Podiatrist visit: advises me to stretch my sidi's

[Kingfisher]

After developing a bunionette on left foot, went to see podiatrist yesterday and besides a small shot of cortisone he advised me to take sidis (genius 7 road) to a cobbler and have then stretched near front of shoe to account for my bunion.

Anybody else done this with cycling shoes? Is the device a once and done deal or do you keep going back for more shoe modifications? I suppose it is a devise that only cobblers have?

[charliedid]

Sorry to hear

I have used a ball peen hammer or a boot stretcher in the past. I good cobbler will have something like this which only stretches the area needed. You can buy the stretching fluid but I think it's just equal parts water and alcohol.

https://www.amazon.com/FootFitter-Bunion-Stretcher-Stretching-Device/dp/B000POHTOG

[Mikej]

Was the pain on your pinky toe? Bothe my wires and drakos cause me pain on only the right foot. I usually use little pads.

[MattTuck]

I seem to remember when I bought my sidi's that the material they use does not stretch, and will return to its shape if it is deformed. This may have just been in the context of normal use, can cobblers maybe have a way to over come that.

[Kingfisher]

Was the pain on your pinky toe? Bothe my wires and drakos cause me pain on only the right foot. I usually use little pads.

Yep pinky toe side
Dr did give me pads too

[ColonelJLloyd]

FWIW, I've taken shoes (Goodyear last shoes, not bike shoes) to the cobbler to be stretched. While it's cheap ($6) the odds aren't good the stretch is going to get dialed with one stretching treatment. After having another pair rebuilt they came back tighter than they were when I sent them to Allen Edmonds. So, I bought a $25 stretcher and a bottle of sauce (pretty sure it's just water and alcohol) on Amazon. They come with little bunion buttons you can add if needed. I don't regret it. The spray claims to help stretch shoes of all sorts of material, but I can't say as I've only used it on leather.

[2metalhips]

A hack that I have used on tight fitting shoes is to cut off the insole in the area where you have the issue. It will give your toe a bit more room. This has worked well for me.

[adub]

Or buy a new pair of S-works shoes. I have massive bunions and they have a nice, wide foot box.

[benb]

Yah.. sounds like he's trying to save you money but also saying that Sidi's don't exactly fit you well at all.

The S-works do have a huge toe-box. Bontrager also makes Toe boxes bigger than Sidi. AFAICT Sidi's have always been known to have tight toe boxes. Being italian they are definitely more fashionable, maybe the tight toe box goes with that. Let's be realistic, cyclists definitely think they are "cool" and that's partially fashion.

Sounds like doctors disagree somewhat but most of them say you get these from a) genetics b) years of poorly fitting shoes.

Most of us don't wear our bike shoes all the time, you must have other non cycling shoes that bother this too and were more likely to be the cause?

It's rampant with women in my family. Their feet are all reshaped to look like badly fitting fashionable pointy-toed shoes. Lots of misery.

[PSJoyce]

A pair of slightly too small Sidi Wires did a number on my little toes.

Bontrager shoes do have a rounder, taller toe box, as do Suplest shoes.

[Makuman]

Sorry to hear

I have used a ball peen hammer or a boot stretcher in the past. I good cobbler will have something like this which only stretches the area needed. You can buy the stretching fluid but I think it's just equal parts water and alcohol.

https://www.amazon.com/FootFitter-Bunion-Stretcher-Stretching-Device/dp/B000POHTOG

My LBS has one of these and stretched my giro's. Works great but I think it has slowly reconformed to its original state. Might get one of my own now that I know where to get one!

[sailorboy]

Hate to pile on but I agree that it might be time to try others. I loved sidis during my late 20's 30's, probably cuz I have a low-volume foot that works well in them. Eventually tho, I developed hot spots over the same high spots as my feet aged. Went to specialized for a few years, and now in shimanos and like them a lot. They have a wider toe box and the added bonus of heat-moulding for the upper level shoes. Worth it.

[Tony]

My LBS has one of these and stretched my giro's. Works great but I think it has slowly reconformed to its original state. Might get one of my own now that I know where to get one!

