Gel insoles...

Hierotochan

I've just bought a second hand pair of cycling shoes on eBay & the person has sent them without insoles. I am pretty hard up for cash right now and can't afford to but the replacement Mavic ones (£25) & am wondering if I can put a pair from some of my snowboard boots or skate shoes?

I have a pair with full length gel & ankle/instep stabiliser that I think would actually be really comfortable, dose anyone know if they would be unsuitable?
I gather some energy would be lost (i.e. insoles absorption of downward force), but it would stand to reason that it would be regained ion the upstroke wouldn't it?

Any advice would be good,

cheers!

alistaird

I use a pair of skiing insoles which work pretty well in my Lake shoes....

Hierotochan

Are they like the Conform'able ones?
Molded to your feet I mean?

alistaird

Hierotochan wrote:

Are they like the Conform'able ones?
Molded to your feet I mean?

Yes they are like those but the bases are made of cork and were custom fitted over several sessions.

They're not perfect for cycling as they add quite a bit to the volume of my feet and I needed to go up a size in shoe (even over the normal up one size for cycling shoes!) but they have helped with my knee alignment and also helped my numb toe problem (a bit...)

DCowling

how about these, I have them in my cycling shoes

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/INCREDISOLES-GEL- ... 4aaab7c146

MattC59

Hierotochan wrote:

Are they like the Conform'able ones?
Molded to your feet I mean?

Conformables are great, I've got them in my skiing boots and my walking boots. I've got quite a high arch to my feet, and they made my ski boots, in particular, much better.

Ollieda

Some energy would be lost on the down stroke but this would not be regained on the upstroke. However, the amount we're talking about here would be so small and not worth worrying about until you're a pro when things like that really matter, even then I don't think insole energy loss is more important to them than comfort as its a tiny amount (unless you're literally putting spounges in the shoes!

Sorbothane do a great line of insoles, they are one of the top names for sports insoles for other things - running, hikking and so on. I don't think they do a cycling speficic insole but they do ones that are universal.

MattC59

Ollieda wrote:

Some energy would be lost on the down stroke but this would not be regained on the upstroke. However, the amount we're talking about here would be so small and not worth worrying about until you're a pro when things like that really matter, even then I don't think insole energy loss is more important to them than comfort as its a tiny amount (unless you're literally putting spounges in the shoes!

Sorbothane do a great line of insoles, they are one of the top names for sports insoles for other things - running, hikking and so on. I don't think they do a cycling speficic insole but they do ones that are universal.

Come on Ollieda, surely you know that such spelling can only lead to Yossie insulting you ?

Hierotochan

Ollieda wrote:

Some energy would be lost on the down stroke but this would not be regained on the upstroke.

I would have thought it would be something akin to compressing a spring, giving you a little lift on the upstroke, but maybe not. They are quite a rubbery gel & I gather it would be a small amount of performance loss (if any).
I wasn't sure how much it would matter, hence asking the question if they would be OK.

Cheers for all of your advice, when I'm feeling a little more flush I'll get some moulded ones.

Ollieda

I don't think with something like this there would be a force pushing back up as opposed to the material returning to shape after tension is released. Maybe I'm wrong, one of the engineer types will pop along shortly I'm sure.

But don't worry about it, until you're at a level where minute amounts of energy transfer matter - comfort is more important. I've been thinking about switching my insoles for something more comfortable tbh!