Road Shoes for Narrow Feet
#1
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Road Shoes for Narrow Feet
There are many options out there for terrific shoes, all the big names , Shimano , Sidi , Specialized , Giro , on and on - do any of these brands make a road shoe that tends to run narrow or offer different widths like New Balance for sneakers ?
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Personally (as a narrow-footed person) I have had good luck with Fizik and Sidi. The pair of Sidi that I have are a bit wide in the heel and a bit narrow in the toe bed for me; the pair of Fizik that I have (with a double boa closure) are perfect.
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I have somewhat narrow feet and I've had good luck with:
- Sidi
- Love the fit
- Hate the aesthetics
- feel that at any given price point one can get more for their money from another manufacturer
- e.g. $300 won't get you a full carbon sole in Sidi, but it will in Giro and Fizik
- Giro
- Love the fit--only on higher end (more expensive) models
- Found that Giro widths are not consistent throughout its range
- Higher end shoes seem to run narrower whereas the lower end shoes tend to run wider (at least that's my impression)
- Fizik
- The shoes are designed to wrap around the foot to give a snug fit for various foot sizes
- Fizik calls this "Volume Control"
- Like the aesthetics and the fit
- The shoes are designed to wrap around the foot to give a snug fit for various foot sizes
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Sidi and Bont have a reputation for running narrow.
I have super narrow feet. In the past I have loved Sidi sized narrow (“S”) but I believe they stopped making narrow size a few years ago. You may want to try to find some NOS or gently used in narrow if you can find them.
I have super narrow feet. In the past I have loved Sidi sized narrow (“S”) but I believe they stopped making narrow size a few years ago. You may want to try to find some NOS or gently used in narrow if you can find them.
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My feet are 10.5 (45 Euro) and A width. Scott Road Pro shoes have been the best fitting for me. Alas, the specific 2016 model I got is discontinued, but Scott may still have the same or similar last for other model road shoes. And there may be some remaining unsold old stock.
The Scott Road Pro were strictly summer shoes, with supportive faux-leather only where absolutely necessary for proper support. Everything else was durable mesh fabric, with a large metal mesh vent in the toe box. Pretty much like a Roman sandal for clipless, minus the ankle straps. Only enough room for a single relatively thin sock, no layering or thicker socks, not even room for one of those powder chemical toe warmer packets. Occasionally I'd wear toe covers or full length shoe covers when the temperature dropped below 60F.
I still usually need to choose my own insoles/inserts. Scott includes a pretty good insole but I replaced it with a ProFoot Miracle, the best, lightest, most comfortable and also least expensive insole I've tried.
I put 'em in my Fizik Tempo R5 Powerstrap shoes too -- which are too wide but I mostly use 'em as cool weather shoes with thicker socks. Really reduces the metatarsal pressure "hotfoot" sensation on hard rides with little or no coasting or letup off constant pressure. With the ProFoot Miracle inserts this particular Fizik shoe fits okay too, no real complaints after about a year. Not bad at all for under $100.
My Scott Road Pro shoe looks like this. There may be a newer version that's slightly different:

Scott Road Pro shoe, around 2016-2017 model. Runs narrow, very comfy summer weight shoe.
The Scott Road Pro were strictly summer shoes, with supportive faux-leather only where absolutely necessary for proper support. Everything else was durable mesh fabric, with a large metal mesh vent in the toe box. Pretty much like a Roman sandal for clipless, minus the ankle straps. Only enough room for a single relatively thin sock, no layering or thicker socks, not even room for one of those powder chemical toe warmer packets. Occasionally I'd wear toe covers or full length shoe covers when the temperature dropped below 60F.
I still usually need to choose my own insoles/inserts. Scott includes a pretty good insole but I replaced it with a ProFoot Miracle, the best, lightest, most comfortable and also least expensive insole I've tried.
I put 'em in my Fizik Tempo R5 Powerstrap shoes too -- which are too wide but I mostly use 'em as cool weather shoes with thicker socks. Really reduces the metatarsal pressure "hotfoot" sensation on hard rides with little or no coasting or letup off constant pressure. With the ProFoot Miracle inserts this particular Fizik shoe fits okay too, no real complaints after about a year. Not bad at all for under $100.
