Road shoes for "mature" feet?

[smontanaro]

Since my crash in 2017 I've been riding with toe clips and straps almost exclusively. My daily shoe in that environment is a pair of beat up Ribos. They have a thin leather upper, so stretch nicely. You wouldn't call them a "performance" shoe, though. I do have SPDs on one bike and use an ancient pair of Forté (Nashbar) shoes with them.

That doesn't mean I don't have clipless pedals. I have a drawer full of stuff that's followed me home: Sampson Stratics, Speedplay, Look KeO, probably one or two others. A couple days ago I installed the Speedplays (Light Action) on my Monti Special. I attached the cleats to an old set of Lake shoes and have ridden a couple times now. Either my feet have grown wider (used to be a 12D) or I've forgotten how uncomfortably narrow those shoes are. Maybe I just wear my Chacos too much in the summer, which allow my feet to spread out.

I went looking online, but the few descriptions I saw in online stores said nothing about width. I discovered this article:

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features...for-wide-feet/

It seems a number of manufacturers offer wide shoes, but jeebus, I'm not sure I want to take out a second mortgage to give them a try. Have any Paceliners taken any wide shoes out for a spin? Anything you like/don't like about them?

[oldguy00]

So, a few thoughts....

1. Assuming you are in the US, you have tons of places you can order shoes from to try on that offer free returns..
2. Consider seeing a podiatrist to address/identify any issues you might have. They may very well be able to make you a true custom orthotic that will make your existing shoes perfectly comfortable.
3. If you don't mind spending the money, consider a custom pair of Lamson shoes.

Cheers

[rccardr]

I’m a 13 wide with two different shaped feet thanks to my right big toe being semi-crushed about a decade ago. Have found that some Shimano shoes have a wide last, especially the SPD/MTB lace up ones. Also some of the Pearl Izumi lace up shoes. The design that has two velcro straps and a racheted third strap are also on the wide side.

My issue is always toe room, especially in the summer when feet swell after a long day in the saddle.

[bigbill]

I have bilateral neuropathy and went with Lamson about eighteen months ago. My toes need to sprawl in my shoes so Don built my shoes with a wide and tall toebox. They're also very expensive shoes, I think they're around $1400 now, about the cost of a mid-grade set of carbon wheels, but it is the best bang for the buck for anything cycling related in the past few decades. I've gone as long as seven hours and didn't think about my feet. Don also offers insoles.

I turn 60 in the spring, I went with two bolt and a lugged sole, and put some nice Look SPD type pedals on my Open Min.d.

[buddybikes]

Diabetic neuropathy in both feet, been through number of shoes - ended up with one size up Spec S-works

[pdonk]

I've had good success with lake cx242. The location of the boas and panel construction allows for lots of adjustments.

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by pdonk

I've had good success with lake cx242. The location of the boas and panel construction allows for lots of adjustments.

My son was a great swimmer because his feet are so wide. He has had great luck with Lakes.

[DfCas]

I use Sidi megas.

[Louis]

There's zero doubt in my mind that my feet (technically my forefeet) have gotten wider as I've aged.

I first started to notice it when I was ~55. Up to that point (since high-school) I was either 10 or more often 10.5, depending on the brand. Eventually even 10.5 started to get a bit tight, especially in new shoes that hadn't had a chance to grow with me over time. Now I automatically assume that I'm an 11 and haven't gotten anything other than that for several years.

[bthomas515]

I saw someone post on here a few years back about how we’ll spend hundreds to upgrade a cassette but not shoes, which are a necessity.

Spend a pretty penny on some wide lake shoes (followed their sizing guide online) and then bought corresponding winter ones.

Best biking decision I made!

[charliedid]

trek RSL

[smontanaro]

Thanks for the Lake CX recommendations. I see there are several models, looks like regular and wide? Oddly enough, I have two old pairs of Lake shoes. I mounted the Speedplay cleats on the pair I'd used most recently ("recently" being a relative term, maybe seven years ago). The other pair is CX100. I should give them a try. Maybe they are a bit wider.

For now I'm more focused on Eroica coming up next month, so probably won't do much more than a quick shoe swap before I get back.

[Spinner]

At 70, my feet are mature, wide (2E) and long (12). I also have a noteworthy bunion on my large right toe.

I had been wearing Sidi 46.5 M (mega width) for many years, but last year I took a chance on a pair of Sidi Genius 10 46.5 (standard width) on sale at Bike Closet.

These new shoes fit great, with plenty of room in the toe box. This was the first pair of biking shoes that I've bought online.

[Bikeman7]

I’ve tried Sidi Megas, Bont Vaypors in wide and Lakes in regular wide (vs extra wide). My favorite are the Lakes (CX238?). The Megas are a higher volume shoe but there is no difference in the sole dimensions between the “normal” shoe and the wide shoe. My little toe had a tendency to spill over the sole. The Bonts are really wide but very stiff (both upper and lower parts of shoe). I also found their online shoe size estimator to underestimate the shoe size I needed. If you watch some online bike store sites, you often find the Lakes on sale.

[cash05458]

I have very wide feet....same problem...try Northwave stuff...you don't have to put in double wide as they just go that way...nice shoes, not crazy pricey...I have used their shoes forever for the same reasons you are talking about...good shoes btw as well...one thing I will say via NW...order one half step above...if you are a 44 here...order 45...will fit much better etc...