Assessing heel lift

[kgreene10]

I had a recent thread on custom shoes and received a lot of very useful ideas. Thank you.

I decided to give another go with stock shoes, so I made the rounds to several LBSs today. While trying on shoes, I realized that I have no clue how to assess the degree of heel lift without being in the bike.

For clarity, I’m talking about road shoes and I’m interested in max efficiency as I try to return to racing after a major accident two years ago. Recovery has been very slow, but I was lucky and am on the upswing. This is my last go at racing at age 55, so I don’t want to leave anything on the table. Hence the hand-wringing over heel lift.

In the store, what’s the best way to test for heel lift? if I put weight on the ball of my foot, the heel barely lifts in my current (but wearing out SWorks 6) shoes. In new ones I try on, there is a range from about 1cm to 3cm of lift. Is this indicative of what would happen with cleats attached while pedaling or is it a flawed analogy?

Thanks in advance for your sage advice.

[MikeD]

I'm not sure you can even get heel lift when pedaling a bike. I've never experienced it.

[kgreene10]

Originally Posted by MikeD

I'm not sure you can even get heel lift when pedaling a bike. I've never experienced it.

I have, frequently. It only afflicts the thin-heeled among us.

[bironi]

Try google to pose your question, add REI and scan the entire article.
A pretty good response included.

[Peter P.]

Ask to bring your bike and put it on a trainer, perhaps in some out of the way corner. Heck; bring your own trainer if you have a portable one.

If you're going to spend good money on shoes at a retailer, I would think they would accommodate you. If not, take your money elsewhere.

[kgreene10]

Originally Posted by Peter P.

Ask to bring your bike and put it on a trainer, perhaps in some out of the way corner. Heck; bring your own trainer if you have a portable one.

If you're going to spend good money on shoes at a retailer, I would think they would accommodate you. If not, take your money elsewhere.

I can’t imagine they would let me attach cleats and ride with the shoes, even in store, before purchasing. Most etailers say shoes are returnable but not if cleats have been attached.

[djg21]

Originally Posted by kgreene10

I had a recent thread on custom shoes and received a lot of very useful ideas. Thank you.

I decided to give another go with stock shoes, so I made the rounds to several LBSs today. While trying on shoes, I realized that I have no clue how to assess the degree of heel lift without being in the bike.

For clarity, I’m talking about road shoes and I’m interested in max efficiency as I try to return to racing after a major accident two years ago. Recovery has been very slow, but I was lucky and am on the upswing. This is my last go at racing at age 55, so I don’t want to leave anything on the table. Hence the hand-wringing over heel lift.

In the store, what’s the best way to test for heel lift? if I put weight on the ball of my foot, the heel barely lifts in my current (but wearing out SWorks 6) shoes. In new ones I try on, there is a range from about 1cm to 3cm of lift. Is this indicative of what would happen with cleats attached while pedaling or is it a flawed analogy?

Thanks in advance for your sage advice.

If you flex at the ball of your foot, you’l have at least some heel lift no matter how well the shoe fits. But you don’t flex at the ball of your foot while pedaling.

[benb]

You sure there is not some fit element in this that couldn't help?

I have some MTB shoes I have a monster amount of heel lift in. I have had my foot come completely out of the shoe pushing the bike up a really steep hill!

But as soon as I get on the bike zero heel lift.

[kgreene10]

Originally Posted by djg21

If you flex at the ball of your foot, you’l have at least some heel lift no matter how well the shoe fits. But you don’t flex at the ball of your foot while pedaling.

Yes, my point exactly.

I’m hoping someone has a better approach to assessing acceptable amounts of heel lift when trying on shoes in store?

[charliedid]

Go to a local TREK shop and try XXX (on sale) and the new RSL or Velocis. You have 30 days to love them and can indeed ride them...good chance even on a trainer inside to help. XXX and RSL have pretty narrow heel cups with a grippy cats tongue like fabric, and new RSL wider toe box by a mile.

[kgreene10]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Go to a local TREK shop and try XXX (on sale) and the new RSL or Velocis. You have 30 days to love them and can indeed ride them...good chance even on a trainer inside to help. XXX and RSL have pretty narrow heel cups with a grippy cats tongue like fabric, and new RSL wider toe box by a mile.

Just did a couple of hours ago. The new RSL is much better — fits like an SWorks Torch. The heel is still too wide for me, or at least wider than the SWorks 6 and I experience heel more heel lift when trying on in the shop. I would have purchased to test, except that they didn’t have my size.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by kgreene10

Just did a couple of hours ago. The new RSL is much better — fits like an SWorks Torch. The heel is still too wide for me, or at least wider than the SWorks 6 and I experience heel more heel lift when trying on in the shop. I would have purchased to test, except that they didn’t have my size.

Got it.

Limited sizes for a while....what color and size you looking for?

[kgreene10]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Got it.

Limited sizes for a while....what color and size you looking for?

Black, probably 45.5 — they seem to run a bit larger than Specialized in this model. I may wait to see if a sale materializes.

[mjb266]

I would bet $$$ you could find a NOS SW6.

[Pinned]

If you are getting heel lift while on the bike I'd suggest starting with a good bike fit - something needs to be altered and a good bike fitter will be able to assess and fit for shoes within that.