The importance of fit
The importance of fit
Fit is one of the non-negotiables of cycle shoe purchase. Colour and materials can be a matter of personal preference, but the physical relationship between shoe and foot must be a suitable match.
“We get more people with uncomfortable feet than we do with sore backsides or knee pain,” Wall says. “Feet tend to be the key.”
Fit is a function of length and width, with the latter of greater importance. A shoe would have to be of absurd length to interfere with the front wheel, but much smaller margins can make it too wide or to narrow to be of use.
If the shoe is so wide that the foot can roll within the upper, it is not offering sufficient control. More commonly, in the experience of the team at Cyclefit, is that the shoe is too narrow, and doesn’t allow the foot sufficient space to move, causing discomfort.
The tendency for cycling shoes to be narrow comes from their original mode of manufacture, Hewitt suggests. For years, they were made from the same moulds or ‘lasts’ as dress shoes, which by definition tended to follow a narrow, and so elegant shape.
While this is unlikely still to be the case, a trend set for decades is hard to overcome.
Wall recommends seeking a brand that offers the same shoe in different widths. Riders with larger feet should check that the shoe’s additional width extends to the sole as well as the upper.
“A cheap way to make half sizes it to keep the same sole and add a bit more material on the top,” Hewitt warns, “and so your base of support isn’t big enough.”