Wide cycling shoes: Trek RSL vs Sidi Mega vs Lake CX333 Wide vs CX242 Wide
03-31-24, 07:15 AM
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Wide cycling shoes: Trek RSL vs Sidi Mega vs Lake CX333 Wide vs CX242 Wide
I have very wide feet, ~294mm long and ~115-118mm wide when I trace my foot and measure. My toes are a bit on the short side so the ball of my foot is relatively far "forward" which means most of my foot would fit a size 13/13.5 better but short toes would leave a lot of room at the end. I also have a very high instep and very high arch, narrow heel.
My current shoes are an older pair of Sidi Ergo Mega circa 2008. They have stretched nicely and fit my feet very comfortably. My vague recollection is that they were a bit snug when new but I went with them because of sponsorship at the time. The heel is loose a loose fit. Durability has been outstanding! I recently replaced the top straps and the velcro just separated from the vinyl strap portion. Impressive durability. The sole measures ~97mm wide. With my foot in the shoe the total width is about 107mm.
Update: I misunderstood the Lake marketing/terminology a bit. They describe the last size and I thought it meant the width of the sole of the shoe. The last is the mold used to shape the shoe, so the 118mm last is not saying the sole is 118mm, it is some other measurement. See below. I will try to post pictures too. The Lake method of measuring last width is good for comparing across their range of shoes, assuming the thickness of the bulges, etc., is the same from one shoe to the next. I'm not sure how they measure CX/MTB shoes with lugs in that area.
2nd Update: I went with the Trek RSL because the toe strap on the CX242 was pressing against the top of my foot. It perhaps would have broken in over time.
About 12 hours on the new shoes. A bit of "hot foot", middle of right foot metatarsal area a couple of times. Perhaps primarily related to over-tightening the lower Boa on that foot. The single click adjustability of the Boa system is superb, so much better then the old or new Sidi system.
The sole is just gold paint or something similar and was worn away by the textured surface of my rocker plate, a minor cosmetic disappointment. The heel fabric is fantastic at holding the heel in place. My technique for putting the shoes on has improved: insert forefoot, lift "tongue and pull shoe/push foot a bit more, grab heel tab and pull it back a bit while sliding foot in. Smooth socks make a difference vs typical cotton gym socks but it's not the issue I had concerns about earlier. Longest ride has been about 2:15 on trainer yesterday, no hotfoot on that ride.
Current comparison search:
1) Trek RSL size 45.5 and 46. A bit tight to put my foot into the 46, they require both hands to put them on because it is designed like a sock instead of a shoe with a tongue, process is more like putting on a ski boot. My very high instep stretches the fabric at the "tongue" area to it's limit but once on they are very comfortable. The black ones remind me of ninja/Japanese shoes in a good way. The top Boa has a well designed strap which prevented the wires from creating pressure points during my brief fitting though it did press in to my ankle if I flexed forward well beyond any normal cycling position- and that would likely go away with break-in. Heel cup is a nice size for me in 45.5, perhaps a bit loose in 46. The sharkskin fabric is cool. Width: A little bit of pressure on the little toe side in 45.5, less in the 46 which feels like my broken in Sidi width. The 45.5 is definitely not as wide as the widest of the Lake shoes but very stretchy upper would likely accommodate my foot- feels better in 46. Fairly noticeable upward curve of the sole at the toes of 45.5 that I didn't notice in the 46- will need to compare that later. Feels light weight. Very nice design and quality look shoe. The end of the toe box has a rubber-like "bumper guard" which is forcing my toes inward a bit and might be an issue long-term in this smaller size, not noticed in the 46. With my short toes it means my foot is wider then normal where the toe box typically begins to narrow. With longer toes the shape would probably be fine. The lower (toe) Boa wire don't create pressure points either. The Boa's are Li2, same as the Lake BUT these have a string instead of the wire and they operate "like butter"- a very nice feel to the action, smooth compared to the somewhat ratchety feel of the Lake- again no likely performance benefit just an observation. This seems like a really well designed and exceptionally well crafted shoe, 10/10 fit and finish. Wearing the shoe while editing this post and it already feels more comfortable on my foot, enough so that I am tempted to keep them instead of going to the 46- except it is morning and my feet are likely to swell as the day progresses. Shoe outsole measured at about 94mm and the fabric is attached right at the edge. NOTE: measuring the sole the way Lake does it gives a width of 114mm; this is definitely not a meaningful measurement! Cleat adjustment screws have very little travel, 1-2mm fore/aft, no lateral, and are independent of each other. Cleat mounting area is smooth/shiny like the rest of the sole. Putting my other foot, which must be a bit larger, into the 45.5 was quite difficult while wearing a mid-weight cotton sock. After wearing the 45.5 for 5-10 minutes I could feel the pressure just from the fabric (Boa completely loose) was becoming uncomfortable. A shoe horn would be useful and may make the process easier. The white/off-white shoes actually looked more "flashy" to me then the black/gold. The black ones aren't nearly as bright looking in person as they seemed on the web pictures. Shoe is made in China.
