# Cycling Shoes: Very Picky **URL:** \ **Category:** Equipment\ **Created:** [March 27, 2019, 1:40am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878 "2019-03-27T01:40:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ktimesk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/ktimesk/32/7721_2.png) [@ktimesk](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ktimesk)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 1:40am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/1 "2019-03-27T01:40:34Z")
Hi All, I am looking for Cycling shoes (with the 3 holes, not sure what they call it) with the following features 1. Non Leather 2. Wide (I have wide feet) 3. Cleat holes that are long enough so that I can move as far back as possible to mitigate the calf muscle recruitment. Are there any shoes that fit these requirements? Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![jsteelfex](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jsteelfex/32/12908_2.png) [@jsteelfex](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/jsteelfex)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 1:56am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/2 "2019-03-27T01:56:09Z")
Shimano: the wide versions have some pretty good volume. Pretty standard as far as cleat adjustability. Sliders in the shoe plus your cleat. Bont: wide due to the anatomic shape. A little less adjustability since bont doesn’t put any sliders into their cleat holes. Bont kinda has their own idea as far as where your cleat should be. ---
**Author:** ![KorbenDallas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/korbendallas/32/86114_2.png) [@KorbenDallas](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/KorbenDallas)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 3:45am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/3 "2019-03-27T03:45:55Z")
The Suplest Road Carbon might work. ![IMG_0013](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/original/2X/1/121bbd15134edf82b9d6280d24edb7be9452e61a.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![donlee](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/donlee/32/2760_2.png) [@donlee](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/donlee)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 5:00am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/4 "2019-03-27T05:00:10Z")
Will second Shimano. Have wide feet too and they fit well ---
**Author:** ![veitok](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/veitok/32/12895_2.png) [@veitok](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/veitok)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 9:11am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/5 "2019-03-27T09:11:10Z")
Hi! I have very wide feet and the only schoes that fir mit comfortably are DMT, although most of their models are leather. I am super happy with them. ---
**Author:** ![onemanpeloton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/onemanpeloton/32/69536_2.png) [@onemanpeloton](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/onemanpeloton)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 10:45am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/6 "2019-03-27T10:45:48Z")
Thats odd. DMT are one of the few companies that list the width measurement in their size chart (the others being lake and bont). The DMT measures narrower than a shimano wide fit in the same size in my experience and the shimanos are barely EE width. To the OP, I’d second Bont. Use their guide and see what they recommend, but for me, bont and lake standard widths are noticeably wider than shimano wide fit ---
**Author:** ![brendanhousler](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/brendanhousler/32/11363_2.png) [@brendanhousler](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/brendanhousler)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 12:07pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/7 "2019-03-27T12:07:10Z")
check out Bont Cycling; stiffest and best shoes in the game ---
**Author:** ![grenhall](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/grenhall/32/176321_2.png) [@grenhall](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/grenhall)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 12:15pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/8 "2019-03-27T12:15:28Z")
I have both Shimano and Bont shoes. Both are great for my duck feet. I have the Shimano SH-XC901 (not wide) and they fit great. They’re available in road shoes as well but then there called SH-RC901. Bont I use the Riots and they too fit very well. Tried Northwave Extreme RR but I didn’t fit in those very well. ---
**Author:** ![DaveoAU](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/daveoau/32/7746_2.png) [@DaveoAU](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/DaveoAU)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 12:26pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/9 "2019-03-27T12:26:11Z")
I use the specialized s works shoes in a wide fitting. Only available in black (at least here in Australia) but that suits me just fine. ---
**Author:** ![ktimesk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/ktimesk/32/7721_2.png) [@ktimesk](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ktimesk)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/10 "2019-03-27T15:48:18Z")
Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I will look into your recommendations. I see that many of the shoe companies are using Microfiber instead of Leather which I like. I was looking for Vegan (non leather) wide shoes, with cleat holes a little towards heel and away from the toe to decrease calf recruitment. ---
