Help! What do I do now? (and also Hello)
 

Hi All,
I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm a 38 year old who likes to run, but am tired of constantly being injured (I carry too much weight to run the mileage I like to). After years of talking about out it, I finally got off my arse and bought a bike! The problem is, the LBS ordered it and it won't be ready for a week. Now what am I supposed to do for a whole week? ;)
After so much time reading and watching videos on YouTube, I can't wait to get out there and start riding!

FWIW, I settled on the Trek Domane SL 5 (2020 version), Disc brakes (standard now), and the 105 set.

I live in the US (North Phoenix, AZ), and this time of year, every day spent indoors is a waste IMO.
I do have one noob question if you all will permit me: I have wide feet. The guy who did my fitting for the bike suggested I start with mountain biking shoes (vs. road cycling shoes) as they are more durable and comfortable. Either way I will be spending the first couple of weeks riding with normal running shoes so I can get used to riding a bike for the first time in 20 something years. Do you guys have any opinions on using mountain biking shoes/cleats on a road bike?

Also, any suggestions on brands that manufacture shoes in wide? The LBS didn't have any.

Thanks!

I started with mountain shoes for ease of walking; the difference for road-specific shoes matters less the less you ride, so early on it's fine.

As a fellow wide-feet cursee, I ride in Lake shoes, which are a PITA to get in this country, but can be done. Sidi also offers wide shoes, at least for mountain. Also, within a given brand, lower-end shoes tend to be wider.

Also, running is awesome.

Mountain bike shoes/pedals are fine. Shoe fit is SO personal that you should find a bike shop that has wider shoes. Don’t buy online as fit varies by manufacturer.

Thanks! I will look into Lake and Sidi.

I use Sidi Dominator 7 SR mtb shoes (a narrow shoe, so a bad fit for you) with SPD cleats and Shimano A600 road pedals. No worries about power transfer; you'd be hard pressed to tell any difference from a high-end carbon sole road shoe and pedal setup. But there are a lot of mtb shoes that are little better than tennis shoes, so make sure you get a pair with a stiff sole to provide proper support. The Dominator 7's are very walkable.

I think for foot width the question is exactly how wide...

Thanks, Yeah, I need to figure out how wide I need a shoe to be. I did some googling for Lake shoes in AZ, and found a place called Cyclologic in Scottsdale offering "Cycling Science Solutions." Sounds interesting; I think I'll go pay them a visit when I'm ready to buy shoes.

Congrats on the bike. There's basically no penalty to using mtb shoes/pedals on the road. Any soft soled shoes (mtb or road) will be prone to hot spot issues and poor transfer.

I have really wide feet (EEE) and wear Sidi Genius Mega road shoes. For mtb I wear Shimano XC5 lace up shoes. There was a short break in period, during which I used my handy dandy shoe stretchers (if you have wide feet and don't have a pair, get a pair) and for the last 2 years or whatever they've been perfect. They're inexpensive, quality, durable, they look sort of road shoe-ish, and the laces give a lot of adjustability. They're very walkable, and though no world tour pro would use anything other than the stiffest sole available, these are plenty stiff enough for aggressive recreational/amateur race riding. Widely available for under $100 online.

Another Wide SPD-L shoe
 

Bontrager Velocis comes in a wide version available in black only I believe. With a try it free 30 day guaranty there’s time to ride & check fit.

I ride with mountain bike shoes exclusively. Prefer the looks, feel and ability to walk in them with cleats. I have these: https://www.jensonusa.com/Specialize...t-XC-MTB-Shoes ...and had the previous model as well. They've been super comfortable and have worn well with no issues.

Btw,,, what color SL5 did you get, the navy (black) or red?

I have duck feet. I have had some success with Lake shoes myself, but I need to get a shoe stretcher (thanks for that.)

As for road or MTB ... I use both interchangebly (different bikes) and find some shoes come with holes for both 2- and 3-hole cleats (MTB and road) which is great if they happen to fit well.

