Make cycling shoe comfort your priority this season
It’s Gran Fondo and Cycling Sportive season again, and cyclists all over the globe will be testing themselves on roads, hoping that all of that indoor training over winter has paid off. Those who have braved the winter weather and ridden in all weathers, will now be enjoying the sun and benefitting from winter miles making springtime smiles on the bike. And all of them, wherever they ride, will be hoping for comfortable rides, tuning their bikes and preparing for the first event of their own cycling season.
However, and I’m afraid that it’s a big ‘however’. How many cyclists out there will be thinking about a little foot love this season? Will their feet and their cycling shoes be high on the list of important preparations. Yes, cycling clubs will be arranging ‘reliability’ rides, where bikes and general performance will be checked. Riders will be booking bikes in for services; but will they be booking their feet in for a shoe fitting session, to try to alleviate those hotspots, tingles and tight, ill-fitting shoe pains from last season? Too frequently, cyclists will go online and buy the best sale offer cycling shoes, believing that ‘one size fits all’, only to begin their cycling season as they left it last year – in pain and discomfort on the bike.
Celebrating the uniqueness of your feet
Did you know that U.K. police forces began collating individual footprints from crime scenes and criminals in 2007. Yes, nearly 20 years ago, it was widely recognised that every one of us has a different shaped foot and that we use it in a unique way. Think about that for a second, and then you begin to understand why here at Lake, we offer you the most varied selection of cycling shoe lasts in the world, and in 3 different width fittings too. We do it simply because you are unique.
Your foot may be 28 cm in length and be 8 cm across, and yes, there are cycling shoe brands out there that have used this data to create a cycling shoe for those 2 measurements. However, the volume of your foot is unique, as is the depth of the foot and the shape of it. How you use it on the bike will also be unique, due to your overall physiology, meaning that a bike fit would also be beneficial – starting at your feet as the foundation.
Foot Volume is critical for cycling shoe comfort
Okay then, then talk about foot volume and what this is, because once you understand it, you’ll be better able to make informed decisions about the right cycling shoes for you. It refers to the amount of space that your foot occupies inside of a shoe – or cycling shoe in this instance. It is absolutely distinct and different from length and width and can be impacted upon by the instep.
- High Volume Feet are deep feet with high arches, high insteps, or extra width across the top. Cyclists with high-volume feet often feel like their cycling shoes are too tight across the top of their foot, requiring them to loosen the BOA or the laces. Too frequently, poor retailers will try – and fail – to compensate the shoe volume by putting the high-volume foot into a longer shoe. It really isn’t going to work and will add to the problems.
- Low Volume Feet are “shallow” or thin feet that do not fill up the space in the top of a shoe. Cyclists with low-volume feet may experience some extra space in the shoe, leading to slipping, lack of grip and too much movement.
One of the things to understand is that a person can have long, narrow feet that are also “high volume” because they are very thick, or conversely, they can have wide, flat feet that are “low volume” because they are thin. As you begin to see, buying cycling shoes online without getting properly measured, isn’t really a good idea. The primary driver of volume is the height of the instep, measured by the circumference from the floor, over the arch, and back to the floor. Our cycling shoes are varied in their design and construction so that we are able to cater for these issues, and to offer a cycling shoe that is suitable for you – whether you have high-volume or low-volume feet. Ultimately, it’s all about comfort – everything else follows on from this.
Comfort comes first, and performance follows
Yes, E does equal MC2, but the most important equation for any cyclist is: comfort = Power & performance. If you are going to be able to give your maximum on the bike, then it starts with finding your form and fit – in getting the right cycling shoes for your own unique feet.
We constantly talk about the various shoe lasts that we use here at Lake, but it’s worth reminding you why we do so and the differences. Here’s a few of our most popular lasts and the differences between them:
- CX/ TX Comfort Plus Last – The Comfort Plus last has the most generous forefoot platform of all of our CX lasts. This last will accommodate a multitude of foot shapes and allow for toe splaying. Made for those riders who struggle to find an unrestricted shoe for the shape of their feet.
- CX/ TX Competition Last – With a profile specifically designed for very high-cadence riding & higher pressure, our Competition last features a more curved profile than the Sport last. The main differences include increased toe pitch & heel lift, a tighter heel & a slightly wider ball girth to allow the foot to expand under high pedalling pressures.
- CX/ TX Race Last – Featuring a slightly narrower toe box & tighter heel than the Competition last and less overall volume than the Sport last. Designed for very high-cadence riding & higher pressure and a slimmer fit.
You can also see from the image here that each of these lasts have a distinct shape to them. We’re the only cycling shoe brand in the world that focuses so much attention towards getting your form and fit correct and accurate; and we’re able to do this by having the most varied selection of high-quality, high-performance and comfortable cycling shoes in the world. Here’s a few of our current models, based on the 3 lasts shown above, to give you something to think about.
Lake CX201 A cycling shoe for summer climbing and comfort
If you want the ultimate in comfortable cycling shoes and you have wide feet, then the CX201 – built on our Comfort Plus Last might just be the perfect cycling shoe for you. Coming in black or white colour options, the CX201 takes foot comfort and fit to the next level. With a wider toe box and a unique construction that offers a light weight and extremely breathable shoe, alongside a generous forefoot platform that accommodates a multitude of foot shapes, it looks stylish as well as looking after your feet all day long.
It’s a cycling shoe specifically designed to be one of the world’s most comfortable cycling shoes. We’ve used the materials in such a way that they complement each other in performance and aesthetics. The rear of the upper merges seamlessly with the mesh to the forefoot area, adding that sleek and modern look, and producing maximum breathability for your feet, whilst also looking sensational.
This stylish and technical shoe is achieved by using Clarino Microfiber, with a NuFOAM™ breathable, wicking shell, with Trek-Dry antimicrobial liner. NuFoam’s unique design works in a way that keeps your foot feeling cool and dry. WE also worked in detail on the toe box area, to create a wider toe box that gives your feet the space that they need. Along with the technicity of the materials used in the upper, it’s a cycling shoe that will provide you with the right level of lateral support and comfort, whilst allowing your feet to breathe as you work hard on the ride. It’s finished off with a Comfort Plus Carbon Composite Sole, providing all the necessary stability on the pedal, and ensuring maximum power transfer.
CX403: Performance and comfort in the CX Race Last
At the other end of the volume and width spectrum is our CX403 – a cycling shoe for ultimate performance, built on our Race Last. The CX403 is the pinnacle of cycling shoe design. Every aspect of this shoe is purposeful, with a goal of offering the highest performance and comfort, by delivering optimal power transfer.
Created with super light and strong, Klite Kangaroo leather and Carbitex Omni Flex carbon fiber stabilizer support panels to help keep the foot stabilized, it has controlled stretch and allows for increased power transfer. For added comfort we lined the shoe with perforated Kangaroo leather, maximising fit and feel for great fit & feel, before finishing it off with a moldable carbon heel cup for ultimate stability and power transfer. It has the top of the range BOA Li2 dial, the most advanced closure platform in cycling, offering a precise, micro-adjustable fit in both directions and designed to resist abrasion.
If you’re serious about your cycling performance – and the Lake CX Race Last fits your own feet, then this is the cycling shoe for you.
At the end of the day, the most important factor is fit. From here, we at Lake will always deliver the ultimate in cycling shoe comfort. Ultimately, this allows you to deliver maximum performance on those special sportive rides in Europe and elsewhere, on those competitive Gran Fondo’s that you’ve worked so hard for. Finding the right form and fit for your cycling shoes should be the foundation of every successful cycling season. Why not visit one of our expert retail partners and wrap your own feet in our legendary cycling shoe comfort.