Shoe Fit Frustrations
 

I am having a hard time finding comfortable cycling shoes. With both Diadora Aerospeed and Sidi Giau shoes I experienced heel slip (when walking) with size 46. When I went to 45s with both brands the heel slip (when walking) was still there but my toes felt crowded.

I just went for my first clipless ride on the trainer with the Giaus. To try to eliminate the heel slip I tightened the straps fairly tight. On the bike I felt some discomfort in the front of my foot/ankle. After a five minute ride I noticed red marks mid-foot on the tendons of my big toes. On my left foot there was a small abrasion on the front of my ankle (on a large tendon).

Questions...

1. Will these shoes break in and be more comfortable with more use?

2. Would a different sock help the irritation issue (red marks/abrasion)? I was wearing thin ankle high running socks.

3. From a fit standpoint is it OK to have heel slip while walking if you don't notice it on the bike? (I later figured out that with straps tightened snug but not super tight that there was heel slip while walking but NOT while riding).

4. Could the above marks/abrasion be from having the straps too tight (for 5 minutes)?


Thanks in advance,

-Mike

I just bought a pair of Bont tri shoes and love them. They're the only shoe I've liked better than the S-Works I've been riding in for 5 years. The great thing about the Bonts is that you can heat them up in your oven and mold them--great way to get rid of those trouble spots.

My Specialized shoes have 3 straps and I usually keep the lower 2 fairly loose so that my toes don't feel crowded and I can wiggle them around some to avoid any numbness on longer rides. I keep the top one snug enough so that my foot doesn't move around, but not too snug. I also noticed that using actual cycling socks was slightly more comfortable than wearing regular athletic socks.

Heel slip while walking is a non-issue, as long as that's the only time it happens. They're not meant to be walked in after all....

And like tardman91 said, top strap should be snug, but not tight enough to irritate or leave lasting marks.

Thanks, guys. This is helpful. Anyone else have any input on my questions above, particularly whether or not these will break in?

Yeah, heal slip when walking is irrelevant. I wear my shoes so loose I can take my foot out without undoing the straps. But they fit well and are super comfy.

Personally I've never had a pair "break in." Shoes that have been comfortable were good right out of the box.

1:no
2:no
3:yes, mine do and are perfect while pedaling.
4:yes

i was just going to recommend them as an option...why? because i am in the process of possibly buying them.

how do you love them? also, would you happen to have wide(r) feet?

OK, I am going to try a full trainer ride today with looser straps and thicker socks... If these shoes don't work out can someone recommend another shoe These are shoes that I am going to be both road riding and touring in. I want a shoe that will accommodate a recessed MTB cleat (Speedplay Frog) but that looks like a road shoe (e.g., Sidi Giau). Any suggestions?

Not sure what kind of thicker sock you'll be trying, but my foot comfort increased dramatically when I switched from normal athletic socks to cycling socks. I wear the DeFeet Blaze in the winter and Smartwool in the summer.

Socks and shoes make a huge difference. Recommend you find a LBS with a good selection of shoes and try them all on. I have a short, wide foot and the Giro Trans fit better than Sidi and Specialized. Every shoe fits differently. Find the one the feels the best and get it. For socks I use plain white moisture wicking Under Armor.

Why are you walking around in cleats?

Tight straps are a bad idea. They should be snug, not tight.

No, buy shoes that fit right away.

No. It's probably a good idea to wear really thin socks when cycling. Cycling shoes are meant to be a bit more narrow than, say, running shoes. The fit is closer to ice skates or cross-country ski boots. But they should be comfortable enough to wear for several hours with no problem. Again, if the shoes don't fit, the shoes don't fit.

Yes, absolutely. You probably will have heel slip given that cleat soles don't bend at all. You're not really meant to walk in full road cleats at all. They're not really shoes at all.

Yes.

The are recessed MTB cleats for touring... I was walking in them to check the fit and see what they are like to walk in.

I just did a trainer ride with snug straps and it felt a bit better but still red marks mid-foot on the tendon of my big toe. These went away after a few minutes.

Could any of this have to do with the fact that I have arches? If so would should I look for a in a shoe?

