MTB shoes with a wide toe box?

I'm in search of a couple new pairs of clipless shoes. I'd like to get an XC shoe and a more gravity oriented shoe. My foot is wide at the toes and average (I think) at the ankle. I have never owned a shoe I've loved. I just end up with shoes I can tolerate more than others. I've been reasonably happy with some of the old 510s. I also got along ok with the old Shimano AM9s. 510s seem to be more narrow now. I've read that the Hellcat is still pretty wide so I may try those on. Currently I'm on some Shimano MT200s in wide. i can't stand them though. The toe box is a little too narrow and the heel is way too big. I tried on the Lake MX238 wides and they felt amazing, but I have a hard time justifying $330 for some shoes I will probably trash in a season. Any recommendations out there? With Covid it's a bit harder to go try stuff on.

Sounds like we have a pretty similar foot shape. I've been really happy in my Ride Concepts Wildcat. Toe box was a little snug first ride, but broke in immediately and has been my most comfortable bike shoe ever since. I know they do a few clipless shoes which I think have a similar fit.

Similar issue for me. I’m going w/ Bont next.

https://www.bontcycling.com


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Originally Posted by cydwhit

Sounds like we have a pretty similar foot shape. I've been really happy in my Ride Concepts Wildcat. Toe box was a little snug first ride, but broke in immediately and has been my most comfortable bike shoe ever since. I know they do a few clipless shoes which I think have a similar fit.

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I've been curious about their stuff. Lots of talk about weird fit though. Does the sizing match up with your street shoe sizing?

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Originally Posted by plugboots

Similar issue for me. I’m going w/ Bont next.

https://www.bontcycling.com


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

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Bont has come up on my radar as I've been looking around. Are you doing the Riot in the wide width? I take it you've had a chance to try it on?

wide sidi dominator works for me with (I think) a similar foot shape. Heel hold isn't great, but only an issue on spicy hike sections. No experience with new sidi models. Expensive but unlikely you'll trash in a season.

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Originally Posted by alewi11

Bont has come up on my radar as I've been looking around. Are you doing the Riot in the wide width? I take it you've had a chance to try it on?

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Nope. But I don’t fit in the shoes from my local shops, etc. so my next shoes are off the web, and these look really well designed with a well thought out ordering process.

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Originally Posted by caulfield

wide sidi dominator works for me with (I think) a similar foot shape. Heel hold isn't great, but only an issue on spicy hike sections. No experience with new sidi models. Expensive but unlikely you'll trash in a season.

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Do Sidi's still walk like shit?

After owning a couple pairs of Mavic Furys I have no idea why every shoe maker doesnt use vibrim lugs.

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Originally Posted by Bushwacka

Do Sidi's still walk like shit?

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Yes.

Not only do they have hard plastic lugs but the outsole width is about half the width of the shoe so there's no stability.

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Originally Posted by alewi11

I tried on the Lake MX238 wides and they felt amazing, but I have a hard time justifying $330 for some shoes I will probably trash in a season. Any recommendations out there? With Covid it's a bit harder to go try stuff on.

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Not saying you can't do it, but I think any season that can trash a pair of Lakes would chew up a couple pairs of most others.

But I'm still not dropping $300 on them, either--I'd rather have the top end ones, but Lake's Velcro closure models can usually be had for a lot less and share that fit. MX161's are killing it for me (I just got them out of the box this spring, but I don't think they're current models). I expect the Velcro to wear out first despite the awesome grip of the soles. (Of course, it helps to never walk. Almost never. No wait, never. Yeah, that's my story.)

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Originally Posted by alewi11

I'm in search of a couple new pairs of clipless shoes. I'd like to get an XC shoe and a more gravity oriented shoe. My foot is wide at the toes and average (I think) at the ankle. I have never owned a shoe I've loved. I just end up with shoes I can tolerate more than others. I've been reasonably happy with some of the old 510s. I also got along ok with the old Shimano AM9s. 510s seem to be more narrow now. I've read that the Hellcat is still pretty wide so I may try those on. Currently I'm on some Shimano MT200s in wide. i can't stand them though. The toe box is a little too narrow and the heel is way too big. I tried on the Lake MX238 wides and they felt amazing, but I have a hard time justifying $330 for some shoes I will probably trash in a season. Any recommendations out there? With Covid it's a bit harder to go try stuff on.

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I have a small foot that is wide in front with narrow heels and ankles , I find the specialized XC-racer type shoes have always fit and i have ended up with 3 pair now in various states of wear

I've tried a couple pair of shimano and they don't fit snug enough thru the middle & rear of the shoe

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Originally Posted by jono

Not saying you can't do it, but I think any season that can trash a pair of Lakes would chew up a couple pairs of most others.

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I was in the same position earlier this season and used one of the ubiquitous 20% coupons for the MX238. It was still almost $300. I have zero regrets. My feet are happier after 60 singletrack miles in them than they were at 20 in Sidis. I don't even rush to remove the Lakes after 8 hours.

