Custom shoes

[Veloo]

Anyone ever gone through the process of having custom shoes made? I have wide feet, one lower arch and a middle toe longer than the others.
Currently riding with Lake wide CX330s but even these are not 100% comfy. I still get some numbness.

I see there are a number of offerings but have my eye on Simmons.

[oldguy00]

Anyone ever gone through the process of having custom shoes made? I have wide feet, one lower arch and a middle toe longer than the others.
Currently riding with Lake wide CX330s but even these are not 100% comfy. I still get some numbness.

I see there are a number of offerings but have my eye on Simmons.

I went down that road a while back, and finally gave up.
There are several pitfalls IMHO.
1. Workmanship is often questionable. Problems with leather, messy looking stitching, etc.
2. It is very difficult to get them perfect, and can involve a lot of shipping back and forth, modifications, etc.
3. Related to # 1, it can be a royal pain to get cleats mounted the same on each shoe because the holes are often not drilled in exactly the same positions on each shoe.......'custom'.... ;)
4. Price.

Oh and the so called 'custom' off the shelf shoes.....Bont for example, are not really custom. They have some moldable heel and side areas, but the main 'tub' and bottom are not moldable, and everyone I know that tried bont got rid of them. Uncomfortable, and near impossible to get an orthotic into them (you'll need it to give the empty tub bottom some shape) because of the very low volume of the shoe.

I finally realized I was better off finding a top quality shoe that came darn close to fitting great, and then using an orthotic if necessary. For me, Specialized S-works shoes are now my choice.

[William]

I know of a number of people who have been real happy with D2 Shoes (see link above).







William

[rnhood]

I recommend looking into a shoe like the Shinano R320 which are available in Wide, and can be molded. Wide variety of insoles available on the market. Numbness isn't necessarily a predictor of a custom shoe need. If you decided to go the custom route, be sure you can be fitted on site. Mail order/internet fits are too risky.

[David Kirk]

I have a pair of D2 full custom shoes and without them I might not be able to ride.

I have two different sized feet that require two different sized shoes so I would need to buy two pair of shoes any way you cut it. Add to that one of my insteps is very high and one fairly low and getting a good fit in stock shoes is really tough.

I first bought some Rocket 7 shoes and they were very light but the fit was never right and frankly they were not very well built. I bought the Rockets because they offer an industry discount and in the end they were, even with the discount, a waste of time and money.

I then rode in pain for a season in stock shoes and finally took the leap for some D2 shoes.

The process of fitting for the D2 was very thorough with lots of measurements, photos and foam bed impressions and it gave me a good feeling that things would come out well. I got the shoes and slipped them on and as silly as it sounds they felt like they were made for me.........it felt like they used my actual feet to form the shoes around and I had no pressure points or hot spots and the arch support was just as it should be.

I've had the shoes for about 7 years now and they are a bit scuffed and dusty but they fit and perform like new. Nothing has broken down, no seems have come loose, nothing has ripped..............you get the idea.

I would buy another pair in a minute and think they might be the finest piece of cycling gear I've ever owned. I know this sounds over the top enthusiastic but it's my experience.

I think the price for D2's has gone up over the years and may be pretty high compared to a stock shoe..............but if you ride in pain in stock shoes the price can be worth it. It was for me.

I'd call D2 and tell them about your feet and see what they can offer.

dave

P.S. - I don't know the folks at D2 beyond my ordering shoes from them years ago and I'm not sponsored or connected to them in any way.



http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/10038451303_bd0bbf94af_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7303/10038374956_b6becb91f5_b.jpg

[djg21]

Go with D2. Don stands behind his shoes, and will work with you to make them perfect, to the extent they are not perfect out of the box. The fit kit seems intimdating, but really is pretty simple if you familiarize yourself with the quite detailed instructions. Mounting the cleats also is pretty foolproof, as Don marks the soles where the midpoint of the cleat should be initially placed based on the size and structure of your foot. You then can move the cleat fore or aft to suit your personal preferences.

The shoes are very well-made -- I still have D2 shoes in my closet that are over 15 years old. They last.

Here's a recent review of the new Powerwire shoe:

http://www.pelotonmagazine-digital.com/pelotonmagazine/october_2013?pg=41#pg41

[BdaGhisallo]

D2!

I have two pairs of Superflys and a pair of the new Powerwires should be shipping out to me today!

They are so much better than any stock shoe I ever tried, and in 25 yrs of riding, I have tried them all. I too have wierd foot issues with very short big toes in comparison to my second toes. That means the balls of my feet are a good 2-3cm behind where they should be based on the length of my second toes. Getting cleats far enough back has always been a challenge, often aided by dremels and files and other efforts to shape cleats to afford more rearward placement on shoes.

They are expensive, and they probably will require a trip back to D2 for adjustments, but they are well worth it in the end for the comfort and performance you'll get.

I had my fitting kit done by Don Clapp in Longbranch NJ since, with this kind of investment, I didn't trust myself or my wife to get it done properly. Call D2 and Don will point you to someone who can do the same if you wish.


I spent years and years and much money on countless different shoes and I wish I had gone with D2 sooner.

