Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Fifty Plus (50+)
Reload this Page >

Any potential problem from shoes too wide?

Notices
Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

Any potential problem from shoes too wide?

Old 06-26-18, 09:07 AM
  #1  
huffman 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
huffman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: NC
Posts: 152

Bikes: Niner Jet 9 • Santa Cruz 5010 • Litespeed Watia

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 37 Post(s)
Liked 14 Times in 9 Posts
Any potential problem from shoes too wide?

Like a lot of others I'm now experiencing hot feet 1-1/2 hours into my road ride. Last time the pain was unbearable. My regular width shoes, Lewis Garneau Milan with an insole that is 95 mm wide, are just too tight, have tried stretching them. When I take the footbed out and stand on it my feet really hang over. Looking at a pair of Lake CX237 wide though the online store says I should go with the standard version, 104 mm wide. Really considering going with the wide even though they would be 116 mm wide. My foot measures 106 mm wide, should measure again after a hard ride to see what it is swollen. What's the potential issues if the shoes I buy are 10mm too wide, I can't afford to make a $300+ mistake. I know somebody is gonna say go to the LBS to try them on, I've been to more than a dozen stores in Greensboro, Charlotte & Asheville looking for wide shoes without finding any to try on. I hate mail order for shoes & clothes but it looks to be my only choice.
__________________
Two wrongs don't make a right but three lefts do! Unknown
huffman is offline  
Old 06-26-18, 09:44 AM
  #2  
NerdLord
Senior Member
 
NerdLord's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Northern California
Posts: 54

Bikes: 2008-Fuji Absolute 4.0

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
with my (US) size 14 men's waffle stomper feet I feel for you...
on my hybrid I did two things...
1. added 1" spacers that fit between the pedal and the crank. Mainly because of the 14 degree outward bend from a destroyed knee (motorcycle wreck), but with knee replacement i'm straight again but the spacers make it more comfortable so I kept them.
2. swapped out the 'standard' pedal for mountain bike pedals because they are wider. Toe clips/baskets don't work well for me but..meh.

most bike shops have spacers/pedal, they're standard threads.
NerdLord is offline  
Old 06-26-18, 10:38 AM
  #3  
TimothyH
- Soli Deo Gloria -
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Northwest Georgia
Posts: 14,782

Bikes: 2018 Rodriguez Custom Fixed Gear, 2017 Niner RLT 9 RDO, 2015 Bianchi Pista, 2002 Fuji Robaix

Mentioned: 235 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6844 Post(s)
Liked 736 Times in 469 Posts
Originally Posted by huffman
What's the potential issues if the shoes I buy are 10mm too wide, I can't afford to make a $300+ mistake. I hate mail order for shoes & clothes but it looks to be my only choice.
A shoe which is too loose can cause blisters.

Mail order is the way things are and with 3E feet I commiserate. Shoes can be returned however and I've returned shoes to Backcountry at zero cost. They just email me a shipping label and I drop them off at the local UPS location. The same goes for clothes and they will ship me several garments to try on without charge and only charge me after I decide what to keep.

You can also order through Performance Bike or REI and have the shoes shipped to the store. If they don't fit then walk to the register and return them.


-Tim-

Last edited by TimothyH; 06-26-18 at 10:42 AM.
TimothyH is offline  
Old 06-26-18, 10:49 AM
  #4  
Iride01 
I'm good to go!
 
Iride01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,811

Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020

Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6100 Post(s)
Liked 4,732 Times in 3,262 Posts
I guess you already figured out that some brands run wide and others narrow. I'm leery of buying online, but if you have researched what they actually measure, then perhaps you'll fair well online.

I wear very thin socks with my shoes. Most shoes are so well shaped and/or padded inside that additional padding from thick socks is more of a negative than a positive for me. I also will have some swelling in my foot right over the pedal after about 35 miles of ride that annoys me some. If hydrate a little more and keep going, it disappears after another ten miles and usually doesn't bother me again for the ride.

I also wear a Pearl Izumi mtn bike shoe in the summer. Don't remember the model name, but it's mostly a mesh so it breathes very well and you can feel the cooling from the air flowing through. Pearls run narrow though, so maybe not for you.

Last edited by Iride01; 06-26-18 at 10:52 AM.
Iride01 is offline  
Old 06-26-18, 01:04 PM
  #5  
Stormsedge
Senior Member
 
Stormsedge's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 678

Bikes: 2017 Trek Domane SL6 Disc, 1990 Schwinn Crosscut Frankenroadbike, 2015 KHS Team 29 FS, 2000 Gary Fisher Tassajara--gone but not forgotten

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 155 Post(s)
Liked 49 Times in 30 Posts
Exchange with online Nashbar and Performance, while time consuming, isn't that hard. I ordered three sets of shoes last time and ended up keeping them all, even though one pair ran large--perfect for winter with wool socks.

