I currently own s-works 7 road shoes and although I’ve had luck with the medium arch insole from Specialized(blue), the location of the highest point of the arch of the insoles is slightly too forward for me which forces my right foot to slide forward in the shoes which his hurting my toes and causing some ankle/calf discomfort (as I’m pointing my toes by forcing my toes into the toe box). I tried using the G8 insoles that YouTube bike fitters rave about but they do not seem to work well with the S-works shoes as they are too wide and sit to high when fitted with the plastic arch. The arch location is also still too forward even in the most rearward position.
Is there any other insole brand that I could try. So far I’ve identified the following:
ID insoles (selle italia)
Lake moldable insoles
Sole Active insoles
Just for the record, I got custom orthopedic insoles from a podiatrist 2 years ago and they were made way too wide and never properly worked with bikes shoes. I should have gotten them fitted better at time…
I’ve been using Icebug Slim insoles (in S-Works shoes) for a few years and really like them. I do think that a lot of the comfort issues come down to where the ‘metatarsal bump’ sits on the insole, as that can have an annoying feeling if not right for your foot.
And my Canyon MTB shoes have the stock insole in them, which was designed in cooperation with Solestsar, and they are pretty comfortable, also.
A second happy Icebug Slim user here. I need the metatarsal bump to avoid forefoot pain and have been using the High version (high arch) for the last 4 years (in my Giro Empire cycling shoes as well as my normal shoes).
Thanks for the suggestion. Not sure about their sizing though? Did you end up using the same size as your shoes as stated on their size guide or went smaller ? Like my shoes are 42s but on the website they state 28cm but my shoes are 27cm? So should use their length in cm instead of the shoe size? Thanks!
I did cut them to size yes but like I said, they seems to be too wide for the s-works when fitted with the arch support. They might just not be the best insole for my shoes.
I tried G8 also and did not like them. Returned within their trial period. Have also tried Sidas and Sole. Now Im using specialized “master fit” custom insoles and they seem to be the best insoles ive tried. Check your shop and have a set made. They’re Specialized, so I would think they would fit their shoes well.
I’ve tried a bunch and have the opposite problem as you…the arch is always too far rearward.
It can’t hurt to try Sole or Treadlabs…both good quality and good return options if they don’t work out for you.
I have the Retul custom ones which are OK at best for me. I need a size 49 and have long arches, so the fitter really struggled to get them molded passably. If you have a good fitter and normal sized feet, these would probably work well though.
There are a bunch of options where you create a mold in a foam box and send them away to have custom insoles made (e.g. Bilt Labs or Upstep). These are HSA eligible (if you’re in the US) and claim to have good return policies. I’m trying this option at the moment but still waiting for then to arrive so I can’t vouch for them yet.
I’m looking for an insole too. I was using Soles Thin (the cork version) But I felt that it’s taking up too much volume in the shoe. Especially on the mid foot area.
I was using the Specialized BG low arch for the last 6 years, but I needed more arch support - realized it when I started using more supportive insoles in my casual shoes then realizing how uncomfortable it was to pedal hard in my bike shoes without support.
I’m two months in to using Carbon9 SemiPro insoles. I got the medium arch ones, and they’re pretty awesome. It took two weeks to adjust to them because the support is quite stiff and much higher than I was used to, but I’ve really liked them on longer hard rides. I did have to trim off some of the insole material around the heel because the arch was too far forward for my feet.
I’m still curious if anyone tried the LAKE Custom insole where you can mold the carbon fiber bottom piece to your arch using your oven. Seem like this would be the best option and for only 104 CAD, a pretty decent deal for a more custom fit.
I purchased LAKE Custom insoles when I got my LAKE shoes. Went through the heating process with an authorized LAKE distributor. The first few days, I was neither impressed or disappointed. However, within a week the insoles were fine. I don’t know that they were better than the Specialized I was using previously. But, then again, I do not have any major foot issues other than other shoes having a too narrow toe box.