It’s a shame about the shoes.” Andreas said.

“Huh? My shoes?” I instinctively responded even though I was trying my best to play it cool.

“Yes. Some of the gains you will get from a proper bike fitting, you will lose with those shoes.”

Crap.  One more thing to add to my triathlon wish list.That was part of a conversation I had with Andreas Heuser from Ultrabikex Studio in July when I did my RETÜL bike fit (you can read about here.)  At that point I had just gotten a new triathlon bike and was hoping to sign up for IronMan Florida (IMFL).  Shoes were not part of the budget.

Fast forward to February:  Ultrabikex Studio is my sponsor, I got into IMFL, and was selected for the GEICO Road Safety Bike Tour in April making cycling my priority for the next few months.  Lucky me, Andreas is always one step ahead of what I need and handed me these in February:

The MAVIC Tri Race shoes.   I’ve never owned a pair of triathlon shoes and they are indeed different.  To give you an idea, this is what I had been using:

They were great starter shoes, but they are cycling shoes, loose, and hot.  The Mavic has features that I didn’t even know I wanted to shoe to have. First it has a mesh on the top making it breathable.  I take a minute and wear socks during triathlons.  I am not planning on changing that so most of the time, my cycling shoes get wet and slushy.  A breathable mesh might help that a lot, and it will also help keep things cooler.  Second, the Mavic has a gap at the top of the shoe between the left and right seams, again this is made for breathability.  The two straps that keep the shoe together are easy to adjust while riding a bike and the Mavic is super lightweight with a snug fit.  You want a shoe that is snug and rigid without being uncomfortable.  The less moving around your foot does the more power is transferred to the pedal, the more efficient your pedal stroke is and consequently the faster you go.

The shoe in itself is awesome, but even more awesome is that I made these perfect for my feet with the Fi’zi:k customizable insole. 

This is the deal: cycling races are won in milliseconds.  I am a back of the pack triathlete trying to get to the middle.  Seconds don’t matter much but endurance matters a great deal.  Anything I can do to help me move forward more efficiently is welcomed.  On the IronMan race, I need to be consistent on the bike so that I have enough left in my legs to run the marathon.   According to Fi’zi:k, the insole allows for better support, efficiency and comfort.  Thinking about it, it makes sense.

 A tight fitting shoe might be uncomfortable, a loose fitting shoe is inefficient so with the insole you can get a more comfortable fitting shoe without worrying about losing efficiency.  For that, you add a custom insole.  The Fi’zi:k insoles support the arch, metatarsals and heel while evenly distributing pressure.  This in turn will prevent numbing, heating and other aches and pains your feet may go through on long rides.   But in order for it work, it needs to be molded. 

To do so, Andreas placed the insoles in a special “oven” where the material was softened.  I then sat on a special bench and assumed a riding position so that I was applying pressure to my feet as if I were on a bike.   In five to seven minutes the insole was molded to my feet.  I got new shoes, but you can place the insoles in any cycling shoe.  The molding will increase your power transfer as your foot wont slip and slide in a loose shoe, and it will increase comfort as you don’t have to get a narrow or tight fitting shoe. It’s like Goldilocks who would always go for things that were not too big and not too small, “just right.”

I compared the Fi’zi:k insole to the insole that came with the shoes.  They were night and day.  The Fi’zi:k was a lot sturdier and less pliable. They were not “foamy” but instead felt thicker.  Below is a picture applying a similar amount of pressure to both insoles.  Do you see how the Fi’zi:k barely bends?   I was worried that would make it hot and uncomfortable.

But they weren’t.  I tested out the Mavic shoes with the Fi’zi:k 3D insoles on a 100 mile ride.  I admit it wasn’t the smartest decision I’ve ever made.  If the combo was uncomfortable and I had to stop riding, I would be stuck in the middle of the Everglades amidst friendly alligators.

Fortunately for me, my fears were unfounded.  The shoes at first felt a bit tight but it was easy to adjust the straps while still riding.  I was not in a triathlon to test the mesh but the breathability and the “just right” support made my feet very comfortable.   Other than the great company and the beautiful sights, there was nothing memorable about the ride especially nothing on my feet.

Ultrabikex Studio just recently began offering the Fi’zi:k 3D custom insoles.  For $85 you receive the insole plus the molding.  The five to seven minutes you have to sit there can be used to ask Andreas for advice on a slew of cycling issues.  Since the insole works with any shoe, getting one is an affordable way to upgrade your ride.  When you are out there, training your heart out on the bike, you will know that every joule of power is being directed to the right place and nothing is lost to inefficiency.  You certainly won’t have to feel that it’s a shame your shoes will negate some of your hard work.

 Contacts:
Andreas Heuser (andreas@ultrabikex.net)
(305)606-4710
Fi’zi:k 3D Custom Insole
Mavic Tri Race Shoes