Any esole experience out there?

[dcuper1]

I have knee pain I have been dealing with for several years. I have very pronated feet and thought the specialized shoes could help me due to their 1.5mm varus built in. I still have pain after using the specialized shoes and after adding extra varus inserts. After going to several professional bike fits, I am thinking one of the only things I didn't do is get a custom insole. There is a esole dealer in my area I could go to. So, any experiences with custom esole out there? Did they help anyone with tracking issues? I also realize I may have to get new cycling shoes since I don't know if the custom insoles will work with the specialized shoes which have a 1.5mm varus built in.

Daniel

[jlwdm]

I have used esoles for about 2 1/2 years and really like them. I have them for tracking purposes only - not for any pain.

I did need larger shoes. I was wearing a Sidi 46 regular. I needed and bought new shoes when I got the esoles. I went with Sidi 46.5 mega. As I understand it the 46.5 is the same length as the 46 but it has more volume.

It looked like I needed a 47 as my feet are getting flatter as I get older, but with the esole more of an arch was created which made my foot shorter. Fortunately my esole fitter knew that right away.

I like them well enough that I just got another pair of esoles with the same Sidi shoes for another location.

Jeff

[Ralph]

You may have severe pronation....but your basic knee problem sounds to me like more of a saddle height problem, or how far saddle is behind BB. I don't know your age, but some of us "old guys" have aches and pains the bike fitters don't understand. I pronate a lot (and use Specialized shoes), but generally when I have knee pain, it's because I've done something to my saddle (or changed saddles), and my seat height is too low or saddle too much forward. My chonic knee pain (some arthritis) stays away when my saddle is high, just below the point of being to high for smooth pedaling, and when my saddle is shoved back (using plumb bob nose of saddle about 3 1/4" behind BB), so I'm kinda pedaling more out front VS pedaling down. I also do better with 170's VS longer cranks....even though 172.5 isn't much longer, my knees seem to notice the slightly larger circles. That's just how my old worn out body is, and I'm yet to find anyone who knows more about how to avoid pain in my body than myself. As of now, I can usually do 100-120 miles each week, mostly pain free. Good luck finding relief !

[Idris Icabod]

No experience with e-soles but just as an FYI I had knee pain a few years ago and was referred to a decent physio who did the measurements and declared I needed a 4 degree wedge in each shoe, took foot molds and had custom orthotics made for me. This was all covered by insurance, you may want to look in to this route to save you some money. This was about 6 years ago and still totally pain free. E-soles had a booth in Sam's Club a few months ago and I chatted with them, they seemed to know their stuff and I was tempted to try a pair but why mess with success.

[dcuper1]

No experience with e-soles but just as an FYI I had knee pain a few years ago and was referred to a decent physio who did the measurements and declared I needed a 4 degree wedge in each shoe, took foot molds and had custom orthotics made for me. This was all covered by insurance, you may want to look in to this route to save you some money. This was about 6 years ago and still totally pain free. E-soles had a booth in Sam's Club a few months ago and I chatted with them, they seemed to know their stuff and I was tempted to try a pair but why mess with success.

How did you find your Physio? One of the problems is I haven't found any podiatrist or orthopedian that really knows cycling and custom orthotics that will work with cycling. I went to one podiatrist but he was just going to give me a general orthotic. He didn't even really know it would work inside cycling shoes. It is hard to bridge that gap between doctor and bike fitter.

[Peter P.]

Your knee pain COULD be caused by the built-in varus tilt in your Specialized shoes, even though your experience/knowledge says you need the varus adjustment.

My foot tilt told me I "needed" varus wedges and I tried them, even though I had no pain. But I began to experience mysterious pain in my foot after inserting the wedges. It took a while to figure the wedges were the cause.

You might want to try a shoe with no built-in tilt.

[Idris Icabod]

How did you find your Physio? One of the problems is I haven't found any podiatrist or orthopedian that really knows cycling and custom orthotics that will work with cycling. I went to one podiatrist but he was just going to give me a general orthotic. He didn't even really know it would work inside cycling shoes. It is hard to bridge that gap between doctor and bike fitter.

He was recommended by the specialist I saw whom I assumed knew of his cycling expertise, this was when I first moved to Tucson (his colleague is an ex-US track cyclist). I've found that many cyclists know of the fellow via word of mouth. You may want to ask around or post messages on cycling websites to see if someone knows of anyone in your locality (RBR.com has regional forums with quite heavy traffic that may be worth a try). I had seen Andy Pruitt when I lived in Boulder, CO but I think this guy in AZ went far above and beyond what Pruitt did for me. I was video taped riding my bicycle with dots on my joints which they used to measure leg angles.

