deepakvrao

Hi GUys,

Read that cycling shoes should NOT have much toe wiggle room. Question is if I trace my foot on a paper and it shoes 27cm as the length, when I select a shoe online, should I look at 27 or add .5 cm or so and get the 27.5cm size?

No choice but online for me.

oldbobcat

Cycling shoes should fit snug with very little space in front of the toes. The correct width is important, too; shoes that are too narrow compress the metatarsi, which leads to nerve inflammation. Shoes that are too wide, though, don't support the foot and let it slide around, which can lead to blisters. Different brands favor different widths.

To make thins more difficult, length varies from brand to brand. F'rinstance, I've worn sizes 44.5 to 46, and 44 would be in there too if I didn't write off one brand right away.

Your best bet is to trace your foot and send the tracing with your street shoe size, your athletic shoe size, or your mondo ski boot size--anything the shoe people you're ordering from can use as a reference--and let them use some judgement. In addition, buy shoes that come in half sizes.

If you're interested I can relate the fit characteristics of some brands you might be considering.

deepakvrao

Thanks. That would really help.

I know my Shimano is 44, and looking for Fizik, Giro and Lake comparative sizing. Already ordered Fizik in 43, and just about to order a Giro in 43.5.

Machka 

I like my shoes slightly big with a decent amount of room across the ball of the foot. And I like shoes with laces so I can tighten and loosen them as necessary.

I wear my shoes summer and winter. In the summer, I wear thinner socks so the shoes can be a bit tighter, but then my feet can swell a bit in the heat so I want to be able to loosen them off. In the winter, I wear thick socks so my shoes need to be looser to accommodate the socks and give my toes lots of wiggle room.

Looigi

Disagree that cycling shoes need to be snug. IMO, there should be adequate room for your foot to spread under load and for air to circulate. Insufficient width or room to move can cause hot spots or numbness. Your foot will swell slightly in hot weather. In cooler weather, insufficient room restricts blood flow causing cold numb toes. In providing force the the pedal, your forefoot presses down, and the heel and instep pull back and up. There is no reason for the front of the shoe to be snug.

blacknbluebikes 

I just ordered new, slightly larger shoes because the current pair is a bit too snug. The current shoes were OK until the summer heat hit and the rides started exceeding 40 miles, then the across-the-toes pain began (plenty of forum posts on this). Your feet are truly funny, muscular, bony water bags and they do change. Cycling shoes, however, do not. They don't stretch, they don't really "break-in" very much, and they way they fit on the first day is close to what you should expect for years.

Also, a few searches will will produce tables showing that manufacturers' sizes don't align well at all. Do your homework, try many pairs on if you can. If ordering off the web, find a place with a "free return" policy and order TWO pairs straddling the size you think you need, keep them pristine on the carpet without cleats, return the pair that's not as good a fit.

If you're going to ride more than casually, I suggest "stepping up" and paying for good shoes. Doesn't matter what bike you're riding if your feet aren't happy.

antimonysarah

I like my shoes much wider than my feet (I normally fit just fine in standard women's/B width shoes, but buy men's/D width bike shoes) but absolutely no extra length, because my feet will slide forward in too-long shoes and then my heels will chafe. It causes no end of annoyance at bike stores, because they always insist on me trying on one size up, and I have to talk them into bringing out my proper size as well.

digibud

Shoe length is unrelated to shoe fit other than it needs to not touch your longest toe. Shoe fit is determined by the arch. Shoes that are too narrow can cause a hot foot due to the metatarsal nerve being pinched. https://www.joeybike.com/advice/body_.../foot_care.php

cyclezen

when you're measuring like that, you're actually falling onto the Mondo size scale. There are equivalencies to the other size scales, US, UK & Euro. Each manufacturer will have a slightly different length/fit. I suggest getting a self-sizing chart, for the shoe manufacturer you plan on buying from - IE - SIDI does have such as paper scale you can download, print out and measure from. Their's is accurate for their shoes. I would expect most of the better known shoe manus will also have their own similar paper scale.

License2Ill

If a shoe doesn't fit in your measured size, then it's the wrong shoe. Sizing-up just causes more places for the shoe to fit wrong. A square peg will eventually fit in a round hole if you make the hole big enough, but it won't fit properly. The flex point can be less of an issue in stiff soled bike shoes, but the rest of it should fit in shape, volume, and width, regardless. I've tried a bunch and the sizing is clearly meaningless or the shapes and volume are completely different. You can't go by brand either, but by individual model. Each model will fit differently, typically.

