does anyone prefer somewhat looser fitting cycling shoes?
I am used to walking barefoot whenever possible - or minimalist / barefoot sneakers in public.
after almost a year of riding I still can’t get used to getting my shoes snug. I am running pretty wide Lake’s and I almost never snug them up. I would say they are not floppy / they don’t move…but they definitely aren’t snug.
just kinda wondering if anyone experienced this and got their shoes snugger over time…or just left them a little loose. and what am I missing by keeping them looser?
It’s not a ski boot. But that said, you will know if they are too loose. Blisters and blood are signs there is a problem with how you are using the shoes. I ride fizik knit shoes, and it’s muscle/foot memory as to how tight to make them. Foot pain is a bad thing, and foot movement while riding is asking for pain. They should be ‘tight enough’. If you aren’t getting blisters and foot pain, you are doing it well…
I remember a ski instructor telling me to tighten my books so that my feet go numb. Yeah, even with them, that’s not good advice.
Minimalist shoes here as well for 10+ years. My tri shoes that I use on the trainer have done well to stretch with my feet as they spread out but that means the velcro barely closes and getting them to snug up is sometimes too tight. So I do most of my easier stuff with them opened up, once i find myself feeling like I’m trying to grip with my toes I will snug them up. I see no issue with leaving them loose as long as as others noted you aren’t getting too much movement to cause blisters or other sores.
Also came to cycling wishing for more foot shaped shoes (loved altras for running). My favorite brand so far is bont cycling – they tend to have a wider forefoot while maintaining a snug fit for the heel and are also heat moldable.
I’ve been thinking about this myself recently. Similar to ski boots, basketball shoes, etc. cycling shoes do need to be somewhat snug if you want the best performance out of them, but for general riding getting a solid heel lockdown is what’s most important.
I also prefer to let my toes wiggle when I can and hate the thought of compressing my feet into tight shoes for hours at a time. You’ll find me most of the time either barefoot, in Bedrocks or Altras.
It seems like, again, for general riding keeping the forefoot of the shoe a bit looser would work fine via a shoe with either laces or dual BOA dials.
I have found that most shoe brands do fit quite differently and some do have a wider forefoot than others (Shimano for example, if I remember correctly). I’d recommend finding a shop that has a few different brands and even slipping a wide on your foot to see if you can get a solid lockdown in the heel. Just know that if there is much play in the forefoot you’ll likely sacrifice some power transfer from time to time.