2) Lake CX333 Wide, size 46. A wee bit too short. I measured my foot at 293mm and a 46 is supposed to fit 293mm. Width was slightly too narrow compared to the comfort of my stretched out Sidis but much wider then the Trek RSL. Also not quite as wide as the CX242 Wide. Material was ugly on the white ones, looked like wrinkly plastic film that could tear easily. Probably wouldn't, but that was the appearance. A little concerned about pressure from the top Boa wires across the top of my foot because the tongue seems to be very thin, especially compared to the old Sidi which is a wide strap and well padded tongue. The same shoe in black must be made from different material (I think black is leather) as it looked much nicer/more durable. Again, may just be appearance of durability. Race Last is ~114mm wide in size 46.
3) Lake CX242 Wide, size 46. See #2 re size. I ordered a 46.5 to try. The material seems better but may just be appearance- label indicates it is uncorrected(?) leather. Shoe seems to be much better ventilated- MUCH better. Not that the other looked hot, this just has a lot of mesh to it, like the Trek RSR to some degree. Width was noticeably wider then the CX333 and was very close in comfort to the old Sidis. I wouldn't hesitate to wear these, new, for a long ride once I have the right length. Competition Last is 118mm wide in size 46 but the sole, the carbon part, is ~108mm wide. The upper material (leather for the black/grey version) is glued to the underside of the sole and wraps up and around. I don't know what they measure as 118mm- aha, they wrap the measuring tape around the sole from edge to edge to make 118mm- which includes the built up carbon area for the cleats, etc. The Trek measure 114mm that way! Cleat screw slots are ~12mm long fore/aft and have a bit of lateral play. All 3 nuts are connected to a fixed triangular plate. The size 46.5 feels about the same width as the Trek 46 because the Trek is so stretchy where it needs to be stretchy. Cleat mounting area is rough- seems like a nice touch but no idea if it really matters vs Trek. These look like well made shoes too and only look a wee bit less so when compared to the almost impeccably well made Trek. The lower Boa controls tension of 2 pairs of straps. For me, the lower strap, over the base of my toes, was pressing on my first "knuckle" of my big toe in an unpleasant way. Since the Boa controls all of the lower foot tension at the same time I don't think there is a way to have it snug across the lower foot without also having that pressure spot on my toe. I need to learn more about the Boa system, perhaps there is a way to adjust them. If I were going to use a road shoe for CX, maybe even a concern for crits, this one would win out over the RSL- it feels like a lot more protection. Shoe is made in China.
4) Sidi Ergo 5 Mega: According to Sidi the Mega width only adds 4mm. I'm guessing it was the same in the older version? The buckle system is unfortunate on these shoes. I like to snug them up before a sprint, nice and tight, then release the pressure. That seems, from what I have seen and read, to not be "easy" compared to the Boa system or the older Sidi lift-to-ratchet buckle. That old buckle was a bit on the sucky side with full finger gloves. New one looks worse in that situation. If they had gone with Boa or something other then what they have I would consider trying them on.