That said, if the shoe is just a little wide, consider wool/smart wool socks to help with the fit. I've worn wool socks for years summer and winter...keep your feet dry and no noticeable "too hot" discomfort that I've ever experienced, even in summer months in the desert. Good luck.
Stormsedge is offline  
Old 07-03-18, 08:17 PM
  #6  
TiHabanero
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,435
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1726 Post(s)
Liked 1,350 Times in 705 Posts
Try before you buy is tough when it comes to wide shoes. Specialized has them made on a C/D width. The half size is simply a size up on the same sole to give more "room" in the upper. This is a common practice for half size shoes, and is considered a "wide" version of the shoe size. If you run an E width, that will be tough to accommodate in an off the shelf shoe. I am a D width and the Sidi Genius Mega fits nicely. My son is also a D width, flat foot with a tall forefoot and switched from Specialized Sworks to Sidi Mega and finds the Sidi better fitting and more comfortable. Don't see how an E width will ever fit and be comfortable in a C/D width shoe.
TiHabanero is offline  
Old 07-03-18, 08:36 PM
  #7  
sch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Mountain Brook. AL
Posts: 4,002
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 303 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 136 Times in 104 Posts
Another option: sandals, easy to adjust to fit with the velcro and usable down into the 50s with the right socks.
I wear EE or EEE size and got a fit from Lake that worked ok, but sandals also solve the width problem nicely
as well. I seel that Lake has gotten a bit pricier in the past few years. Nice thing is that bike shoes last a
really long time.

I started out with euro 43 size, it was pretty bad after 30-40 miles. 45 size was a lot better, but did require
an insole to fill out the shoe. Works out nicely in sub 50F with bulkier socks.

Last edited by sch; 07-03-18 at 08:42 PM.
sch is offline  
Old 07-07-18, 04:02 PM
  #8  
skidder
Pennylane Splitter
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 1,873

Bikes: Yes

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1751 Post(s)
Liked 1,422 Times in 973 Posts
Better that your shoes are too wide than too narrow. I walk around a lot at work and wear shoes that are too wide, but that seems to make them very comfortable after a few hours of walking/standing. If they're cycling-specific shoes I wouldn't worry about blisters and such; those occur when I wear tight-fitting shoes, not loose ones. And most internet sites that sell clothing will usually let you do a free return for size adjustment if the item you order doesn't fit when you get them (usually directions for a free return are included).
skidder is offline  
Old 07-07-18, 06:52 PM
  #9  
Oso Polar
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Westchester County, NY
Posts: 311

Bikes: Trek 3500, Jamis Renegade Escapade

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 176 Post(s)
Liked 51 Times in 43 Posts
Originally Posted by skidder
If they're cycling-specific shoes I wouldn't worry about blisters and such; those occur when I wear tight-fitting shoes, not loose ones.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure you are wrong. Loose shoes do cause blisters. In my case on the little toe on the right foot. It seems that my left foot is slightly bigger as the wast majority of shoes fit tight on left foot and good on right. Or good on left and a bit loose on right, like in the case with my cycling shoes. My current workaround is to use thick wool socks. Even in summer.
Oso Polar is offline  
Old 07-07-18, 08:44 PM
  #10  
Biker395 
Seat Sniffer
 
Biker395's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SoCal
Posts: 5,617

Bikes: Serotta Legend Ti; 2006 Schwinn Fastback Pro and 1996 Colnago Decor Super C96; 2003 Univega Alpina 700; 2000 Schwinn Super Sport

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 938 Post(s)
Liked 1,967 Times in 562 Posts
If you haven't done so, give custom insoles (about $80) a try. Some of the tight fit in your shoes may be from inadequate foot support.

Worked for me.
__________________
Proud parent of a happy inner child ...

Biker395 is offline  
Old 08-01-18, 02:41 PM
  #11  
huffman 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
huffman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: NC
Posts: 152

Bikes: Niner Jet 9 • Santa Cruz 5010 • Litespeed Watia

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 37 Post(s)
Liked 14 Times in 9 Posts
So I went ahead and purchased a pair of Lake CX176 wide shoes, a tad wide for my foot but had no rubbing or blister issues. Took my bike to the NC coast last week so constant pedaling. First ride out was 20 miles went well with little discomfort. Pulled out the Lake insoles and replaced with a pair of Waki insoles with a higher arch & a fairly large metatarsal bump. I decided to see how far I could push it and rode 41 miles, must say there was foot discomfort the last few miles but nothing painful. Hoping as the shoes & insoles break in things get better.

Update • So a couple months in I'm more than happy with my shoe choice to the point that I ordered the same shoe in a mountain bike version - Lake MX176 Wide and love those shoes too. No issues with blisters at all. Could not find anyone to order them from so ordered directly from Lake and they came in a week or so.
__________________
Two wrongs don't make a right but three lefts do! Unknown

Last edited by huffman; 11-03-18 at 10:25 AM. Reason: UPDATE
huffman is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
alejoviade
General Cycling Discussion
35
09-04-20 10:02 AM
supton
General Cycling Discussion
6
04-23-17 05:57 AM
Yendor72
General Cycling Discussion
13
03-28-15 12:43 PM
OneLessFixie
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
25
01-26-15 05:36 PM
PaulRivers
Commuting
22
09-09-14 05:46 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.