Cycling Shoes and Wide Feet

You ever put your foot in a shoe and feel like Cinderella’s ugly stepsister?

Shoving, squeezing, praying that the pain will subside after a few miles?

Yeah, me too. Except I don’t have dainty princess feet. I have tailor’s bunions—legacy of years in hockey skates and soccer cleats.

Now, every ride feels like a medieval torture session.

So, I did what any desperate, suffering cyclist does—I dove deep, searched for answers, and became an overnight expert on wide cycling shoes.

Here’s what I found, so you don’t have to waste your time (or your sanity).

1. Lake: The Undisputed Champion of Wide Cycling Shoes

If there’s a god of wide cycling shoes, their name is Lake. CX239, 169, 201, 242—pick your poison. They actually make shoes for feet, not some alien foot shape only found in 17-year-old Italian pros.

Unlike most brands that slap a “wide” label on a shoe but just add more material for your foot to spill over, Lake actually builds their shoes on different lasts. You know, like they actually give a damn.

2. Bont: The Overhyped Contender

A lot of people will tell you Bont makes great wide shoes. Those people have either never owned both brands or have Stockholm Syndrome.

Bont’s “wide” version is about as wide as a regular Lake shoe. And while they claim to be heat-moldable, it’s more of a marketing gimmick than a real solution.

If you want a true wide fit with a natural toebox, keep scrolling.

3. Sidi, Fizik, and Other Fake Wide Options

Sidi makes “Mega” sizes. Sounds promising, right? Wrong. The width comes from a roomier upper, not an actual wider last. So, your foot just bulges out like a sausage casing. Fizik? Forget it. Unless you enjoy numb toes and existential dread halfway through your ride.

4. The Myth of the Wide Cycling Shoe

Here’s the thing: most cycling shoes are built for performance, not comfort. The traditional narrow, tapered toebox goes back to the 60s and 70s, when shoes had to fit inside toe cages. But modern clipless pedals exist now, so why the hell are we still stuffing our feet into triangle-shaped prisons?

5. Two Kinds of “Wide” Shoes

There’s “overall wide” and “wide toebox with a natural shape.” Most so-called wide shoes still end in a pointy, narrow toebox. If you want true foot freedom, your choices shrink fast.

Best bet? Lake 169/201. They’re the only real natural-shaped option that won’t turn your pinky toes into ground meat.

6. Soft, Flexible Materials Can Save Your Feet

If you can’t find a truly wide shoe, go for one with the softest upper material. Something that gives instead of trapping your foot like a steel cage. FLR FL-11 Knit, Mavic Cosmic SL—these won’t solve everything, but they might save your sanity.

7. Don’t Be Cheap About Contact Points

Your feet, hands, and butt are your three points of contact on a bike. Skimping on any of them is a one-way ticket to pain. Would you buy a cheap saddle and expect to enjoy a century ride? No? Then don’t do it to your feet, either.

If you have problem feet, spend the money. It’s cheaper than quitting cycling altogether because your shoes make you cry.

Summary Table

Consideration	Key Takeaway
Lake Shoes	Best for true wide feet. CX239, 169/201, 242 are top picks.
Bont	Overrated. Their wide is as wide as Lake’s regular.
Sidi & Fizik	Fake wide. Adds material, not width. Avoid.
Traditional Shape Problem	Most shoes still have a stupid, narrow toebox.
Two Types of Wide	Overall wide vs. wide toebox. Know the difference.
Soft Materials	Can help if you’re stuck with a narrower fit.
Don’t Go Cheap	Your feet are worth the investment.

Conclusion

So here I am, waiting for my Lake CX239 wides to arrive, hoping they’ll finally free my feet from their long, painful imprisonment. Will they be my salvation? Or will I end up barefoot, cursing every shoe manufacturer in existence?

Stay tuned. Because if these don’t work, I might just start riding in Crocs.