I wanted to give a quick overview of my experience with the Leviathan shoes. I really wanted to like these, as I wear Altra (zero-drop) shoes pretty much everywhere I go on foot. The Leviathan has a similar forefoot shape and zero drop, so was hoping I could have the same on the bike!
Firstly, they are soooo heavy! If everything else was great, I was prepared to deal with it; I don’t race anymore. My current shoes (Shimano RC7) are 302 g with cleats (each). The Leviathan were 411 g each, no cleats.
But the biggest problem was heel slip. I ordered my normal size (43), which Strong Feet agreed via email was the right size based on my foot dimensions. But there was so much heel slip, there was no way I was going to install the cleats. I ended up swapping out for a 42, which felt ok size-wise. Perhaps a little snug, and certainly wouldn’t have worked with winter socks…but unfortunately I had identical heel slip. Again, I wasn’t willing to install cleats (as then I couldn’t return), so I never rode these shoes. But all other cycling shoes I have (various brands) have no heel slip, on or off the bike. I can’t imagine how unusable the Leviathans would have been when riding with anything but the lightest effort.
I sure hope others have had success with these, as the owner seemed to indicate this heel slip is not a normal problem with his customers. I’m fine with it just being me
(Also, YMMV – the website says you can exchange sizes for free, but I was charged. Annoying, but not something for which I chose to put up a fight.)
Bont Cycling. More “foot-shaped”, but not quite as pronounced as Altras. Not zero drop but once you’re clipped in it doesn’t really matter. They’re a little pricy but I love mine. I’ve had zero issues with heel lift, discomfort, durability, etc. Others have said they are unimpressed with the carbon fiber “bathtub” construction of the bottom of the shoe, but I don’t mind.
The biomechanics of cycling is different to walking. There isn’t as much forefoot splay in cycling, which barefoot walking and running shoes enable. Reestablishing proprioception in the cycling shoe is important for an optimal pedal stroke and usually achieved through foot correction and wedging; I can’t see barefoot design contributing to this in cycling.
Also, I don’t get the point about zero drop reducing dorsiflexion. Doesn’t a shoe with drop increase plantar flexion?
Hi David, it’s too bad you didn’t ride the shoes, as I’m very impressed with them. I also wear Altra shoes, and my generally regular cycling shoe is a Lake CX201. The SFA Leviathan is hi volume and my feet aren’t ( I do have a lot of toe splay and hi instep), but I really like the fit. Agreed the heel feels way too loose in an off bike try on situation, but this disappears on the bike. While I would like the sense of a stronger heel hold, I don’t experience any slop while pedaling. The shoes are amazingly comfortable. I don’t even think about the weight. That is a non issue for me. Better shoe fit beats lighter weight in every situation for me. Tyler at SFA is aware the heel could be tighter, and he wants to work that into a future design change, but the current fit is not a deal breaker IMO if someone is looking for a shoe that would suit a wide range of foot shapes including E+ fit all over, wide mid foot and/or wide toe box, high instep, etc.
When I communicated with Tyler, he indicated (acted like?) I was pretty much the first to mention heel slip. Maybe there’s been a critical mass of people expressing that concern; glad he is recognizing it. If he would have just said “yes it’s noticeable walking around your house, but you won’t feel it on the bike” like you have shared, I likely would not have returned!
