I am not sure if this is the right sub forum, but anyhow here is my question.
In general I have a very difficult time getting shoes that fit, just picked up a new pair of shoes that for the ,most part feel great, however on the left shoe the small toe is a bit tight/pressing up agent the shoe. This was just while trying it on at the shop, not pain, but just pressing.
Do you all think that it would be ok to ride in, are there any modifications that I could do, if it’s just pressing a bit?.
I wouldn’t buy a shoe that is already pressing on your toes in store. This will only be exacerbated when riding. You should aim for some room in the toe box and focus on some wide fit shoes if you’re struggling with space.
If available in your area I would recommend going to a bike fitter for a shoe fitting. Might be expensive upfront and the shoes that fit might not be the cheapest option, but well worth it in my experience.
There are definitely modifications that you can do, which will vary by shoe material, but I’d agree with the recommendation to really try hard to find a shoe that fits.
If you go the modification route, leather has lots of options. For synthetics, a heat gun with a screwdriver handle as a wedge can give you a bit of room. A small x-shaped cut makes worlds of difference but obviously introduces aesthetic issues.
Yeah, for some reason I have loads of trouble finding a shoe that fits and this one comes really close….
It is this shoe it is not leather.
The problem is pretty much where I drew the black line.
I’d return it and look for something with a wide fit. Any problem in fit is going to become a problem when you repeat the movement 30,000 times.
This. It’s easy to get caught up in wanting a shoe for the aesthetics, but fit is absolute priority every time.
Definitely sounds like you need a wide fit shoe. Shimano do them, as do Lake, Bont, Sidi and others. Unfortunately the wide fits rarely come in the nicer colourways, but c’est la vie.
If the pressure problem is right on the support structure of the shoe (the raised smooth area), it’ll be very hard to modify. Unfortunately seems like you may need to keep looking if you want a pressure-free ride. Some people have more sensitive feet than others though, and your body may adapt itself. Could you wear the shoes for 30min in the house and see if the pressure grows or lessens?
@RichGearing I’m not sure the OP is primarily concerned about aesthetics / color, they mentioned simply that it’s very hard to find a shoe that fits, and this is the best one they’ve found.
A couple of notes.
Yeas you are correct, the problem spot is indeed on that area that seems to be the support stricter part.
Yes I can wear it at home for 30 minutes, great idea. I took it home, Trek has a 30 day money back, so I took it home and decided to post here and see if there is a solution.
Also yes, this isn’t about the color, while I do really like that color, I wouldn’t care what color it was, it is that I have an EXTREMLY hard time finding shoes that fit/feel good, usually I put a shoe on and I know right away that they are a no go.
With this one it actually feels like it fits perfectly and is super comfortable, minus that one little tiny (yes maybe crucial) spot on the left foot, and. the right foot is perfect.
So that is why I am trying to force the issue, the nice color is an added bonus, yes but no the reason I am hoping to make them work.
Some fitters have shoe modification tools. A common one is a giant pair of pliers where one jaw is shaped like a ball and the other like a socket. It can reach inside the shoe, tightened, and locked to stretch an isolated part of the shoe and give it more clearance, typically for someone with a bunion or similar. Maybe that would do the trick for you.
You could try switching out the insole and see which socks (maybe extra think and without stitching in the toe area) also help.
But anyway, after hour(s) of biking, your feet will generally swell up - creating even less space. The shoe also seems to be quite shallow in the front.
I actually have a similar issue, my right foot (pinky toe) is a bit fatter and often rubbing against the side of shoes. With leather shoes, they stretch out over time - but never had that luck with cycling shoes.
I found a “wide” pair from Gaerne - happy with those. I went to a store in Belgium called “Fashion for Cycling”, where you can try a loooot of shoes (i.e. until you find one without pressure points) - anything similar in your region?
Also, I thought some brands were now selling more anatomically shaped cycling shoes (more square toe box instead of round/pointy). Did you ever try any of those?
I agree with the comment saying to push it out with the handle of a screwdriver. If it’s just this one small spot, that really should do the trick. If it’s synthetic, then a little heat usually helps. We would do this all the time at the ski/outdoors shop i worked in, it really does make a difference.
For a much uglier option that allows for independent adjustment of that part of the upper, consider the Lake CX242. They come in wide, but their regular width is wider than most. There is a separate panel just for that part of the foot with an independent boa dial. But not sleek. I swear by them.
Your feet will swell up on longer rides, especially in hot weather, and the continued pressure can cause numbness and nerve damage. Don’t even think about doing something like PBP (or any long brevets or ultras) with shoes that are tight to start with - the damage can be permanent. For a few hours it might just be mildly unpleasant, but IME it’s not worth the risk.
I think they look cool. Kind of like skeleton feet 
If it’s not too late get these. They have buttons you can place in the tight spots . It took me about a month of using these plus riding to get them where my little toe would not kill me after 30 miles. My shoes never sit around without them inside.
I was having the same issue this year. EC has a nice article on the evolution of wider-fit toe boxes: Should we be wearing wider cycling shoes?
This article led me to get a pair of the Ares II and throw away my 2018 S-phyres which were traditionally narrow. The Ares II have a really lovely anatomical toe box. I loved them… however, I had to get rid of those because the medial Boa anchor is RIGHT over my prominent navicular bone and caused tons of irritation. I now have a pair of Bont Vaypor SL’s on order.
Bottom line - feet are weird and only get weirder as we age, it’s impossible to predict shoe fit, you need to commit to the arduous and expensive process of trying shoes on and return or re-selling ones that don’t work out. Same is true for insoles. But… good cycling shoes last a VERY long time. It’s like getting your bit fit, painstaking at first, then set when its set.
I have a pair of similar stretchers and they’ve been a godsend for cycling and regular shoes.
My right little toe has some malady that causes extreme pain when it gets constricted, and I have a very wide forefoot and toes so it’s usually constricted. The shoe stretcher, used in combination with a heat gun, allowed me to “dimple” my cycling shoes to get relief for my toe. It probably decreases the life of the shoe, but no longer coming back from rides wondering whether you’d be better off just cutting your toe off makes it worth it.
Agreed, Lake and Shimano include wide sizes.
Just here to add a +1 for Lake shoes