Lake size chart for reference. I wish all manufacturers could be so informative.
lakecycling.com/pages/sizing-chart
It's a shame that so many manufacturers add a mere 4mm to width as a "wide" shoe when 1 centimeter would do so much more.
The Trek RSL seems like a much nicer shoe then the CX242 and would be an easy first choice except for the difficulty putting them on and slightly loose heel in size 46. I will continue comparing the fit of the Trek 45.5/46 and CX242W 46.5, could probably be happy with any of them.
Note: These pictures don't look right- the widths listed above are accurate for a rigid ruler measuring edge to edge.
My current shoes are an older pair of Sidi Ergo Mega circa 2008. They have stretched nicely and fit my feet very comfortably. My vague recollection is that they were a bit snug when new but I went with them because of sponsorship at the time. The heel is loose a loose fit. Durability has been outstanding! I recently replaced the top straps and the velcro just separated from the vinyl strap portion. Impressive durability. The sole measures ~97mm wide. With my foot in the shoe the total width is about 107mm.
Update: I misunderstood the Lake marketing/terminology a bit. They describe the last size and I thought it meant the width of the sole of the shoe. The last is the mold used to shape the shoe, so the 118mm last is not saying the sole is 118mm, it is some other measurement. See below. I will try to post pictures too. The Lake method of measuring last width is good for comparing across their range of shoes, assuming the thickness of the bulges, etc., is the same from one shoe to the next. I'm not sure how they measure CX/MTB shoes with lugs in that area.
2nd Update: I went with the Trek RSL because the toe strap on the CX242 was pressing against the top of my foot. It perhaps would have broken in over time.
About 12 hours on the new shoes. A bit of "hot foot", middle of right foot metatarsal area a couple of times. Perhaps primarily related to over-tightening the lower Boa on that foot. The single click adjustability of the Boa system is superb, so much better then the old or new Sidi system.
The sole is just gold paint or something similar and was worn away by the textured surface of my rocker plate, a minor cosmetic disappointment. The heel fabric is fantastic at holding the heel in place. My technique for putting the shoes on has improved: insert forefoot, lift "tongue and pull shoe/push foot a bit more, grab heel tab and pull it back a bit while sliding foot in. Smooth socks make a difference vs typical cotton gym socks but it's not the issue I had concerns about earlier. Longest ride has been about 2:15 on trainer yesterday, no hotfoot on that ride.
Current comparison search:
1) Trek RSL size 45.5 and 46. A bit tight to put my foot into the 46, they require both hands to put them on because it is designed like a sock instead of a shoe with a tongue, process is more like putting on a ski boot. My very high instep stretches the fabric at the "tongue" area to it's limit but once on they are very comfortable. The black ones remind me of ninja/Japanese shoes in a good way. The top Boa has a well designed strap which prevented the wires from creating pressure points during my brief fitting though it did press in to my ankle if I flexed forward well beyond any normal cycling position- and that would likely go away with break-in. Heel cup is a nice size for me in 45.5, perhaps a bit loose in 46. The sharkskin fabric is cool. Width: A little bit of pressure on the little toe side in 45.5, less in the 46 which feels like my broken in Sidi width. The 45.5 is definitely not as wide as the widest of the Lake shoes but very stretchy upper would likely accommodate my foot- feels better in 46. Fairly noticeable upward curve of the sole at the toes of 45.5 that I didn't notice in the 46- will need to compare that later. Feels light weight. Very nice design and quality look shoe. The end of the toe box has a rubber-like "bumper guard" which is forcing my toes inward a bit and might be an issue long-term in this smaller size, not noticed in the 46. With my short toes it means my foot is wider then normal where the toe box typically begins to narrow. With longer toes the shape would probably be fine. The lower (toe) Boa wire don't create pressure points either. The Boa's are Li2, same as the Lake BUT these have a string instead of the wire and they operate "like butter"- a very nice feel to the action, smooth compared to the somewhat ratchety feel of the Lake- again no likely performance benefit just an observation. This seems like a really well designed and exceptionally well crafted shoe, 10/10 fit and finish. Wearing the shoe while editing this post and it already feels more comfortable on my foot, enough so that I am tempted to keep them instead of going to the 46- except it is morning and my feet are likely to swell as the day progresses. Shoe outsole measured at about 94mm and the fabric is attached right at the edge. NOTE: measuring the sole the way Lake does it gives a width of 114mm; this is definitely not a meaningful measurement! Cleat adjustment screws have very little travel, 1-2mm fore/aft, no lateral, and are independent of each other. Cleat mounting area is smooth/shiny like the rest of the sole. Putting my other foot, which must be a bit larger, into the 45.5 was quite difficult while wearing a mid-weight cotton sock. After wearing the 45.5 for 5-10 minutes I could feel the pressure just from the fabric (Boa completely loose) was becoming uncomfortable. A shoe horn would be useful and may make the process easier. The white/off-white shoes actually looked more "flashy" to me then the black/gold. The black ones aren't nearly as bright looking in person as they seemed on the web pictures. Shoe is made in China.