[John H.]

I have tried custom too. It did not work for me.
I also have funky feet. 2 different sizes, collapsing arches, big bunions, very wide in forefoot.
I got D2 shoes in 2008. They were never right. I sent them back multiple times and they were still not right. Finally I gave up on the process.
That said, I would still recommend custom shoes if you have exhausted all stock options.
I would consider trying D2 again- I like the idea.
But I would suggest going straight to the source- have Don fit you and take your molds- get a look at your feet.

[wallymann]

same here. the rocket7s i had were a waste of time and money and source of much frustration. i punted on them and committed to sidi with much success.

i've looked longingly at D2 for years and years, but my R7 experience has soured me on customs.

i'm scared of "stiffness" factor associated with bonts. the last thing i want is rawhide shoes beating my pathetically sensitive feet up.

but those D2s...the dream lives!

...
I first bought some Rocket 7 shoes and they were very light but the fit was never right and frankly they were not very well built. I bought the Rockets because they offer an industry discount and in the end they were, even with the discount, a waste of time and money.
...

[thenewguy11]

I'll add another recommendation for D2. I had a problem with numbness on the ball of my right foot. Turns out its quite a bit wider than my left foot. The D2 shoe/orthotics totally solved the issue. I'd agree with Mr. Kirk that they are the best cycling apparel purchase I've made.

[mcteague]

The only shoes that don't cause me problems seem to be Shimano. Sidi and Giro both have lasts that feel like there is a pencil in my shoe. Tried on many others but they just don't feel right. As my bike is Campy w/Time pedals I really did not want to go back to Shimano but what are you gonna do? Sure cheaper than D2s.

Tim

[redir]

I've thought about getting a custom shoe made but $1200 is out of the question for shoes. My problem is that I have really long (size14) but super thin feet. I guess shoe makers assume that if you have a long foot it must be fat too. So I settled in on Shimano something or other forgot the model that are moldable and they have been by far the best shoes I've ever owned. I think Shimano's tend to be wide to start with and then they just shrink fit to my thin feet. Apparently I can have it done one more time to tighten them up when or if necessary.

[jt2gt]

Holy wow...12-1500 bones...you're tellin me the price has gone up over the years, dang. The wire ones do look really nice for sure.

I am on Shimano r320...only shoes I can ride without any heel slip and not have to crank all the way down which is what causes numbing for me.

JT

Go with D2. Don stands behind his shoes, and will work with you to make them perfect, to the extent they are not perfect out of the box. The fit kit seems intimdating, but really is pretty simple if you familiarize yourself with the quite detailed instructions. Mounting the cleats also is pretty foolproof, as Don marks the soles where the midpoint of the cleat should be initially placed based on the size and structure of your foot. You then can move the cleat fore or aft to suit your personal preferences.

The shoes are very well-made -- I still have D2 shoes in my closet that are over 15 years old. They last.

Here's a recent review of the new Powerwire shoe:

http://www.pelotonmagazine-digital.com/pelotonmagazine/october_2013?pg=41#pg41

[R2D2]

I've also had good results with D2.
But they sure have gone up.

[djg21]

I've also had good results with D2.
But they sure have gone up.

All prices are going up! Look at bikes. Sidi's top-of-the-line shoes now cost over $500. Is it really surprising to pay more for shoes that are lasted and sewn by hand and take days to build? How many shoes can D2 build in a week? How many can Sidi mass-produce in the same time? Sometimes, you get what you pay for!

[R2D2]

All prices are going up! Look at bikes. Sidi's top-of-the-line shoes now cost over $500. Is it really surprising to pay more for shoes that are lasted and sewn by hand and take days to build? How many shoes can D2 build in a week? How many can Sidi mass-produce in the same time? Sometimes, you get what you pay for!

I wasn't complaining.
Just surprised at the jump.
When I bought mine they had a factory in Mexico and the shoes were less expensive.

[djg21]

I wasn't complaining.
Just surprised at the jump.
When I bought mine they had a factory in Mexico and the shoes were less expensive.

I didn't mean to suggest you were complaining, and wasn't responding just to your comments. Sorry.

[R2D2]

I didn't mean to suggest you were complaining, and wasn't responding just to your comments. Sorry.

No problem. I've been a fan of D2's for years. I have an older pair of Rando ( now Ultra).

[damocles]

Oh and the so called 'custom' off the shelf shoes.....Bont for example, are not really custom. They have some moldable heel and side areas, but the main 'tub' and bottom are not moldable, and everyone I know that tried bont got rid of them. Uncomfortable, and near impossible to get an orthotic into them (you'll need it to give the empty tub bottom some shape) because of the very low volume of the shoe.


I have very challenged feet as well (high arch, big volume), but am having very good experiences in a non-custom, but wide size, Bont Vaypor with a custom Solestar (www.solestar.com) insole.

I've used Sidi's, Shimano's, etc before, and also tried non cycling specific orthotics of various flavours. The Solestars were custom for both my goofy feet and the Bont shoe, and taking that combo approach has served me very well.

I think there is a ton of uniqueness for people in feet and footwear though. What works for one isn't going to work for another.