Originally Posted by
WhyFi
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.
Totally agreed with that assertion. I owned and used this pair I trashed since 2000 so they have given 22 years of service and cost about $80-100 at the time. That's less than $5 per year of amortized ownership cost.
It's kind of like even the LBSs want to just get you to buy the in-stock crap that hurts, because (I found) no shop seems to really understand fit of shoes so they act like it's a totally random selection on your part and not based on actual dimensions. It's worth paying a lot if that's what it takes. I hate being placed in that position but it is what it is.
These Lake shoes are beauties, though. I almost don't want to ride in them, HA HA.