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Need new shoes but maybe not road shoes

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Need new shoes but maybe not road shoes

Old 09-13-20, 02:58 PM
  #26  
zacster
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I found a pair of the Specialized Torch 2.0 in my size at Jenson. I'd have sworn I'd looked at all the usual online shops when I first brought this up a few weeks ago, but they had them today. I saw a pair at CompetitiveCyclist but by the time I acted they were gone. As I said somewhere, finding sizes of anything in particular is hard as it is expensive to stock them all.

I'll try them and return them if they aren't right for me. I just put a new pair of Keo cleats on my existing shoes, so I'll just move those over if I keep the Torch. I also found a single Keo cleat in my box-o-junk. I don't remember what happened there that I only replaced one, I guess I just cracked one when still new. I would always just replace both even though the right is always more worn than the left.
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Old 09-18-20, 07:47 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by zacster
I found a pair of the Specialized Torch 2.0 in my size at Jenson. I'd have sworn I'd looked at all the usual online shops when I first brought this up a few weeks ago, but they had them today. I saw a pair at CompetitiveCyclist but by the time I acted they were gone. As I said somewhere, finding sizes of anything in particular is hard as it is expensive to stock them all.

I'll try them and return them if they aren't right for me. I just put a new pair of Keo cleats on my existing shoes, so I'll just move those over if I keep the Torch. I also found a single Keo cleat in my box-o-junk. I don't remember what happened there that I only replaced one, I guess I just cracked one when still new. I would always just replace both even though the right is always more worn than the left.
And wouldn't you know it, these shoes got lost in shipping. They went to UPS but UPS never scanned them in. This was the only pair on the net I could find in my size. Jenson is working on it from their end.

Here's a funny UPS story. I bought a kitchen knife wall magnet from Amazon. It shipped, UPS scanned it in, and somewhere in the shipping the scans and tracking just stopped. About 3 months later it shows up, after Amazon had refunded the money. What happened was the magnet stuck to the side of the truck!
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Old 09-18-20, 07:56 AM
  #28  
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If you switch to SPD it’s easy to find comfortable shoes
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Old 09-18-20, 09:02 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by grizzly59
If you switch to SPD it’s easy to find comfortable shoes
I'm using Assioma power meter pedals. Keo only.
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Old 09-20-20, 12:52 AM
  #30  
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I'm currently wearing Five Ten mountain bike shoes with my road bike.
The sole is very firm but the shoe is bulky.

I have dual-sided (SPD and conventional) pedals.

I'm considering a casual shoe like the Giro Privateer.

Do you all know if I could install the cleats on the Privateer but sometimes use it without clipping in? (by using the conventional side of the pedal) ?




I don't feel I always want to clip in.


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Old 09-27-20, 01:11 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by zacster
...When I buy running shoes they always feel like pillows for my feet, are there cycling shoes like that?...maybe it is time to hang up the road shoes, but not the bike. Just make them more comfortable, dammit.
I switched away from clipless into Five Ten Freeriders (no cleat):
https://www.adidas.com/us/five-ten-f...es/BC0663.html


And big wide Dmr Vault pedals:
https://www.dmrbikes.com/Catalogue/P...lt-2/Vault-NEW


Feet became incredibly comfortable on the bike, more comfortable than walking around with regular shoes even.

Last edited by PaulRivers; 09-27-20 at 01:14 PM.
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Old 09-27-20, 01:28 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by topflightpro
This was the argument I made to ultimately get custom shoes. I spend close to 500 hours a year in cycling shoes, and my shoes last 4-5 years. That's a lot of time, and my comfort is more than worth it.

Also, as I've gotten older, and more financially stable, I am much more willing to invest in my comfort.
How does one go about getting custom shoes? I use the Lake shoes for my wide feet. The MX versions work out well, but the cleats on the road versions don't come far back enough on my foot so it feels like I'm riding on my toes. After a couple of months, this caused me some pretty serious knee problems. Now my $400 shoes are not usable (not to mention my pedal based power meter). Anyway, I'd be interested in getting a custom road shoe.
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Old 09-27-20, 02:02 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by hedonist222
I'm currently wearing Five Ten mountain bike shoes with my road bike.
The sole is very firm but the shoe is bulky.

I have dual-sided (SPD and conventional) pedals.

I'm considering a casual shoe like the Giro Privateer.

Do you all know if I could install the cleats on the Privateer but sometimes use it without clipping in? (by using the conventional side of the pedal) ?