[KeithS]

Sounds like my experience, I had knee pain for years, even lots of tweaking by a fitter I trust only gave temporary releif. Last winter my LBS got started working with a podiatrist who specializes in cycling. They have some sophisticated gear to image my foot and some not so sophisticated stuff too. I started using the orthotic in the winter through spring and it gave me tremendous relief. My 10 year old son was referred to a podiatrist and when she saw my pronation she wanted to examine me too. I was diagnosed with a tarsal coalition (look it up, it's kinda weird), and she casted me for a custom orthotic. I have one for regular use and another that stays in my cycling shoes. It has made lots of difference, I think it is the fact I always wear the orthotic and it is custom.

I had to get new shoes too, my SIDI's on my narrow foot got along really well without the orthotic. I tried another brand (Louis Garneau) that mold to the foot after heating, but they didn't work because they lost length too. The shoes that is. I wear a 50 so there are not a lot of choices in shoes, I think we are going back to SIDI.

It made a lot of difference for me, but I have a pretty severe pronation. I am really glad I don't hit the crank anymore though.

[Bob Ross]

Geez, ya run into all types here... :) Hi Daniel!

fwiw I use esoles with Specialized BG shoes, no problem getting them to work/fit. They replace the BG insole completely.

While I can't say that the esoles have cured my knee pain (ha! not by a long stretch...but I had a "pre-existing condition" long before I got in to cycling), they've certainly stabilized my feet & hence knees in a way that the Specialized BG footbeds didn't. So I'm happy with them...but the only reason I'm not still searching for a solution is because I'm lazy, not because they've achieved the objective 100%.

/Bob Ross

[benb]

Same situation.. I'm not using the eSoles product (though I might try it in the future) but I'm essentially using the exact same thing they sell, just from a local guy.

My feet are super flexible.. it gives me shin splints running and gave me some knee issues cycling.. with the orthotics everything tracks nicely, although I still have to be super careful with the fit of my bike.

[Charles M]

I have knee pain I have been dealing with for several years. I have very pronated feet and thought the specialized shoes could help me due to their 1.5mm varus built in. I still have pain after using the specialized shoes and after adding extra varus inserts. After going to several professional bike fits, I am thinking one of the only things I didn't do is get a custom insole. There is a esole dealer in my area I could go to. So, any experiences with custom esole out there? Did they help anyone with tracking issues? I also realize I may have to get new cycling shoes since I don't know if the custom insoles will work with the specialized shoes which have a 1.5mm varus built in.

Daniel


A truly "Professional" fitting would include your feet...

We can E-FIT you here (and make all the same bad assumtions) or you can go do it right.

Where do you live?



FWIW I have esoles and they've done a great job, which is to say, the same job as other custom inserts.


But insoles are incidental.

They need to take into consideration your set up and what adjustments need making to resolve the issue.

A perfectly formed insole, set up to the wrong tilt (or for the wrong shoe, because some shoes have built in tilt) will do you no good what so ever.


Insoles dont solve your problem.

Proper application of good insoles might help.


You need a better fitter.

[KeithS]

My orthotic was a component of the fitting. Still working on it. Not cured, but not riding in pain anymore either.

[dcuper1]

A truly "Professional" fitting would include your feet...

We can E-FIT you here (and make all the same bad assumtions) or you can go do it right.

Where do you live?



FWIW I have esoles and they've done a great job, which is to say, the same job as other custom inserts.


But insoles are incidental.

They need to take into consideration your set up and what adjustments need making to resolve the issue.

A perfectly formed insole, set up to the wrong tilt (or for the wrong shoe, because some shoes have built in tilt) will do you no good what so ever.


Insoles dont solve your problem.

Proper application of good insoles might help.


You need a better fitter.

I live in New York City. I know there is signature cycles in Manhattan. I am saving my money to go visit them since it would cost me 400 dollars for a fit + 200 for an esole + another 250 for new shoes I probably need + anything else they will probably tell me I should get.

It is so tough since I already had two professional fittings through the years. I had one with the retul system and another one with a very respectable fitter. They did help me some, but they definitely made some terrible mistakes like placing my seat 2cm higher than I usually ride it. I started getting tremendous pain behind me knee afterwords. I always had knee pain just sometimes more than others. I have gone back to my previous fitter three times to correct the fit, but to no avail, pain still there. He definitely didn't really look at the feet. Now I am probably getting ready for the most expensive fit of all with signature cycles. I just hope it won't be another waste of money and time.

Daniel