Durability was a huge concern, but so far they are holding up well. I have about 1500 miles on them, including a lot of hike a bike in places like Grouse Ridge & Toiyabe Crest, where there are lots of rocks. The carbon is all scratched to hell, but doesn't have any actual damage. The rubber shows only the tiniest wear, and the boas have endured some pretty scary hits and still work well. The uppers have a few scratches from some oopsies, but again no actual damage.

The price is painful, but you only need to cry once.

I’m also looking to replace my MT200s, which in the standard width fit me perfectly. I just tried on the ME7s, which I found way too wide in the forefoot, so maybe they’ll work for you.

Shimano ME7.
Normal heel with a nice size toebox.

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Originally Posted by plugboots

Similar issue for me. I’m going w/ Bont next.

https://www.bontcycling.com


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

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please keep us posted. I'm curious about the bonts. forever searching for more comfortable bike shoes, and suffer from the same issues (wide forefoot, normal heels)

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Originally Posted by chaka

please keep us posted. I'm curious about the bonts. forever searching for more comfortable bike shoes, and suffer from the same issues (wide forefoot, normal heels)

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I have lots of time on Bonts, both mountain and road shoes. I think they’re the best road shoe you can get. I have flat feet, wide forefoot, narrow heels. It takes some work to get them to work with flat feet, but it’s doable. I have the wides, which I think are 103mm. They work for me, but my ski boots are Technica Mach 1 LVs with 6th toe punches, so my feet aren’t ridiculously wide.

The lugs on the mountain bike shoes are kind of a joke. After about 5 years they all ripped off my shoes and I never bothered to replace them. They pretty much became road shoes. For cross country riding it never made any difference to me.

They take a beating. I can post a pic of mine if you want. They have thousands of miles of riding around Durango on them.

If you do much walking, Bonts aren’t your shoe.

You sound like you have the same foot as me.. I’m on my 2nd pair of
Giro privateer R shoes. Not the HV ones. They need a few rides to break In but they do widen out and the toes are happy while the ankle stays locked in. Good for xc but keep in mind they are not carbon shanked so after a while you will likely “break” them but they fit well with your hope of not spending $$$.

Happy with them for the mtb.

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Originally Posted by stradissimo

I have lots of time on Bonts, both mountain and road shoes. I think they’re the best road shoe you can get. I have flat feet, wide forefoot, narrow heels. It takes some work to get them to work with flat feet, but it’s doable. I have the wides,

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Did you get to try them on before you bought them? Or did you use their “draw on a piece of paper” etc. fitting method?

Thanks for the input. Internet shoe sizing is hard. I ended up getting some Mx238s and Hellcats. Got to try on the Hellcats and they felt really good. Lots of room in the toes. Heel felt pretty good. I'm a little worried the heel may end up feeling sloppy after they break in. We'll see.

I used the draw-on-paper method. The first Bonts I got were Vaypor XC mountain bike shoes in 2013. They ended being a little bit short. I would sometimes bang my big toes into the front of the shoes when the trail was really rough. It wasn't bad enough for me to bother switching sizes.

When I got the road shoes in 2015, I ordered the next size up. I would say that if you're between sizes, go up.

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Originally Posted by stradissimo

I used the draw-on-paper method. The first Bonts I got were Vaypor XC mountain bike shoes in 2013. They ended being a little bit short. I would sometimes bang my big toes into the front of the shoes when the trail was really rough. It wasn't bad enough for me to bother switching sizes.

When I got the road shoes in 2015, I ordered the next size up. I would say that if you're between sizes, go up.

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Thanks, I mean Riot+ for $129? That's an amazing price for what you get.

bump for Bonts.

Stradissimo - thanks for sharing your experiences with them. I'm tempted to pull the trigger on a pair, to finally resolve my fit issues with my fifth metatarsal bump. In ski boots, I get a punch right there and I'm good. Bont sizing wizard suggest I am right on the edge between standard and wide width. so think I go wide to allow for a custom footbed. Hoping i can simply punch out the carbon sole edge on my sixth toe area using a screwdriver handle as they suggest in their literature. Questions then:

I've read above and in reviews these are stiff. Really stiff. Too stiff to be my single shoe for XC, gravel, cx riding and racing? I go on long slogs regularly, but rarely any hike a bike. Are the entry Riots the same stiffness as the top end Vaypor? Seems odd if they are, most manufacturers soften up the entry shoe a bit and reserve the top end shoe for full on race stiffness.

thanks for sharing any additional opinions.

Well, I can't compare my Riot + to other Bonts, but they are very stiff and I like stiff. As stiff or stiffer than my old carbon soled top of the line whatevers they replaced. I think I will m old them, and put in a suoperfeet to customize them, and make them have a bit of give, (softness inside). I would buy again, fo sure.

