Custom fit shoes

beefcake2

Hello

I have some specialised comp body geometry shoes which are comfortable but after about 1 hour I always seem to get numb toes. I know this may seem a little extravagant but would a pair of custom fit shoes solve the problem. I have been looking in to them a little on line but am not sure who makes the best system and wanted to know if any of you used them and what you would recommend. For example, Shimano custom fit shoes have to be done in store where as the Bonts or Lakes can be done at home. Are they easy to do?

I have also heard great things about Sidi Ergo 3's, and although not a custom fit shoe, are supposed to be like wearing slippers.

Cheers

Beefcake2

Grill

Does the numbness start at your big toe or at your second toe? There are solutions for both, but they indicate different issues.

I'm not a fan of "custom fit" systems. All the shoes mentioned use single density materials which means they can only move in a single direction. When they start using foam injection or Intuition then I'll pay more attention. That said, if you really want it, get it. For my money I'd rather sort the ones I already have.

ajb72

I have Sidi Ergo's, they are very stiff soled and I wouldn't describe them as like wearing slippers, as they are not particularly light by some standards! I previously owned Specialized (s-works) which were very narrow and I suffered similar issues to you, especially if I wanted to wear thicker socks in cooler conditions.

Your answer may simply be better fitting shoes rather than custom shoes - perhaps wider? Sidi have wider fit models but you really need to try a few out. Moulded insoles will help but only if the shoe you own is the right size in the first place, if it's a little snug a moulded sole will make matters worse as they tend to be thicker then a standard manufacturers insole. Do you have access to any stores to try a few different brands?

ajb72

Grill wrote:

Does the numbness start at your big toe or at your second toe? There are solutions for both, but they indicate different issues.

I'm not a fan of "custom fit" systems. All the shoes mentioned use single density materials which means they can only move in a single direction. When they start using foam injection or Intuition then I'll pay more attention. That said, if you really want it, get it. For my money I'd rather sort the ones I already have.

I had custom moulded Silas footbeds fitted as part of a bike fit at Cadence Sport. It transformed the feel of the Sidi's - my feet feel totally secure in the shoe whilst still having room to breathe. Having narrow feet, the moulded footbeds really helped to eliminate unnecessary movement and feel more at one with the shoes and pedals. It's only when you take them out and go back to the old insoles you appreciate how big a difference it makes. If you you're not a fan, perhaps you haven't been lucky enough to get them properly fitted.

Grill

ajb72 wrote:

Grill wrote:

Does the numbness start at your big toe or at your second toe? There are solutions for both, but they indicate different issues.

I'm not a fan of "custom fit" systems. All the shoes mentioned use single density materials which means they can only move in a single direction. When they start using foam injection or Intuition then I'll pay more attention. That said, if you really want it, get it. For my money I'd rather sort the ones I already have.

I had custom moulded Silas footbeds fitted as part of a bike fit at Cadence Sport. It transformed the feel of the Sidi's - my feet feel totally secure in the shoe whilst still having room to breathe. Having narrow feet, the moulded footbeds really helped to eliminate unnecessary movement and feel more at one with the shoes and pedals. It's only when you take them out and go back to the old insoles you appreciate how big a difference it makes. If you you're not a fan, perhaps you haven't been lucky enough to get them properly fitted.

I'm a fan of the footbeds (sidas), not the shoes as that's where the comfort and support is coming from. I was a fitter for many years so I know all too well the importance of a proper fit as well as the power of marketing in the case of heat-molding.

rdt

Grill wrote:

Does the numbness start at your big toe or at your second toe? There are solutions for both, but they indicate different issues.

Is the former due to the shoe being to short and the latter too narrow, and the solutions being better fitting shoes? Or something else?

wishitwasallflat

hi grill - hope you don't mind me asking but as you seem knowlegable in this area what's your opinion on Orthosoles customisable insoles for road cycling shoes -

http://orthosole.com/fit_advantage-micro_macro.php

Grill

rdt wrote:

Grill wrote:

Does the numbness start at your big toe or at your second toe? There are solutions for both, but they indicate different issues.

Is the former due to the shoe being to short and the latter too narrow, and the solutions being better fitting shoes? Or something else?

The former is typically due to lack of volume and compression cutting off circulation. Most of the time this can be rectified with a low-volume footbed (Superfeet Black or Yellow, or a race specific bed by other companies such as Sidas or Boot-Doc). Even a regular volume footbed will improve fit and increase volume. The principle behind this is that by holding your foot stable under the arch there is less pressure on the forefoot and it won't expand as much. Other explanations are over-tightening the shoes or lack of support (this typically manifests itself as a shooting pain into numbness).

The latter is due to a lack of support behind the metatarsal head. As the metatarsals collapse the sensation is transmitted to the extremities, thus the second toe going numb first. Fixing this is a simple two-step process. The first is a footbed in order to stabilize the foot. The second is to build support behind the metatarsal head. I do this by building under the footbed with different densities of foam as I find it to be less intrusive than building on the top of the footbed.

wishitwasallflat wrote:

hi grill - hope you don't mind me asking but as you seem knowlegable in this area what's your opinion on Orthosoles customisable insoles for road cycling shoes -

http://orthosole.com/fit_advantage-micro_macro.php

I've never come across these personally, but from what I can see on there site they have some really neat features for an off the shelf footbed. I like that you can change the arch support with different densities, but I'm much more impressed with the metatarsal pad. Really solid design and they should be as good as any decent drop-in footbed.

wishitwasallflat

wishitwasallflat wrote:

hi grill - hope you don't mind me asking but as you seem knowlegable in this area what's your opinion on Orthosoles customisable insoles for road cycling shoes -

http://orthosole.com/fit_advantage-micro_macro.php

I've never come across these personally, but from what I can see on there site they have some really neat features for an off the shelf footbed. I like that you can change the arch support with different densities, but I'm much more impressed with the metatarsal pad. Really solid design and they should be as good as any decent drop-in footbed.

Thanks for the reply - with a 90 day perfect-fit guarantee they've got to be worth a try then - PS I take it you fit orthoses etc for a living - where are you based?

dawebbo

I use custom fit shimano's (can't remember the model). Took about 30mins in the shop to fit them with the oven and vacuum thingy. Super comforty and highly recommend.

Grill

wishitwasallflat wrote:

Thanks for the reply - with a 90 day perfect-fit guarantee they've got to be worth a try then - PS I take it you fit orthoses etc for a living - where are you based?

Not anymore. A software company came a knocking about a year ago and I answered.

Unfortunately I don't know any fitters up North that I could recommend, but with a 90 day guarantee you ahve nothing to lose.

Dodger747

If you want fully custom shoes, there is always D2.

Marmite looks, I happen to like the look personally.