tried a pair of Giro HVs (high volume) and they were mostly just more leather at the top (vertical), than a proper, wider last, like the Lakes.

I went to the wide version of the CX 176 because the standard was too narrow and short over the big toe, or at least the seam was in the wrong place for me there. Unfortunately, the wide 176 is too much length and volume most of the way around, including the heels. There's no 44.5 in that model, so I'm trying the 44. I fit best in shoes that either have a taller toe box or have the soft breathable material over the entire of the big toe, like the RP3 has, so I don't have a seam sticking into my cocked up big toe.

I went to the 176 wide because the standard was too narrow and short over the big toe - my right is cocked up a bit - with a poorly placed seam there for my purposes. The 45W was too long and volumous almost all the way around, so it's going back and a 44W is being sent. Probably a 44.5 would be better, but it isn't made. My main problem is not width of the toe box, although that's an issue for the longer outer toes, but is the height or construction over the big toe. The best shoes for me have that soft ventilated fabric ("netting") over whole of the big toe, while most shoes with softness there make it only over part of the big toe, with a seam at some point that's low and uncomfortable, if not seriously painful.

Lake makes the CX218 and 237 with a "slightly wider ball girth to allow the foot to expand under high pedaling pressures." That's probably why the standard width works for you.

BONT or LAKE would work...might have to up the budget a little but your feet will thank you!

Thanks. I hadn't heard of Bont and looking around online am not sure how readily available thet are in the U.S. In any case, their lower end road versions are 3-hole Look. Is that compatible with SPD-SL cleats? My pedals are Ultegras.

No worries! Not sure I understand the question. Your ULTEGRA pedals are 3 bolt. Are you asking if they will work?

Not familiar with Look set up. Do SPD-SL cleats use the same holes?

Yes - Any 3 hole shoes would work but not sure if the same cleats will.

Since Look was first to the party regarding clipless pedals, 3 bolt mounting for road cleats is often referred to as Look compatible. All 3 bolt cleats use the same hole pattern

Thanks

Puzzled by this. What would movement in your ankle joint have anything to do with advantages or disadvantages to stiffness of the foot bed?

Correction 2: I've received an email from Bont that says they do have a warehouse in the U.S. (San Jose) and that while the online store works from Australia, one can buy directly via phone/email. In addition, the Riot has been discontinued and is being replaced by something else soon, not yet reflected on the website, which is being remodeled. That means there are really good deals on the Riot and A2.

Dealt with Ming Tan at Bont distributor in U.S. Very helpful. He ordered shoes from Australia for me to try on first. There's even an Asian forefoot fit that's available. That has a more squared off toe box, for those of us with larger outer toes.

Turns out their entry level shoe, the Bont Riot has the buckle's holding nut exposed inside the shoe, i.e., up against the bottom outside of the rider's foot, a tender place. Ouch!! All other shoes I've tried on or bought have the nut between two fabric layers, protected by a soft inside lining, so the foot is protected. Don't know how the shoe's reviewers have missed this. Even worse, the nut on one side of the first pair they sent was missing the center cap that covers the inside pointed end of the screw that attaches the buckle to the shoe, so it was directly into my foot. Talk about saving money in design!

Try fizik -- I'm particularly thinking of the R5b. Not only am I a huge fan of my pair, but they seem to have more toe box room relative to size than a lot of alternatives. Super comfy and a stiff enough sole for my non-racing purposes.

Back to my OP, toe box vertical over the big toe is the first key to my need. How much of that does the R5b have? No guarantee, but the shoes that typically work have mesh on top there. I don't see that in the R5b photos or their other road shoes.