2024 Cycling leaves a lasting impression

Our continual drive for excellence and innovation

It’s the end of the global cycling season – finally. New champions have been crowned and Olympics completed and then tucked away for another 4 years. Champions are on their way to becoming legends and Zwift is now in over-drive, as cyclists in the colder northern regions of Europe retreat indoors. Yes, winter riding can be superb, with the cold and crisp skies lighting up a countryside scene now absent of tourists. Heading into the European lowlands, Flanders, or the hills and mountain foothills can be a real adventure, as long as you have the right kit – and the right cycling shoes, from Lake.

One of the amazing things about cycling globally is the myriads of places, all so very different, where cyclists ride all year long. From the multi-layered cyclists of the Bavarian hills, to the sun-drenched riders in California, Dubai and the south of Spain, and to the monsoon dodging riders of the Far East, we cyclists will gather together to ride our bikes in some of the most spectacular and beautiful places on earth. And, as well as these places being different, so are we –all of us, from this spectrum of countries form part of the rich cultural tapestry of mankind – and part of the differences lie in our feet.

Our strength lies in our differences

Yes, across the global cycling scene, one of the greatest challenges for cycling shoe design is creating cycling shoes that fit the feet of the varying cyclists from across the world. Cyclists’ feet are more different than you’d imagine. Some cultures have wide feet, whilst other cultures have quite large feet. The front area of the foot may be wide, but with a narrow heel; and so, as we design and create cycling shoes for cyclists in all corners of the world, we need to know about these differences and to talk with cyclists, to find out what their own perfect cycling shoe fit looks and feels like.

Thankfully, we’ve travelled far and wide during the 2024 cycling season. Head of Lake Cycling Shoes, Christian van Asten has probably got more passport stamps than anyone else in cycling, as he’s spent time talking with cyclists in multiple continents, and shared his fitting expertise with more and more Lake shoe fitting partner stores, from as far afield as Dubai and Scotland. For us here at Lake, the end of the cycling season is a time for us to breathe and to look at what we’ve learned from looking at the various foot shapes and sizes across the world during 2024.

A lasting impression on cyclists’ feet

Taking time to analyse so many cyclists’ feet is why we have so many different cycling shoe options here at Lake. Using a multitude of shoe ‘lasts’ – that foundation platform and shape of any shoe – we’re able to confidently state that, if you have your feet properly measured during a professional bike fit, or by one of our many global shoe fitting experts, there’s a very good chance that we at Lake have got the ability to find your own uniquely fitting cycling shoe, and to wrap you in our legendary cycling shoe comfort. And so, yes, as the current cycling season draws to a close, it’s time for us to analyse and to look at everything we’ve learnt this year, as we continue to innovate and excel in producing some of the most comfortable cycling shoes that you’re ever likely to wrap your feet with.

Just as you, the cyclist, want to perform at your very best, so do we here at Lake – we want to provide you with what we consider to be some of the best cycling shoes available. The key to this lies in the shoe ‘last’ – the all-important foundation of every great cycling shoe. We frequently talk about the shoe last here at Lake, and so we wanted to tell you just a little bit more about what it is, and why it’s important. Hopefully, outlining the differences in feet across the world, you already understand why we use a variety of shoe lasts in our cycling shoe range. For one thing, we need to create a variety of cycling shoe shapes and sizes. That’s where the all-important ‘last’ – or choice of ‘lasts’ - comes into play. It ensures that you and your feet don’t have to be crammed painfully into ill-fitting cycling shoes.

Variety is the spice of life - and gives you choice & comfort

Fundamentally, a shoe last is a three-dimensional mold shaped like a human foot that we use to create the ideal shape, fit, and the form and structure of a cycling shoe. Shoe lasts are like a template used by shoe manufacturers to ensure consistency and accuracy in shoe production. Lake Cycling has a variety of shoe lasts built for a variety of conditions. It means that we can create a variety of cycling shoes for more cyclists’ feet – whatever their size and shape. We have shoes designed for speed and racers, created on our CX/TX Race Last, such as the amazing CX333, which encompasses a wealth of innovations from over 40 years of cycling shoe innovation. Then, there’s the new Lake CX21C road cycling shoe, designed on our CX/TX Competition Last – with a profile specifically designed for very high-cadence riding & higher pressure. And, for a more comfortable and less race orientated shoe, we have the CX Comfort Plus Last.

Our Lake Comfort Plus last has the most generous forefoot platform of all of our CX lasts. This last will accommodate a multitude of foot shapes and allow for toe splaying. It’s designed for those riders who struggle to find an unrestricted shoe for the shape of their feet, and within our range, you can choose from the CX201 road cycling shoe, the MX201 for off-road riders and commuters, and the MX120, our first winter model built on our Comfort Plus Last.

Find out more about shoe lasts, with Lake

You can click the link here and read more in detail and each individual shoe last that we currently use here at Lake. Hopefully, it will give you a better understanding of why many people consider our cycling shoes to be some of the most comfortable and best-fitting cycling shoes available.

https://www.lakecycling.com/pages/shoe-lasts

Hopefully, within the over 390+ cycling shoe models, sizes and widths available from our extensive range, we’ve got your own perfect fit. And so, isn’t it time that you tried Lake – where comfort, performance and style come together, to wrap your own feet in cycling shoe excellence.