Did you try any inserts? Are the shoes too tight at the toe? Can they be loosened?
You should really go to a shop that does good fittings. They would be the best in helping you choose the correct pair of shoes.

I haven't tried inserts for my arches and I've never needed them in running shoes. Initially when I was concerned about the heel retention, I added heel inserts to make the shoe fit a little more snugly but that made my big toe hit the end (top?) of the shoe. I just took out the inserts and the heel retention is fine, my toes have more room. The only problem now is the red mark on the top of my foot (mid-foot, big toe tendon). Maybe I'll try one more ride with the first two straps even looser and the top strap snug.

I just called a bigger store and he mentioned 4 shoes (MTB shoes that look like road shoes) but I just looked at them online and I really don't like the look of them. I know I shouldn't care that much about this and this is definitely secondary to the fit but some of them are really quite ugly, others were reviewed poorly, some are for wider feet, one is quite heavy, and one is a multi-use fitness shoe...

I have a low volume foot and ride Specialized carbon shoes. Feet are like fingerprints. Hard to ask what fits best.
Only thing you can do is describe your feet as best you can...low or high volume?...low or high arch?...wide or narrow? etc.
And somebody with similar feet can respond.
Orthotics are a must for many rides. if your foot slips inside the shoe, it may be do to not enough arch support. A higher arch will take up more volume in the shoe and help keep your foot in place. Also as the other guys said, heel slip when walking is irrelevant. Heel slip when riding is BAD.
A few more tips from a guy that has been through a bit with his feet due to improperly sized cycling shoes.
Never wear tight cycling shoes. A cycling shoe should fit like a snug loafer or slipper. Crowded toes will likely create nerve damage in the fore foot if extreme...or numbness. I ride with my Specialized shoes...I have the dial on top...loose. The shoes fit my feet that well...no lace tension. I can thrash as hard as I can out of the saddle and the shoes are perfectly secure. I would only touch the knob if it were a race for my life. Finding the right fit isn't easy but well worth the effort. If you have a real unusual foot, perhaps custom is in order.

I think foot volume may be the issue, in my case a high arch that doesn't flatten when standing and narrow feet. Sidi says to go up a half a size with high foot volume. Do you think a bigger shoe will eliminate the irritation I am getting on the top of my foot (mid-foot)?

Yeah, my feet are a little on the wide side. The Bonts were a little narrow in the forefoot right out of the box, but after one molding session they were perfect. The thing I love about them is that if the fit's not perfect, you can make it perfect with a little molding. Easily the closest I'll ever get to custom shoes.

that sounds excellent; rocketdog is way out of my price range.

i typically end up with a shoe that is a little too large (lengthwise)...and of course, a little too large means it is still too large.

hopefully i will have a pair around summer

You have a high rigid arch as it is called. That in combination with a narrow foot explains your heel slip. You will probably be OK if finding a shoe on the narrow side with proper length. My foot is hotdog shaped...long and narrow and so I can't ride a wide shoe either. Where our feet however are dramatically different is I have a medium to low flexible arch. If my foot isn't supported with a suitable footbed, my foot extends in length when pressured requiring a longer shoe. I find Specialized shoes to fit like Nike sneakers...on the narrowish side...so they maybe the ticket for you. But what you need then...Specialized sells 3 different footbeds...is the high arch foot bed. I believe if you get good support under your high arch, your heel slip issue will disappear.
Hope that helps.

Thanks, for the great info Campag... I feel like I understand what's going on a little bit better now. I may try Specialized if the bigger size of the Sidis doesn't work out. Getting closer...

MM178, the 1st thing you have to do is to find a pair of shoes with a good heel retention, specialized are one of the bests for that. Wonder if the shoes you have are too big also, i use like half a number more because my feet swell a lot but doesnt look you have those problems. Socks have a lot to do also, not the same a fruit of looms cotton sock than a sock made for cycling.

The main issue i have seen with sidi is that the 100 bucks shoe and the 500 bucks shoe have way too much differences, so depending on the feet type the lower end 100 to 250 bucks sidis shoes wont cut it.

Shimano and specialized have wider toe box combined with good heel retention. Specialized insoles are fantastic.