Been using the Shimano XC5s and they're pretty nice - fairly light, simple and not too gaudy :-) Problem is, I get a bit of underfoot pain on longer rides (more than say 80k). I've got a wide forefoot, high arches and like a nice tightish heel cup. Want to try something else. Like the idea of the Lake MX241s but they're not available in Australia. Any recommendations please? Keen to try a boa system but not mandatory. Find I have retighten laces a bit often. Thank you.
I have the same shoes. Switched to the grey laces for that subdued look. 🙂 They've been working great for me so far this year.
Have you considered using a new inner sole, something like Superfeet? One of their models and designs may offer increased comfort for you. Also, have you had someone check the placement of your cleats? I had a bike fitting recently, came with purchase of the bike, but i held off for a couple of months because... well, dammit, after 3 decades of seriously riding bikes, i KNOW how to fit my bike correctly, right? Nope, my shoe position was off a bit.
Mavic Crossmax Elite is close to the Lake 241 and might be easier to get in Australia. I'm not sure they'd fit your foot shape though - they tend to be on the lower-volume end of the spectrum.
Can't comment on the high arches thing (my feet are fairly flat) however the Specialized S-Works mtb 6 has a narrow heel cup and a fairly wide and roundish front. The 6 is pretty light and very stiff. Note, the 7 is out now.
I was in the same boat as you in that I wanted to try on a pair of the Lake, however the shop (I'm in Oz) had trouble sourcing them.
A narrow heel and a widish and round front is what I require.
The other day I saw a pair of Bont mtb shoes in the store. Very stiff. They looked potentially suitable and I noted the mid-foot width seemed wider than my 6. Shoes were heavier though. I vaguely remember reading some comments mentioning Bont's are good for a tall arch.
Tried this lacing for the XC5's and that has helped a bit... less pressure at the widest part of the foot. Put in some inner soles too - thanks epzamora for the tip. Will still go with some Lake's eventually I think but have happier feet for now.
I've had the XC5s and i've had the exact same issue. Well, i've had this issue in most SPD shoes. Most shoes are not wide enough in the pinky area for me, and I usually get pain in the front of my foot, or around the ball of my foot.
I've bought a pair of Five Ten Hellcats and these insoles:
Yup, they're freeride shoes, they're heavy and bulky. But they're also the most comfortable SPD shoes i've tried to date. I'll happily ride in them all day long, or stand around in them all they long, or walk around in them. They're pretty much the exact opposites of the XC5s, which have zero padding and feel rock hard. At least to me.
I've tried a few insoles in the XC5s and nothing helped. The issue with using different insoles in the XC5 is that it uses the Shimano Dynalast thing. The bottom of the shoe is not flat, the heel is raised, and it has some arch support built in. This will not play well with stiff insoles that also have some support built in.
The Lake shoes used to be built on a Shimano last/sole so I would guess the fit would be similar if that is still the case. I use Superfeet insoles in Shimanos and they work well for me. The have a hard base, so you could probably shape them a bit if you have issues in particular places.
I recently got a pair of Lake CX241s for road riding and they are amazing! I have wide feet (E-ish) and narrow heels (A-ish) and these are the first shoes that really accommodate my feet well. I didn't even have to go to a wide to get a proper fit. Per Lake's instructions (https://lakecycling.com/pages/sizing-charts), I just traced my feet, measured the tracings and used the size charts on Lake's site. They were spot-on. The heels could be a bit tighter and I haven't bothered to heat mold them yet, but I may do so eventually.
The key is to getting the best fit for wide feet/narrow heels is to select shoes with their "Competition" last. IIRC, the 241 and 237 both use it.
The design of the 241 is brilliant, with a mesh and perforated foam inner "sock" and leather outer panels for support. The leather has openings at the traditional pressure points on the heads of the big and small toes. Because they're real leather, they break in to fit your feet perfectly after a handful of rides. The uppers are well-ventilated, though I did have to run an awl through the holes in the leather to make matching holes in the fabric on the inside. That's the only fault I've found in them.
An added advantage of this leather over foam/mesh construction for those who deal with winter temps is that when you put shoe covers over them, the foam/mesh adds thickness and insulation. I also find that the shoes readily accommodate different sock thicknesses. So, they're both very cool in warm temps, uncovered with thin socks, and quite warm with covers on and thicker socks.
Although I have Bontrager MTB shoes that I've been using for gravel, fatbike and MTB riding for the past few years, when the time comes to replace them, I'll be getting MX241s. IMO, they're worth the effort to find them.
BTW, I also have their MXZ 303 winter boots which I really like, but I had to go with a wide because the last is different. You probably don't need them down in Oz, but I thought I'd mention them anyway.
Regarding your high arches, you'll need to select footbeds to accommodate them, but the 241s have lots of adjustability, so they should work for you
You're welcome. I forgot to mention one thing about Boa closures. Make sure that you get shoes with the bi-directional Boas; it's a lot more convenient to be able to twist them in either direction to tighten and loosen your shoes (the 241s have them). With the uni-directional Boas, to loosen your shoes, you have to pop them open, close them again and tighten them to where you want them. I really wish my MXZ 303s had the bi-directional Boas.
Although you won't need to do it with the 241s, on shoes with a single Boa closure, you can unthread the lace from the toe section and shorten it. This creates a similar situation to what you did with your laces on the XC5s and reduces pressure in the toe area. I did this on a pair of Lake 331s and it really helped.