**Author:** ![Jhardisk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jhardisk/32/99768_2.png) [@Jhardisk](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jhardisk)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 4:07pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/11 "2019-03-27T16:07:08Z")
I am surprised that Sidi shoes haven’t yet been mentioned. They tend to run on the wide side, are made of high tech microfiber, and have ridiculously stiff soles. If you check out the Shott, you can see that the cleat holes are set pretty far back for a wide range of adjustment. Totally worth a look if you’re after long-lasting performance shoes! [https://sidi.com/en/products/cycling/shoes/strada/shott-matt](https://sidi.com/en/products/cycling/shoes/strada/shott-matt) ---
**Author:** ![jay-allez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6de8d8/32.png) [@jay-allez](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/jay-allez)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/12 "2019-03-27T16:25:19Z")
Sidis are actually quite narrow. Their “Mega” sizes are wider than the standard shoes. Of the major manufacturers that you’re likely to be able to find in a store in stock and be able to try on, Shimano run the widest, and their wide shoes are even wider still. ---
**Author:** ![Kuttermax](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/kuttermax/32/101635_2.png) [@Kuttermax](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Kuttermax)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 4:26pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/13 "2019-03-27T16:26:11Z")
Sidi’s have been my personal favorite for a while, both on and off road. My feet are not super wide though. I had a pair of Northwave road shoes, and although very nice, they were noticeably narrower than my Sidi’s and would bother me on long rides. ---
**Author:** ![onemanpeloton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/onemanpeloton/32/69536_2.png) [@onemanpeloton](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/onemanpeloton)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/14 "2019-03-27T16:30:03Z")
Maybe we can all agree to post dimensions of our feet? It seems we have very different ideas of what “wide” constitutes. Sidis are far from that in my opinion. My feet are 283mm and 286mm long and 104mm and 105mm wide. I find shimano wide fit RO88s in a size 47 to be super comfy. Next I’ll be trying some lakes or bonts which consider me a “normal” width fit ---
**Author:** ![pirnie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/pirnie/32/1396_2.png) [@pirnie](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/pirnie)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/15 "2019-03-27T16:36:19Z")
I have stupidly wide feet and have always had good luck with Northwave shoes. Cleat adjustment may not quite be what you want though. ---
**Author:** ![ktimesk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/ktimesk/32/7721_2.png) [@ktimesk](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ktimesk)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 9:00pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/16 "2019-03-27T21:00:12Z")
Thank you all. This is why I LOVE this forum. People are so good providing accurate and prompt feedback while being kind to each other. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![colinio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@colinio](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/colinio)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/17 "2019-03-27T21:11:04Z")
A slight aside…Can anyone shed any light on possible watt savings (or power gained) by using proper stiff carbon soles, versus cheaper stiff plastic soles. I can hearing very stiff soles/carbon soles are better, but I am amazed no one, or no manufacturer has quantified it. They seem to like to quantify everything else! ---
**Author:** ![Jhardisk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jhardisk/32/99768_2.png) [@Jhardisk](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jhardisk)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 2:55pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/18 "2019-03-29T14:55:26Z")
> [@onemanpeloton](#): > > It seems we have very different ideas of what “wide” constitutes. This is an excellent point! Both of my feet measure 298 mm long, 110 mm and 113mm wide. I have a pair of 48 LG Course Air Lites that fit like a glove. Unfortunately, I haven’t found them to be very durable. I switched to the48 Sidi Shott, and find it a little bit wide. Length is perfect on the Sidis, but there’s a little movement in the toebox, and I’m filling it in with neoprene toe covers to get a “perfect” fit. ---
**Author:** ![djwalker1260](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/djwalker1260/32/85102_2.png) [@djwalker1260](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/djwalker1260)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/19 "2019-03-29T15:25:22Z")
I have wide feet and a bunion on the little toe of my right foot that makes almost any pressure intolerable. I tried Shimano wide- no good with a seam right on my bunion. Giro wide- same as Shimano. Bont- uncomfortable footbed. Finally settled on Specialized s-works. The toe box is super comfortable. I recently got the s-works Exos shoes. Super expensive but they feel like slippers on my feet. Oh so comfortable for me. And stiff. And super light. I love them. Even bought a second pair. Something I’ve never done before. ---
**Author:** ![JHow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@JHow](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/JHow)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878/20 "2019-03-29T17:28:10Z")
Well, to me they are. If you want a flexible sole and want to save money, sure go for plastic/nylon or whatever material it is. The last cheap shoe I bought, I tore the sole in half by the cleat after about 50 rides. And by cheap, they were still $125. Carbon, at least to me, stiff, power transfer seems better, and well, more comfortable. But that’s just me. If you want cheap, buy cheap. But I purchased my Giro Empires for $150 shipped. To me, that’s a bargain. [Next page](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/cycling-shoes-very-picky/13878.md?page=2)