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From: jhs@druri.UUCP (ShoreJ)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Help! Need Cycling Shoes
Message-ID: <1099@druri.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 17-Jun-85 01:08:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: druri.1099
Posted: Mon Jun 17 01:08:32 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Jun-85 04:22:31 EDT
References: <165@harvard.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver
Lines: 35

[Marty Sasaki's request for very wide shoes feet prompts this plea for info.]

I need loooonnggg shoes. Currently I have a pair of Detto Pietros (European
size 48, more or less equivalent to U.S. size 13) for my "serious" cycling, 
i.e., when I'm riding hard and am not planning shopping stops or the like
where I have to walk. I also have a pair of Avocet touring shoes (U.S. size 
12 1/2) that I used to wear for shopping trips and to work (to avoid the 
hassle of carrying extra shoes with me). Problem: Both are too small. I 
wear a 14 in street/sport shoes. (The width is C or D, but that is not the
area of concern since most good cycling shoes are very flexible laterally.)
I bought the Avocets in desperation. Wrong! They're worse riding than walking!

I have tried most of the bike shops in Denver. The usual reaction is one
of hopeless wonderment when I try to order a 49 (or 14 U.S.). I originally
bought my Detto Pietros at the Big Wheel, but even they are at a loss to
find larger. Other shops won't even try. Can someone help? 

Custom-built shoes are a possibility, but they would likely be prohibitively
expensive (unless you're Bill Walton, and he probably gets feebies anyway).
For touring purposes, I suppose I could try putting sole stiffeners in some 
type of sport/jogging shoe. Has anyone tried that successfully?

Regular cycling shoes present a greater problem since they *must* be longer, 
and short of going open-toed (cute, huh?), I can't come up with a practical 
way of modifying them. My current shoes are OK up to about 60-75 miles 
(although my toes go numb before 50), but I dread the next century ride. 
Besides, the shoes are getting old and only have one season of use left.

I welcome any suggestions and will be eternally grateful (well, for a long 
time, anyway) to anyone with ordering info, a compassionate cobbler, or ...?
[No cheap shots on foot size--I know more jokes about that than you do. :-) ]

Thanx in advance. -- Jeff Shore @ AT&T-IS, Denver
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