My Scott Road Pro shoe looks like this. There may be a newer version that's slightly different:

Scott Road Pro shoe, around 2016-2017 model. Runs narrow, very comfy summer weight shoe.
Last edited by canklecat; 03-14-20 at 03:43 PM.
#8
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Thread Starter
Thanks everyone for the input , gives me a good starting point , feet are probably B width .
#10
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I can confirm that higher end Giro shoes are pretty narrow, which suits me perfectly. I've have a pair of Prolight SLX and now Empire SLX, both based on Easton EC90 carbon soles are I've been very happy that both the velcro on the Prolight and laces on the SLX tighten up great on my narrow feet without any bunching or puckering. They fit great and are very comfortable on long rides.
#11
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Fizik
I have somewhat narrow feet and I've had good luck with:
- Sidi
- Love the fit
- Hate the aesthetics
- feel that at any given price point one can get more for their money from another manufacturer
- e.g. $300 won't get you a full carbon sole in Sidi, but it will in Giro and Fizik
- Giro
- Love the fit--only on higher end (more expensive) models
- Found that Giro widths are not consistent throughout its range
- Higher end shoes seem to run narrower whereas the lower end shoes tend to run wider (at least that's my impression)
- Fizik
- The shoes are designed to wrap around the foot to give a snug fit for various foot sizes
- Fizik calls this "Volume Control"
- Like the aesthetics and the fit
- The shoes are designed to wrap around the foot to give a snug fit for various foot sizes
My Diadora road shoes are 45s, so I gather that I will want the 44 1/2 in Fizik?
Thanks
Jack in CT
#12
Senior Member
Go by the fizik size chart. It worked for me. Get a model with the BOA. There's little arch in the shoe. There's a size chart here.
https://www.fizik.com/eu_en/tempo-overcurve-r5.html
My feet are not narrow. I took one look at them and thought that my foot would never fit into such a narrow looking shoe, but they did.
I could use more arch support. Sidi is better for arch support.
https://www.fizik.com/eu_en/tempo-overcurve-r5.html
My feet are not narrow. I took one look at them and thought that my foot would never fit into such a narrow looking shoe, but they did.
I could use more arch support. Sidi is better for arch support.
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Try Bont Narrow fit. They are custom made so there's no return option. I guess you can try the regular fit somewhere and take it from there. I found their online fit calculator not very reliable though.
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Giro SLX laceups are pretty tight/narrow. They can be had reasonable if you search for old models from last year OR willing to wear a used one where somebody chose a wrong size.
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+1 on the Sidi "S" shoes. These were their narrow shoes. Sidi discontinued them mainly because evolution meant wider American feet. My old Genius shoes were 46S but with my current Genius shoe, a regular 46, I have to modify the shoe with footbed shims, etc.
#16
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That’s pretty narrow. You can also add a thicker footbed than comes with the shoe. That moves you up slightly in the shoe and should be narrower. Most shoes ship with uber thin footbeds.
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Giro or Fizik
I have somewhat narrow feet and I've had good luck with:
- Sidi
- Love the fit
- Hate the aesthetics
- feel that at any given price point one can get more for their money from another manufacturer
- e.g. $300 won't get you a full carbon sole in Sidi, but it will in Giro and Fizik
- Giro
- Love the fit--only on higher end (more expensive) models
- Found that Giro widths are not consistent throughout its range
- Higher end shoes seem to run narrower whereas the lower end shoes tend to run wider (at least that's my impression)
- Fizik
- The shoes are designed to wrap around the foot to give a snug fit for various foot sizes
- Fizik calls this "Volume Control"
- Like the aesthetics and the fit
- The shoes are designed to wrap around the foot to give a snug fit for various foot sizes
I'm considering buying the Giro Empire SLX or the Fizik Infinito R1. Which shoes do you guys recomend.
Thank you.
#19
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#20
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I found that my Shimano ME5 2-pin SDD and my Giro Cadet SDL 3-pin road shoes fit very well. Over the past 50 years I have found that Italian companies produce the narrowest shoes and the German companies the widest, generally speaking. Giro is based in Santa Cruz, CA but evidently they are more Italian when it comes to bike shoe lasts.