2) Lake CX333 Wide, size 46. A wee bit too short. I measured my foot at 293mm and a 46 is supposed to fit 293mm. Width was slightly too narrow compared to the comfort of my stretched out Sidis but much wider then the Trek RSL. Also not quite as wide as the CX242 Wide. Material was ugly on the white ones, looked like wrinkly plastic film that could tear easily. Probably wouldn't, but that was the appearance. A little concerned about pressure from the top Boa wires across the top of my foot because the tongue seems to be very thin, especially compared to the old Sidi which is a wide strap and well padded tongue. The same shoe in black must be made from different material (I think black is leather) as it looked much nicer/more durable. Again, may just be appearance of durability. Race Last is ~114mm wide in size 46.
3) Lake CX242 Wide, size 46. See #2 re size. I ordered a 46.5 to try. The material seems better but may just be appearance- label indicates it is uncorrected(?) leather. Shoe seems to be much better ventilated- MUCH better. Not that the other looked hot, this just has a lot of mesh to it, like the Trek RSR to some degree. Width was noticeably wider then the CX333 and was very close in comfort to the old Sidis. I wouldn't hesitate to wear these, new, for a long ride once I have the right length. Competition Last is 118mm wide in size 46 but the sole, the carbon part, is ~108mm wide. The upper material (leather for the black/grey version) is glued to the underside of the sole and wraps up and around. I don't know what they measure as 118mm- aha, they wrap the measuring tape around the sole from edge to edge to make 118mm- which includes the built up carbon area for the cleats, etc. The Trek measure 114mm that way! Cleat screw slots are ~12mm long fore/aft and have a bit of lateral play. All 3 nuts are connected to a fixed triangular plate. The size 46.5 feels about the same width as the Trek 46 because the Trek is so stretchy where it needs to be stretchy. Cleat mounting area is rough- seems like a nice touch but no idea if it really matters vs Trek. These look like well made shoes too and only look a wee bit less so when compared to the almost impeccably well made Trek. The lower Boa controls tension of 2 pairs of straps. For me, the lower strap, over the base of my toes, was pressing on my first "knuckle" of my big toe in an unpleasant way. Since the Boa controls all of the lower foot tension at the same time I don't think there is a way to have it snug across the lower foot without also having that pressure spot on my toe. I need to learn more about the Boa system, perhaps there is a way to adjust them. If I were going to use a road shoe for CX, maybe even a concern for crits, this one would win out over the RSL- it feels like a lot more protection. Shoe is made in China.
4) Sidi Ergo 5 Mega: According to Sidi the Mega width only adds 4mm. I'm guessing it was the same in the older version? The buckle system is unfortunate on these shoes. I like to snug them up before a sprint, nice and tight, then release the pressure. That seems, from what I have seen and read, to not be "easy" compared to the Boa system or the older Sidi lift-to-ratchet buckle. That old buckle was a bit on the sucky side with full finger gloves. New one looks worse in that situation. If they had gone with Boa or something other then what they have I would consider trying them on.
