To mould or not to mould?
To mould or not to mould?
Heat mouldable soles are another development trumpeted by the industry. The opportunity to achieve a custom fit is likely to appeal to many seeking the same level of detail enjoyed by professional cyclists.
But Wall and Hewitt warn that it is important to understand what is being moulded. Creating a mirror image of your feet, if you’re already suffering from foot spread or a collapsed arch, will exacerbate existing problems rather than offering the necessary support to correct them.
“You’re just moulding to your imperfections, as it were,” says Wall. Far from balancing a rider’s asymmetry, a moulded sole can simply accept the existing flaws.
“You don’t have to have a full custom pair of shoes, or even moulded shoes. You just have to have the right type of shoe, which you can get ‘off the shelf’,” Hewitt adds.
“The right type of off-the-shelf supported footbed, and the appropriate cleat set-up will help 90 per cent of the population pedal more effectively, more accurately, more comfortably.
“Custom shoes and custom footbeds will provide the last few per cent, he believes, but for most people, stock shoes and footbeds, correctly set by an expert, will be more than adequate.”