The Giro is definitely a great shoe and it has as stiff a sole as you can find. But it is a road shoe designed for SPD-SL cleats which I hate to use. My first bike shoes had cleats nailed to the bottom of the shoe and so walking on pavement was hazardous and I frequently got strange looks with the tap tap noise when I walked. Any gain from the SPD-SL cleats is negated by the inconvenience of having to slip on pads to walk anywhere. I have yet to wear the Giro shoes I bought last summer and instead use the ME5 mountain bike shoes with SH-51 cleats when going clipless.
Both these shoes are true to size which is not the case for the most part. I tried Shimano shoes and actual length varied by model so I ended up buying a size EU 44 and a size EU 45 and then seeing which ones fit better.
The Giro is definitely a great shoe and it has as stiff a sole as you can find. But it is a road shoe designed for SPD-SL cleats which I hate to use. My first bike shoes had cleats nailed to the bottom of the shoe and so walking on pavement was hazardous and I frequently got strange looks with the tap tap noise when I walked. Any gain from the SPD-SL cleats is negated by the inconvenience of having to slip on pads to walk anywhere. I have yet to wear the Giro shoes I bought last summer and instead use the ME5 mountain bike shoes with SH-51 cleats when going clipless.
Both these shoes are true to size which is not the case for the most part. I tried Shimano shoes and actual length varied by model so I ended up buying a size EU 44 and a size EU 45 and then seeing which ones fit better.
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Interesting thread. And it emphasizes the point that you really have to try on shoes locally. They're tough to order mail order, unless you're willing to order at least a couple of different brands in a couple of sizes each and return the unwanted ones. Because every brand fits different and you can need a half to a full Euro size difference depending on the brand. Also, you might want differing fit between MTB and road shoes.
I range from 42.5 to 43.5 depending on the brand. My new MTB shoes will be Sidi in 43, and nothing I've found fits my foot better (some as good none better). And, I know, from my old Genius (5.5) road shoes, that they're comfortable, the parts work well, and very long lasting, and I like the looks and features. A variety of Fizik fit very well in a 42.5, and I would have bought them as a change of pace, if I could have found a model and color that I liked in my size in stock. My well-loved, worn out Bontrager XX MTB shoes are a good fit in 43.5 but they never felt quite as good of a fit as my Sidi road shoes, but not because they were too large. I recently tried on some middle-range Shimano MTB shoes I liked the features of, but the 43 was too small and the 44 was too big, with no option of 43.5 in the store I was in. I do remember having the same experience with Diadora years ago: one size was too small and the next size was too big. I haven't been able to have hands-on fitting with any other brands.
I have no doubt that there's several brands that would fit, but there's a limit to how much time and energy to spend on looking at a variety of brands and models and sizes within them. There's a lot to be said - especially if your preference or need is mail order, but even if you don't care to spend hours running around trying on shoes - to stick with a brand you're familiar with and hope they don't change the general fit in the mean time.
I range from 42.5 to 43.5 depending on the brand. My new MTB shoes will be Sidi in 43, and nothing I've found fits my foot better (some as good none better). And, I know, from my old Genius (5.5) road shoes, that they're comfortable, the parts work well, and very long lasting, and I like the looks and features. A variety of Fizik fit very well in a 42.5, and I would have bought them as a change of pace, if I could have found a model and color that I liked in my size in stock. My well-loved, worn out Bontrager XX MTB shoes are a good fit in 43.5 but they never felt quite as good of a fit as my Sidi road shoes, but not because they were too large. I recently tried on some middle-range Shimano MTB shoes I liked the features of, but the 43 was too small and the 44 was too big, with no option of 43.5 in the store I was in. I do remember having the same experience with Diadora years ago: one size was too small and the next size was too big. I haven't been able to have hands-on fitting with any other brands.
I have no doubt that there's several brands that would fit, but there's a limit to how much time and energy to spend on looking at a variety of brands and models and sizes within them. There's a lot to be said - especially if your preference or need is mail order, but even if you don't care to spend hours running around trying on shoes - to stick with a brand you're familiar with and hope they don't change the general fit in the mean time.
Last edited by Camilo; 03-29-22 at 05:28 PM.