Originally Posted by
Donw9876
Ok, folks, I'm checking back in on this thread. When I posted originally I was evaluating a pair of
Shimano SH-XC3 and I decided, once again, not really wide, and painful. (Even very hard to put on, which has been the case of almost every pair I've tried.) So I got an RMA and returned them to bikeshoes dot com.
Per the majority advice here I engaged Bikeshoes in a lengthy email thread and asked for their help. Keri (who provided awesome support) made me aware of what some of you are saying that most "wide" shoes have larger circumference uppers. I was not aware of this. Just before I boxed up the Shimano's I pulled out and looked at the insert. It looked like the sole of a frikkin' ballerina shoe. 
And it was supposed to be "wide". The sole appeared to be a good inch less in width than my actual foot, seriously.
Keri recommended based on what I stated a pair of Lake MX177-X wide in a size 42. I got them over the weekend. INCOMPARABLE difference. The soles are actually about the width of my feet. Wearing thinner actual cycling socks these will work. The toe area is a little more snug than I prefer but it's usable and I'll get used to them.
She recommended as the next notch up in width the MX219-X which is $239. At this point it's not a cost thing (the manufacturers have literally worn me out with sh*tty choices) and I'd pay it, but the pair I got is already more expensive than the best dress shoes I've ever had.
I've ridden since the late 70s. My first pair of biking shoes were grey Avocets with a ridged gum type sole. I also remember a brand called Bata Biker which were heavily advertised. It seemed like finding these things at the local level was extremely easy. Bike shoes now seem to be incredibly elitist and nichey, and exclusionary, and push very particular body sizes, and the material choices suck outright - few fabric or mesh choices. I'm not skinny. I'm used to buying bike shirts in XXL or even XXXL just to get a fit like I do with XL in regular clothing. But shoes are even beyond bike clothes in accessibility.
I know, lose 100 lbs. Sure.
Anyway, very helpful thread and that's what I wound up settling on. Thanks, guys.
The shoes that you got have the "Sport" last; the ones that she recommended you move up to are their widest - the "Competition" last (which happen to be the ones that work best for me, too). They'll get you about 4-5 mm extra width for the same size.
I was in a similar situation a few years ago and I, too, got to the point where enough was enough and I just wanted shoes that worked, even if they cost a little more than I might normally be comfortable with. A few years later, absolutely no regrets and the shoes don't look like they're going to crap out any time soon. Over the course of a decade or two, an extra hundred bucks, or whatever, is a pittance for feet that don't hurt.