Cool... thanks for the link.
AFA the Domane, I went with the matte Navy... I haven't seen it in person, and each instance of it online looks a little different, so I can't wait to see it (although I'm slightly nervous ;)

'Grats on the new whip (eventually)!

As mentioned, Lake, Sidi, and Bontrager make wide versions of a lot of their shoes, with Lake being the most customizable from the factory. Lakes have an insane amount of widths, cups, etc to chose from but finding a place to fit you can be tough. I will vouch for Specialized also having a good selection of wide shoes and they are easier to find.

Mountain pedals have an advantage for newer riders because they are double-sided. Road pedals only have one side, so clipping in can be tricky until you get the gist of it.

Nice bike, congrats. Once you get fit on it, you will love it.

Shoes? Just one small suggestion. Cycling shoes for the most part do NOT break in over time like regular dress shoes. I would agree with others in here that unless you know for an absolute fact size x will fit, do not buy online. If you can, go to several stores and try on several different manufacturers but remember, the way they fit then is the way they are going to fit. The shoes are not made to break in over time. So they should feel good when you try them on. That is of course you buy standard shoe material. There are some mesh type shoes out there that will expand a bit but for the most part make sure the shoes fit and feel good when you try them on.

Good luck with the bike. Make sure you get a proper fit. Besides pedaling, being comfortable on the bike is just as important. You would be surprised at what a millimeter here and there will do to improve the comfort level.

john

Cool... thanks John! I appreciate it. I spent two hours getting fit on various bikes on Saturday before I ordered the SL5, but we didn't talk much about shoes. The guy who did my fitting (who was great btw), told me to ride for a few weeks in normal running shoes to get used to the bike before I buy some shoes, so that's what I'm gonna do. I asked around, because although it was a bigger LBS, they didn't have any wide shoes at all. I looked online, but per your advice, I'll make sure to try/buy in person.

You likely have an REI store in your town and or other stores dealing in bike and equipment. Those stores will have a selection of mountain biking shoes.

I have a pair of the cheapest Lake shoes, the CX 176, and, unfortunately I was used to the Fizik R1B Uomo (tour de france level shoe) before that. The difference in fit, quality and feeling is night and day. Even though the Fiziks were way too narrow for my wide feet, and had me on the verge of tears after 20 minutes, I still miss those shoes. I feel like my preferred cadence dropped 10-15 rpm after switching to the Lakes. They’re hard to get tight, the heel cup doesn’t lock on, the forefoot strap tightens mainly against the inner side of my foot, there’s way more stack and the materials used on the inside are squishier. Kinda apples to oranges since Lake does make more expensive shoes, but I do not recommend going for the Lake 176.

My wide-footed friends swear by Lake shoes. As someone with the complete opposite problem - skinny feet and the blisters to prove it - I've had amazing luck using shoes with two Boa closures. Sometimes the heel needs to be tighter than the toes, and this makes it easy.

If you buy online, make sure you use a vendor with an easy return policy - bike shoe sizes can be all over the place. I kind of wished that I'd started out with MTB shoes, because now I'm hooked on using shoes that make it impossible to walk.

I would suggest “touring road shoes” which are walkable like mountain shoes with recessed spd cleats but stiffer, more adapted to road biking. I happily wore Shimano RT82 touring shoes for many years before graduating to road shoes.
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You didn't say what size your feet are. I use size 49 Shimano road shoes and they fit well. My feet are pretty wide, but not ridiculous. My point is when I go into a bike store they NEVER have a shoe I can try on, in any style at any price. I have some old Shimano mtb shoes in 48 and they fit, too.
I used mtb shoes on the road bike for a few years and I think it contributed to foot problems because the shoes I had didn't have the support and stiffness of good road shoes.
If it comes to it there are a few makers of custom cycling shoes, but they are quite pricey.

Well, I ended up visiting Cyclologic in Scottsdale, AZ. They measured me up and recommended a pair of Lake shoes. I went with the MTB version. Thanks all for the suggestions!