Lake size chart for reference. I wish all manufacturers could be so informative.
lakecycling.com/pages/sizing-chart
It's a shame that so many manufacturers add a mere 4mm to width as a "wide" shoe when 1 centimeter would do so much more.
The Trek RSL seems like a much nicer shoe then the CX242 and would be an easy first choice except for the difficulty putting them on and slightly loose heel in size 46. I will continue comparing the fit of the Trek 45.5/46 and CX242W 46.5, could probably be happy with any of them.
Note: These pictures don't look right- the widths listed above are accurate for a rigid ruler measuring edge to edge.
Last edited by ThumbsRH; 04-23-24 at 01:29 PM.
03-31-24, 07:45 AM
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The Lake chart says to add +5 mm to your measured foot length to get the right shoe length. So you should be at least 46.5 or possibly even 47
03-31-24, 09:42 AM
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I'm a big fan of Lake shoes. As someone with very wide feet, I've found the Lakes to be the only stiff/competition style cycling shoe that actually fits appropriately.
03-31-24, 09:57 AM
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I have Lake CX-241 in wide. I did the feet tracing as per the Lake website and thank goodness I didn't order based on that. I found a store that has a large stock of Lake shoes and tried on a bunch of sizes. What I ended up with was pretty far from what I would have ordered if I had gone by the website instructions.
Not sure if this is true but was told that most wide shoes just have additional upper material; the sole is the same as standard width. The guy at the store said that Lake actually has a wider sole.
I had to drive about an hour and a half to get to the store but very happy I did. Probably could have got them cheaper on line but I would have had to exchange them at least once and may have ended up with something that didn't fit as well. Shoes and helmets are still things I want to try on. I sure hope there are places that continue to stock stuff.
Not sure if this is true but was told that most wide shoes just have additional upper material; the sole is the same as standard width. The guy at the store said that Lake actually has a wider sole.
I had to drive about an hour and a half to get to the store but very happy I did. Probably could have got them cheaper on line but I would have had to exchange them at least once and may have ended up with something that didn't fit as well. Shoes and helmets are still things I want to try on. I sure hope there are places that continue to stock stuff.
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03-31-24, 10:59 AM
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There’s a fit and sizing chart on the Lake website, it pays to look at. Shows which shoes are on a wide last, etc…. I wish I had seen it, as my winter 303’s are too narrow for my feet and essentially a waste of money.
I have had great luck with the wide Shimano shoes, a double Boa mt bike shoe that’s my warm weather shoe as well as a winter boot. I have 4E feet as BTW. Not all Shimano shoes come in wide, you need to research it.
I have had great luck with the wide Shimano shoes, a double Boa mt bike shoe that’s my warm weather shoe as well as a winter boot. I have 4E feet as BTW. Not all Shimano shoes come in wide, you need to research it.
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03-31-24, 04:38 PM
#6
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I have similar issues with width. My feet were 280mm x 120mm last I checked. I ended up finding a pair of Bont VayporS in size 46.5 Double Wide on ebay. They are undeniably pricey ($465) but nice shoes, and their double wide and Asian widths (Asian sounds like what you need) are actually a custom carbon layup. Mine obviously aren't laid up for me, so they're still a bit narrow, but I've been able to heat mold them to get pretty close.
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04-21-24, 12:51 PM
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I have the wide-at-the-toes yet narrow-at-the-heels dilemma.
04-22-24, 11:25 AM
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Thread Starter
The grippy fabric in the heel cup of the Trek RSL really works well. Initially it felt like the heel was about the same as my old Sidi Mega shoes and maybe looser then the unmolded Lake CX242 Wide. After wearing them several times I can say that the heel stays in place much better then in my old Sidis. The width is surprisingly comfortable as well- the fabric and cutouts in the straps allow the "knuckles" additional room.
04-23-24, 10:59 AM
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Unless they have changed since I last tried them (over 10 years ago) Sidi Mega are about the same as regular width shoes of other brands. I have a moderately wide foot, and Shimano wide is roomy for me. Same for Northwave. Haven't had Lake myself, but I have been told they fit similar to Northwave.
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