It looks like 27cm should be a 43.5 European which is usually, but not always a size 10 US. That's about the same size I wear in properly fitted shoes, but not all are labeled 43.5 European. I don't think I've ever noticed a mondopoint(mm) on any labels.

oldbobcat

The last Shimano has been using for its performance shoes is pretty medium all around. Giro is a bit wider in the fore- and mid-foot, Fizik runs a bit narrower, and I don't know about Lake. Colorado Cyclist has an online comparative chart that includes Lake, I believe. If you need more room in the forefoot but like a snug midfoot and heel, the 2013 Shimanos built on their new Dynalast last are impressive. Specialized has a similar, somewhat larger fit.

You can achieve a degree of customization with different insoles or footbeds, but shoe fit has to be approached holistically.

fstshrk

Fizik 43 is narrower for me compared to Shimano 44. Tried both. Giro Trans in 44 was narrower than Shimano (also tried). Shimano 44 is roughly the same width as a Specialized Expert (Carbon Sole) 43.
If you have wide feet, I would highly recommend the wide width Shimano. Mavic Zyxelium (sp?) in a 9.5 is equivalent in length to a Specialized Expert 43 but is narrower.

I have not yet tried Lake or Northwave.

Specialized really ticked me off because they went to a narrower last with the latest generation S-works and Pro (tried both). No idea why.

deepakvrao

^^Thanks. Shimano 44 is too wide as well as a bit long for me, so I'm hoping the Fizik in 43 and Giro in 43.5 [which is what I finally ordered] should do.

License2Ill

It's not so much the width I think I've had an issue with in trying various pairs of individual models on. It's the volume and shape. It's hard to establish the difference between width and volume in some because higher volume can make up for narrower width sometimes and lower volume can feel like narrower width sometimes. The other issues are in shape, some are very straight, others may have a curve suited to higher or lower arches, and the same for the width and shape of the heel.

The Shimanos I remember trying last were higher volume than others in the right size(length) the best I've found in any cycling shoe, but were short in the toe, almost like a women's shoe(they may have been unisex, I don't remember). The heel was wider than I liked too. As you can imagine, going up a half size only made it worse.

The Keen Commuter sandals appeared to actually be narrow, or at least low volume, with a huge wide heel. Not only was the heel big and the width narrow and the volume small, the shape exacerbates all those issues because it was straight as a string. My higher arched feet need volume, not width, need more curve, and less heel width for a good fit, but someone with a floppy low arch will typically have a foot that is wider, lower volume, more straight, and wider at the heel. Again, going up a size just it made it worse in the heel, didn't fix the volume issues, and made it feel like a clown shoe in length due to the flex point.

Unfortunately, none of that has to do with measured size, except maybe width needs for some. The width needs to be measured though since volume and shape needs can be mistaken for width issues.

hockeyref

Let's make it even MORE INTERESTING...... I have a full size difference in length and a half size difference in width between my feet, AND I am a C\AA width on the wide\shorter foot!

oldbobcat

You have my sympathy. I'm about a half-size different.

If you're interested, Bont will mix sizes on special order.

coppercook62

I had to go custom

RPK79

Do you have a scar from when they stitched the donor foot on?

coppercook62

I was born with it backwards

hockeyref

Tell me more, do you have any details?! Sometimes I wish they still made half sizes above the US 12 as that half size would go a long way for me to split the difference acceptably.

CC62 - Brother, you have the title, I suspect that you have adapted commendably.

oldbobcat

I searched the Bont website for this but couldn't find it, so I must have heard it from a Bont regional rep. Anyway, here's the link to the Bont custom page: https://www.bont.com/cycling/products/custom.html. And here's the email contact link: bontcycling@bont.com. Or you can find a local Bont dealer and ask them. This sort of thing always starts with in inquiry.

Good luck.

hockeyref

Bont looks interesting... but upwards of $1000 for a pair of shoes.... NOT IF I WANT TO STAY MARRIED - I won't pay that for custom skates.... *SIGH* no custom shoes for this Zebra.... I'll just deal with it... Get them a little small on the bigger foot and stretch it. Add insole to the smaller foot to take up some space, Add shims as needed....

oldbobcat

You probably don't need full custom anyway. Send them an email with a photo of your feet and ask them if they could send you a pair of split-sized A3s ($99 bucks plus shipping, etc.) Or the new Riot ($149). Use their online measuring guide and translate your metric dimensions to a Bont size.

Jseis 

There's a world of difference between a shoe ridden for an hour or two and all day in hot weather. I normally wear a 47 euro (13 USA) but my feet swell after hours of hot riding so a touring shoe in 48 Euro is far better. Midsoles make a huge difference as do vents, open design & socks. Then winter comes.

Black wallnut 

Shoe length needs to be correct as well or you may have issues with not being able to place your cleats correctly.