I don't feel I always want to clip in.https://images.internetstores.de/pro...Pedale_schwarz[1920x1920].jpg?forceSize=false&forceAspectRatio=true&useTrim=true


When you are on the flats on those types of pedals, the metal cleat tends to hit the pedal platform and keep your foot from being secure. I would suggest clips or flats and not mixing the two. I am also looking at those Giros. I like the idea of a lace up gravel shoe that isn't super stiff.
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Old 09-27-20, 06:21 PM
  #34  
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My Specialized Torch shoes are now on their way to me and should be here in two days. I really hope these work for me because my feet were killing me on my ride today. Apparently everything Jenson has shipped got stuck with UPS.
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Old 09-28-20, 07:58 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Metallifan33
How does one go about getting custom shoes? I use the Lake shoes for my wide feet. The MX versions work out well, but the cleats on the road versions don't come far back enough on my foot so it feels like I'm riding on my toes. After a couple of months, this caused me some pretty serious knee problems. Now my $400 shoes are not usable (not to mention my pedal based power meter). Anyway, I'd be interested in getting a custom road shoe.
There are a few custom options out there. I have been using Riivo for 6 or 7 years and have been very happy with them. Riivo offers semi-custom and full custom options. I have two semi customs and one full custom pair at this point.

For the semi-custom, Riivo sent me several shoes to try on to get a sense for what I liked and didn't like, size wise. Then I sent them a tracing of my foot - they provide videos for how to do that accurately - and since I opted to upgrade to a custom molded insole, I also made a cast of the bottom of my feet. But honestly, the first pair, which were based only on tracings, are great.

For the full custom, they sent me a mold kit that included plaster that I wrapped around my feet. I sent back the plaster casts and they created molds that they used to make my custom shoes. The nice thing about the full custom pair is how well they fit, which means I do not have to tighten them down too much. My full customs are laced with a buckler for track racing, so I pull up on them A LOT, and my heel stays locked in place.

The custom shoes are pricey, but my feet always hurt when riding in standard shoes, and I was continually buying new shoes to try to find a solution - sometimes I could tell right away and send them back, but others I would wear them a bit then sell them lightly used. They have been worth every dollar I spent on them.
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Old 09-28-20, 08:12 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by zacster
I'm using Assioma power meter pedals. Keo only.
Have you heard about the
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Old 09-28-20, 08:59 AM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by Metallifan33
How does one go about getting custom shoes? I use the Lake shoes for my wide feet. The MX versions work out well, but the cleats on the road versions don't come far back enough on my foot so it feels like I'm riding on my toes.
There are several companies who do this, Lamson for example. North of $1k.
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Old 09-28-20, 10:59 AM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by Metallifan33
The MX versions work out well, but the cleats on the road versions don't come far back enough on my foot so it feels like I'm riding on my toes. After a couple of months, this caused me some pretty serious knee problems. Now my $400 shoes are not usable (not to mention my pedal based power meter)
Saw this on SlowTwitch: https://mid-foot-cycling.com/
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Old 09-28-20, 01:54 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by kingston
Have you heard about the Favero Assioma // Xpedo SPD Hack
I wonder why Favero doesn't offer these themselves? It really looked easy to do. That said, I have my road shoes on the way, they made it from the west coast to the east and they should be here tomorrow.

I've used SPD pedals on my MTB for a while but found them too difficult for NYC streets. Maybe I should give them a try again. I'll have to see if I still have my MTB shoes, they may have been tossed. I know I still have the pedals.

Edit: I still had the shoes but I realized they are at least 20 years old at this point, if not 25. I pulled on one of the velcro tabs and it tore right off. I put them in the circular file.

Last edited by zacster; 09-28-20 at 03:23 PM.
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Old 09-28-20, 02:31 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by surak
Saw this on SlowTwitch: https://mid-foot-cycling.com/
Interesting. I was talking to my bike fitter about the issue and he mentioned that road pedals are usually more forward than MTB pedals. He mentioned that I might be able to get someone to drill new holes in the shoes to fit the cleats farther back, but this seems like an interesting solution.
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Old 10-05-20, 08:04 AM
  #41  
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The Specialized Torch 2 shoes I ordered just weren't comfortable so it is back to square 1. I'm thinking about the MTB shoe options now and converting my Assiomas as in the above video. That's a big change for me at this point. I'm 65 and have been riding Keos since they came out and Delta before that. My one try with SPD was less than satisfying but that was a very long time ago. I already threw out my old MTB shoes, maybe I should've kept them to try drilling new holes just to see if I could.

I still don't get why road shoes are ALL so uncomfortable. Why aren't there any made for the casual rider? It is like there is an expectation that you race if you ride a road bike with Keo pedals and my guess is that maybe 5% actually do, the rest are just hard recreational cyclists and don't need the ultimate in power transfer. We need a shoe with a hard sole, resin or CF, and comfortable uppers. The Torch 2 that I ordered were billed by Spec as "all about comfort" but were far from it. I've never tried on a running shoe that didn't feel comfortable even if not right for my foot.