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Originally Posted by plugboots

Well, I can't compare my Riot + to other Bonts, but they are very stiff and I like stiff. As stiff or stiffer than my old carbon soled top of the line whatevers they replaced. I think I will m old them, and put in a suoperfeet to customize them, and make them have a bit of give, (softness inside). I would buy again, fo sure.

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thanks Plug! was hoping you'd chime in. It looks like the shoe is cut nice and low below the ankle bone... would you agree? Any comments on sizing after using their Wizard/template approach?

paging plugboots to the Bont phone... How did the superfeet work out? I traded a few messages with Bont support, they mentioned that custom insoles may conflict with the 'built in anatomical arch support' resulting in me possibly finding the "arch slightly uncomfortable". In addition to a wide forefoot, I have a medium bordering on high arch, so always put a custom/aftermarket insole in. Doesn't seem like the best design choice to built an arch into the last of the shoe, but maybe they have to do that to keep it so low profile.

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Originally Posted by chaka

paging plugboots to the Bont phone... How did the superfeet work out? I traded a few messages with Bont support, they mentioned that custom insoles may conflict with the 'built in anatomical arch support' resulting in me possibly finding the "arch slightly uncomfortable". In addition to a wide forefoot, I have a medium bordering on high arch, so always put a custom/aftermarket insole in. Doesn't seem like the best design choice to built an arch into the last of the shoe, but maybe they have to do that to keep it so low profile.

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Hey, I just noticed that this got bumped.

There is no way that a footbed would work in my Bonts. The carbon is shaped like a Birkenstock, but with a much higher arch.

I have flat feet and it took 3 moldings to flatten the built-in arches enough for me to be able to use them.

Edit to add: My feet aren’t ridiculously flat. I ski with green Superfeet. Both pairs of my Bont shoes (mtb and road) have much higher arches than the Superfeet.

I ended up, (so far at least), not putting in superfeet foot beds. I’ve been riding and I haven’t had any foot issues at all, so I don’t wanna mess with anything.
It was funny, I did a ride a couple weeks ago and I basically forgot I had the new shoes, so that’s when I knew I didn’t need to change anything.

thanks Stradissimo and plugboots. very helpful. I have never had a good cycling shoe experience without a footbed of some sort. that seems to be a red flag for me for Bonts then... still tempted to order a pair and resolve my FOMO, quest for the unicorn shoe, I guess the risk is about $15 to $20 (return shipping)

Long time foot bed user with flat feet, I can't ski without a foot bed but I have never used footbeds in an SPD bike shoe

Bike shoes are alredy pretty tight/ low volume, the balls of my feet are already on the peddle axle it like the back of the hoe is just holding the toe/ cleat on the foot, i don't see any reason to have a foot bed even a 3/4 length but YMMV

I’m in Redmond if you want to see Bonts before ordering. They’re really different from any other shoe I’ve had. The carbon is like a canoe, not a flat board

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Originally Posted by stradissimo

I’m in Redmond if you want to see Bonts before ordering. They’re really different from any other shoe I’ve had. The carbon is like a canoe, not a flat board

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thanks for the offer, I appreciate it stradissimo!

I went with some Lakes. They feel better than my Sidis. Time will tell! Maybe Bonts next time.

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Originally Posted by chaka

thanks for the offer, I appreciate it stradissimo!

I went with some Lakes. They feel better than my Sidis. Time will tell! Maybe Bonts next time.

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Which Lakes did you get? I'll be on the lookout to take them off your hands (again!) once you decide to sell and move on.

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Originally Posted by NuMexJoe

Which Lakes did you get? I'll be on the lookout to take them off your hands (again!) once you decide to sell and move on.

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haha... hopefully they work out and you have a really long wait :) I hate messing with shoes.

I got the MX241s... the flexible, paneled upper plus double boas in the right places really looks like it will work well for my sixth toe issue. Nice stiff sole, great lugs, I don't spend much time unclipped usually but when I do its nice to have some actual purchase on a wet root or rock (Sidis are ~hard plastic). Moldable heels too. They seem really well made. Wearing them around the house for a few hours felt better than my house slippers so that was a good sign (aside from the clompy stiffness of course).

bumping this thread in case any wide-feet mags are looking for Bonts to try on the cheap. The fit didnt end up working out for me, but they are a really cool, stiff shoe design in my opinion.
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...e-size-45-Wide

PSA Lake has most of their line at half off right now. Most sizes are in stock.

I’ve used both the Lake 332 extra wide and 201. I was originally thrown off by the 201 not coming in a “wide” size, but it’s pretty dang high volume. I would definitely recommend for wider feet.

I like the stretch of the 201 vs the 169, but I wish the 201 had a double boa like the 332 so I could lock down the heel without tightening the forefoot.

Anyway, don’t be scared of the non-wide size of the 201.