Originally Posted by
woodcraft
+1 Steve Hogg's take on arch support, 'tho it takes a bit of digging.
My summary:
- arches collapse slightly during hard efforts, causing ankles to roll inward and effects on up the chain.
- arch support helps offset that, maintaining alignment.
- arch support should be higher than for walking shoes, since the feet don't flex in walking motion in stiff cycling shoes.
- adjust amount to how long you feel it after putting on shoes- should be noticeable for some minutes at least.
- DIY is effective- tape pieces of bar tape or cork gasket material to bottom of insole.
LOL...your set up looks like mine other than for silver duct tape.
I use off the shelf, non-custom, "
Sole" footbeds w/ ski boot compressed rubber arch support wedges (can be purchased for under $5 from a ski shop boot fitter to help prevent plantar fascia collapse/discomfort and to help pull the lil' toes away from the shoe edges. The two sets are removed and rotated between two pairs of 5-10s and a pair of cleated mtb cycling shoes for the road bike (to be able to walk, semi-normally and drive the car, when needed).