Edit: Even the MTB conversion would be difficult, I can't find the Xpedo pedals that are needed for the body anywhere. Amazon has them listed but the seller doesn't ship for 4 to 5 days, and I don't trust any seller that doesn't ship within the next business day.

Last edited by zacster; 10-05-20 at 12:28 PM.
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Old 10-05-20, 12:30 PM
  #42  
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Too bad the Torch didn't work out for you. I recently tried on Torch 3s and they felt exactly like sneaker uppers with stiff soles. Didn't like how it made my feet feel loose with so much padding, so I rolled the dice on a pair of S-Works 7 instead. They felt a tad too stiff in the showroom, especially that heel cup, but felt fantastic on the bike.
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Old 10-05-20, 03:33 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by surak
Too bad the Torch didn't work out for you. I recently tried on Torch 3s and they felt exactly like sneaker uppers with stiff soles. Didn't like how it made my feet feel loose with so much padding, so I rolled the dice on a pair of S-Works 7 instead. They felt a tad too stiff in the showroom, especially that heel cup, but felt fantastic on the bike.
What I want are a pair of Asics Nimbus Gel (don't need the gel though) attached to a carbon fiber sole.
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Old 10-06-20, 04:09 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by zacster
The Specialized Torch 2 shoes I ordered just weren't comfortable so it is back to square 1. I'm thinking about the MTB shoe options now and converting my Assiomas as in the above video.
If you're going to go to all that effort you should really try this that I suggested...
https://www.bikeforums.net/21716072-post31.html

The five ten shoes use a special sticky rubber (originally used in mountain climbing shoes) that grab onto any pedal with pins, it's how I always imagined flats should be with no sliding around. Most comfortable way I've ever ridden a bike.
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Old 10-07-20, 08:18 AM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by PaulRivers
If you're going to go to all that effort you should really try this that I suggested...
https://www.bikeforums.net/21716072-post31.html

The five ten shoes use a special sticky rubber (originally used in mountain climbing shoes) that grab onto any pedal with pins, it's how I always imagined flats should be with no sliding around. Most comfortable way I've ever ridden a bike.
You are missing the point about the Assioma power meter pedals that I have, aside from the fact that I want to be clipped in. I have a bike with flat pedals and I find it a very inefficient way to ride, even if it is appropriate for pedaling around town. I ended up putting old fashioned toe clips on them.

I rode with my old shoes, Shimano RC7s, on a 50 mile ride without problem the other day and I decided to just keep using these until my feet fall off.
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Old 10-08-20, 06:58 AM
  #46  
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I just bought a set of Garmin Vector 3 pedals power meter. I have been using two bolt SPDs on all my bikes so now I need to buy new 3 bolt shoes. I have two pairs of SPD mountain bike shoes, both were under $100 retail and both are quite painful to wear. I'm hoping to find something in the $150 price range, possibly the Torch 2, that is more comfortable than what I have now, I don't see how I could do worse. Fingers crossed.
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Old 10-08-20, 04:09 PM
  #47  
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Does anyone have experience with Shimano's "wide type" shoes? The wide variant of the RC901s looks very interesting.
​​​​​​
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Old 10-08-20, 05:28 PM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by Branko D
Does anyone have experience with Shimano's "wide type" shoes? The wide variant of the RC901s looks very interesting.
​​​​​​
My RC7 are the regular width and I bought them because they were wider than anything else I tried. As I said above I think I'm just going to stick with them for now.

Maybe next we'll be able to shop normally and I can try a few pair on. Ordering and sending back just isn't going to work.
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Old 07-30-21, 07:22 PM
  #49  
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Well, here it is in summer of '21 and my feet are about to fall off. A week ago I tried using sorbothane inserts in my RC7 shoes and that didn't help at all. The problem is they are still too narrow for my aging feet. My first ride with them my right foot hurt some after only about 15 minutes, and the second ride was 50 miles and the left foot started to hurt at about mile 5.

Today I ordered a pair of Lake CX218 shoes in wide. If these work I'll be happy. I was looking again at the CX238 but they are so expensive for this old casual rider. I got a 20% off promo code plus used the points I have with BikeTiresDirect and I got them for less than $200 shipped and taxed. I really hope these work, and they could be my last pair of cycling shoes as they last a pretty long time. Oh shoot, I should have ordered cleats too.
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Old 09-05-21, 04:58 PM
  #50  
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The first pair of Lake CX218s were way too big so I sent them back. Looking around I couldn't find any sizes in any shoes, but then I went to the Lake website and they sell them direct too so I ordered a pair based on their sizing method and voila! A pair of shoes that fit well and are comfortable. These are also the CX218-X wide shoes but 1.5 sizes smaller. I haven't been out in them yet but that'll be tomorrow I hope. I haven't been on the bike in any case the last month or so for other reasons so I'll take it slow and get a feel for these.
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