Many of the shoe stretchers have attachments to target specific areas in the toe.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0F2VX8/ref=asc_df_B01N0F2VX85211274/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B01N0F2VX8&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167126206764&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10705635180277262466&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032536&hvtargid=pla-306166359325

[charliedid]

My LBS has one of these and stretched my giro's. Works great but I think it has slowly reconformed to its original state. Might get one of my own now that I know where to get one!

Yes, synthetic leather has a desire to return to it's orig. state. I think a good soaking and using the stretcher tool locked down on it overnight helps. Of course repeat as needed. Also a leather shoe such as a LAKE could be handy in this situation.

[Kingfisher]

My LBS has one of these and stretched my giro's. Works great but I think it has slowly reconformed to its original state. Might get one of my own now that I know where to get one!

Just went on amazon and bought it....for now cheaper than a new pair of shoes. Will try and give report soon

[ls1togo]

I, too, visited my podiatrist after buying a new pair of Sidi Shots.. I had a small bunion on the outside of my right foot. She stretched it in the appropriate spot and "viola"!, problem solved!..they're great shoes and I'm glad it's worked out.

[Lewis Moon]

When I was climbing like a maniac, we used to wear new climbing shoes into the shower then let them dry as we walked (hobbled) around.
I also have it on personal data that a drenching downpour 20 miles out can reshape your shoes nicely.

[shoota]

Or buy a new pair of S-works shoes. I have massive bunions and they have a nice, wide foot box.

Surely you can't be serious.

[shoota]

Also a leather shoe such as a LAKE could be handy in this situation.

This right here. Lake is even making an extra wide shoe now. The leather is so soft and supple and with the dual boa straps you can tighten it down where you need it and not where you don't. Love em.

[11.4]

Someone touched on it briefly, but Lorica and similar synthetics used in a lot of modern cycling shoes simply doesn't stretch. That's part of the appeal, so riding in the rain doesn't ruin them. However, they either don't move at all, or you damage the stretched spot so it develops a crack later, or it stretches out a bit and shrinks back down. I've mostly found the first case, a couple times (says something about my intelligence that I had to learn this one twice after it not working already a few times) it cracked, and I've yet to be happy with the result. If it does stretches, it's very localized so you have a little bump rather than a good even stretch like you get with leather. I think you'll ruin the shoes. Your call, of course.

[Rpoole8537]

I was told by one shoe repairman that leather can be stretched but made made materials, not that much. I switched from Sidi to Giro and find they are more comfortable. My Sidi 5's are much sexier that my Giro Factors, but I'm a function over form guy! The older I get, the fussier my feet have become?

[ultraman6970]

OP swap to lake.

[11.4]

OP swap to lake.

Yes, actually, if you need a shoe that lets you tinker with it a bit (either just using alcohol or having a cobbler work on it), I always recommend Lake or Fizik.

[FlashUNC]

Find a natural leather upper, or one with a wider toe box. Synethic upper Sidis are renowed for being pretty bullet proof for a reason. That stuff does not deform much at all.

I'd throw in a recommendation for Bonts. Nice and wide if you've got toebox issues.

[buddybikes]

Why not Sidi- mega's with good insoles?

[Ralph]

If you don't do surgery, I would get shoes to fit.

I had bunion surgery about 20 years ago....but it didn't totally fix my issue. My big toes still pointed toward the next toe, and rubbed.

So this past July...finished the job. Had surgery to straighten out my big toe....had to break the toe and shave off some of the joint. Then to correct what was causing the (my) problem......over pronation......had a stent (looks like a crank arm bolt on a ST crankset) put into the slot above my foot structure, where the tibia and fibula bone connect. This lifted my arch, so now walking almost normally. At any rate....regular shoes now fit...and I don't wear callouses on my feet or toes any more. Was off the bike about 6 weeks. But now my cycling shoes fit, and my leg doesn't do the weird wobble at the bottom of the pedal stroke anymore (that always wore a sore spot on butt...no matter how I adjusted saddle). Good luck.

[fignon's barber]

If you don't do surgery, I would get shoes to fit.
.


This. I used to assist surgeons on bunion and hammertoe (also from tight fitting shoes) cases when I sold orthopedic implants. Both procedures are pretty nasty and if it costs a new pair of shoes to avoid the problem, it's well worth it.