Cycling season is upon us – so, get ready to ride, once more!
Winter is finally saying farewell to cyclists, and Flanders is preparing itself for some of the most epic racing of the year, with the onset of the forthcoming spring classics. This heartland of European cycling has no equal when it comes to tough and unrelenting cycling routes; and the Spring classics allow us as spectators – and the world’s top cycling teams – to see who will be leading the peloton this cycling season.
The opening race – Omloop Het Nieuwsblad – sets riders off, on the 28th of February; with the legendary Kuurne–Bruxelles–Kuurne coming the following day. It’s a brutal weekend for riders, and the comfort of their feet is as critical an element as a lightweight and aero bike. Ultimately, comfort equals performance, and ensures that you’re ready in mind and body, to take on those cycling challenges.
For us mere mortals, Kuurne–Bruxelles–Kuurne Gran Fondo, which takes place on the day preceding the pro peloton classic, is an opportunity to tackle this iconic course where legends are born. And, with Lake cycling shoes wrapping your unique cycling feet, you’ll have the right tools to create your own timeless memories. However, with so many road cycling shoes to choose from across our range, the question is: ‘which is the right cycling shoe for me this season?’ Our advice is to book a visit to one of our expert shoe fitting and bike fitting partners, and find your own perfect fit, before tackling your own classics calendar this year.
However, here’s a few suggestions, from the world’s most extensive range of high-performance and race-ready cycling shoes, with unequalled comfort – from Lake, of course!
Cycling shoes for comfort & speed
The key thing to realise when choosing your next pair of cycling shoes, is that you won’t necessarily gain super-powers on the bike by wearing the same cycling shoe as the top riders in the pro peloton. No, the UCI World Tour team DS staff won’t necessarily be looking your way; so, the key thing is to be comfortable and to wear the cycling shoe that suits your own unique feet. Concentrating on comfort will always bring you performance, as it eradicates a multitude of other issues that can arise from ill-fitting cycling shoes.
For the regular club cyclist, entering a few events and looking for performance, then the Lake CX333 and the CX239 are good starting points – if the ‘last’ shape is the right one for your own foot shape, of course. You can click here to find out more about the various lasts that we use, here at Lake. However, let’s introduce you to our CX333; a cycling shoe that brings together over 40 years of innovation and expertise, and which we believe redefines what a road cycling shoe should bring to the rider: comfort, performance and style in perfect harmony.
Lake CX333 – built on our Race Last
When we created the CX333, we looked in detail at every aspect along the cycling journey that we’d taken since 1982. Ultimately, when you have a passion for cycling as we do at Lake, it translates to a lifelong passion. It’s in our blood, and we remain devoted to creating the ultimate cycling shoes. For us, the CX333 fits the bill right now, maximising comfort and performance, translating your effort into power on the bike. It’s designed on our CX Race ‘last’ and features a slightly narrower toe box and a tighter heel, with a firmer grip than the Lake Competition last, and less overall volume than our Sport last.
Utilising leading technologies, such as a Carbitex arch support panel, and a heat moldable internal Thermaform Carbon Fiber heel counter, to give you the most secure fit possible, the CX333 wraps your feet in a performance oriented second-skin, whilst giving you stability and breathability, allowing you to simply focus on the road ahead. The CX333 comes with a choice of uppers. You can have either Klite Kangaroo leather with a supreme quality leather lining, or Clarino Microfiber upper with Outlast temperature regulating lining. Each material has its own specific benefits – outlined on our materials page here. The Carbitex arch support panel and a heat moldable internal Thermaform Carbon Fiber heel counter, finish of that perfect fit feeling, giving unrivalled security and stability.
Using the BOA® Fit System Li2 dials, the Li2 dial is the most advanced platform in cycling, offering a precise, micro-adjustable fit in both directions and designed to resist abrasion. Additionally, the plush leather tongue provides a comforting barrier against the secure grip of the BOA® closure system. The CX333 is a cycling shoe designed for high-cadence riding, such as a Gran Fondo or classics sportive; with a slimmer and stylish performance fit. Chosen by many of the world’s top cyclists in the pro peloton, it’s a superb cycling shoe to maximise your own performance, this spring.
Lake CX239 – built on our Competition Last
For a slightly roomier fitting cycling shoe, the Lake Competition Last features a larger toe box and a tighter heel cup than the Comfort Plus Last and comes with slightly more overall volume than our Sport Last. Our Lake CX239 is an exceptionally secure cycling shoe, with the competition last benefitting from a slightly wider ball girth to allow the foot to expand under high pedalling pressures. It has an integrated tongue to the medial panel of the upper for a firmer foot hold, ensuring that power is maximized into forward momentum through improved stability. All important aspects, when you’re tackling those long, rolling routes of spring, as you venture onto the roads, once more.
The CX239 also has a fiberglass reinforced internal heel counter, creating a more stable heel hold, and has more spacing between the two BOA® dials to give greater zone adjustment to the forefoot area. It takes one of our favourite cycling shoes to a whole new level of comfort, fit and performance – perfect for those challenging days; whether you’re tackling a spring classics Gran Fondo, or simply sharing a coffee ride with cycling friends.
The upper on the CX239 is stylishly modern and sleek, with minimal stitching and is form-fitting to give you a glove like feel that over time creates a perfect match to your foot. The protective heel panel and rubber toe bumper help protect the upper from those regular scuffs and scratches that tend to arise through a busy cycling season Looking after your cycling shoes is key; and these subtle additions to the CX239 will help you to keep them looking pristine for longer. It also has an Outlast temperature regulating heel, maintaining a breathable, durable & firm grip to your foot, alongside a tongue lining for extra comfort when the shoe is adjusted with the dual BOA® closure system.
Spring is in the air – so get Lake unrivalled comfort on your feet
As the riders in the pro peloton take to the roads once more, with Flanders providing the backdrop; this heartland of cycling will be awash with ordinary cyclists, living their own dreams and riding their own routes with friends. Too many cyclists are wearing the wrong cycling shoes for their own unique feet, and the resulting pain can lead to a multitude of health-related problems – whilst significantly affecting your performance and enjoyment of cycling.
With the spring classics comes a new excitement, and an opportunity for us each to prepare ourselves for a spring and summer filled with new cycling adventures. By taking the time to visit a Lake shoe fitting expert, we can help you to ride into the 2026 cycling season in comfort. Dreams will be created during the opening weekend in Flanders, and the watching crowds will be inspired. And, whilst you maybe can’t join the pro peloton yourself; you can at least ride with the world’s best cycling shoes on your side… and on your feet.
Lake cycling shoes – creating comfort and cycling dreams since 1982!