# General Warning: Bont shoes, flat feet and general sizing



## zappafile123 (Oct 28, 2007)

Hi there,

I wanted to warn anyone considering buying Bont shoes who have flat feet that it is a bad idea! If you have flat feet, try them in a shop before you buy them. DO NOT buy them online. 

I bought a pair of the Zero model online - I stood in them on some carpet and basically my entire body weight went into the raised arch of the shoe where I ought to have arches. THIS WAS PAINFUL.They advised me only after I already recieved the shoes that the only way to get Bonts to work with flat feet is to go full custom - this is an extra $360 or so aud on top of the shoe price. Thats nearly 800aud for custom zero's = ridiculously over priced. 

I thought I would try something different to the my worn out sidi ergo 2's - they where perfect out of the box... 

As for the size wizard - make sure that you have more than 4mm clearance of the shoe, otherwise they are too tight. I measured my feet three times and came out with an average of 268mm - so they advised me to get 43's which are 272mm. they did not fit - my toes touched the end, i needed to get 44's which are 277mm. I wear 43.5 sidi ergo 2's. 

In sum, buying Bont's online was a disaster which I totally regret (cost me 70aud in shipping costs for nothing). TRY THEM BEFORE YOU BUY THEM.


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## framesti (Jan 26, 2009)

yes they're very hot (temperature) too.


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## StevenN (Aug 21, 2012)

Dear All,
Quick declaration, I work for Bont.
In terms of the flat feet scenario. For starters anyone with issues such as flat feet should first try shoe pre ordering online. One of the aspects of our shoes which we market extensively is the fact that we build in structural arch support into our shoes to stop potential over pronation. If you have mildly flat feet or lower then normal arches this can be dealt with through heat molding. If you have flat feet, you would need to order a pair with flat arches which can be done without the expense of a full custom pair of shoes.
In terms of full custom Zero's at 800 being too expensive, I think you will find that our pricing for full custom shoes is actually lower then most other custom shoes brands. In terms of what you get for full custom, it includes having a casting made of your feet which is then shipped to our factory where our master shoe makers create a shoe last that exactly replicates every aspect of your feet.That same master builder then hand makes every aspect of the shoes using the finest materials available. 
In terms of the comment re heat, a more normal comment from most is that their ventilation is so good that in winter they ar quite cold.


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*Okay, well here's one for you*

I had a set of full customs made in 2010. I wore them for about four months but one of the t-bolts corroded out and during the wait for a replacement part, I came to the realisation that the factory had done the cleat drilling in such a way that I could never get the cleat so the ball of my foot was over the spindle. I recent had to get orthotics and the podiatrist/fitter confirmed that my cleats were located almost perfectly. Any way to get my Bont's redrilled w/o sending them back to Oz from Singapore? I liked the build/concept and power transmission but the cleat position really killed my pedaling suplesse.


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## Got Time (Jan 23, 2009)

You can easily drill the holes yourself; I did that for my Bont shoes. Of course you have to be careful (and make sure the cleats can be properly mounted in the new location).


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## zappafile123 (Oct 28, 2007)

StevenN said:


> Dear All,
> Quick declaration, I work for Bont.
> In terms of the flat feet scenario. For starters anyone with issues such as flat feet should first try shoe pre ordering online. One of the aspects of our shoes which we market extensively is the fact that we build in structural arch support into our shoes to stop potential over pronation. If you have mildly flat feet or lower then normal arches this can be dealt with through heat molding. If you have flat feet, you would need to order a pair with flat arches which can be done without the expense of a full custom pair of shoes.
> In terms of full custom Zero's at 800 being too expensive, I think you will find that our pricing for full custom shoes is actually lower then most other custom shoes brands. In terms of what you get for full custom, it includes having a casting made of your feet which is then shipped to our factory where our master shoe makers create a shoe last that exactly replicates every aspect of your feet.That same master builder then hand makes every aspect of the shoes using the finest materials available.
> In terms of the comment re heat, a more normal comment from most is that their ventilation is so good that in winter they ar quite cold.


I just wanted to clarify that the intent was not to disparage the Bont brand but to tell people with flat feet who didnt seriously pay attention to the arch support claims that they need to try Bonts before they buy them. 

The comment about custom was was from the perspective that you shouldn't need a custom shoe to get a shoe to fit. Im sure that full custom shoes would be just about infallible. 

It was only after I posted the message and almost two weeks of correspondence that the people at Bont told me about the flat arch sole. They told me heat molding will not work for flat feet. It was my fault for initially not telling Bont I had very flat feet - I forgot because it was a non-issue due to my experience with Sidi.

I decided to order the flat arch shoe, 44 narrow. I will be posting back on this forum to let people know how the shoes go in a month when they arrive.


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*Thanks but that's not the issue*

Given the sole depth and proximity of the new holes, will there be sufficient strength to retain the cleat?

Of course secondarily, Singapore is not a big DIY location and people don't own power tools which means I'd have to find a machine shop on an industrial estate which can be a PIA.



Got Time said:


> You can easily drill the holes yourself; I did that for my Bont shoes. Of course you have to be careful (and make sure the cleats can be properly mounted in the new location).


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## Got Time (Jan 23, 2009)

boneman said:


> Given the sole depth and proximity of the new holes, will there be sufficient strength to retain the cleat?


I don't know how much force you put on the cleats... For me it's rather small (I definitely don't generate any significant torque / pull).

For my shoe the new holes are about 10mm away from the old ones, any closer is probably not a good idea (and should not be necessary as there is some adjustment possible via the cleats themselves, right?).


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## zappafile123 (Oct 28, 2007)

StevenN said:


> Dear All,
> Quick declaration, I work for Bont.
> In terms of the flat feet scenario. For starters anyone with issues such as flat feet should first try shoe pre ordering online. One of the aspects of our shoes which we market extensively is the fact that we build in structural arch support into our shoes to stop potential over pronation. If you have mildly flat feet or lower then normal arches this can be dealt with through heat molding. If you have flat feet, you would need to order a pair with flat arches which can be done without the expense of a full custom pair of shoes.
> In terms of full custom Zero's at 800 being too expensive, I think you will find that our pricing for full custom shoes is actually lower then most other custom shoes brands. In terms of what you get for full custom, it includes having a casting made of your feet which is then shipped to our factory where our master shoe makers create a shoe last that exactly replicates every aspect of your feet.That same master builder then hand makes every aspect of the shoes using the finest materials available.
> In terms of the comment re heat, a more normal comment from most is that their ventilation is so good that in winter they ar quite cold.


One more thing, I think it would be great if you could get someone to add additional information on your website about the availability of the reduced arch support for people with flat feet. this is the site I got my information from - Bont Cycling Shoes :: Zero - there is no mention of the fact that flat-footed people, up to 20% of the cohort buying your products, may have trouble with the arch support. 

One sentence would have saved me 70 dollars and two months of not having the right shoes as well as fruitless correspondence with staff who had initially had no idea and had to go to the actual boot maker - at my request - to find out that this product was available.


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## bob.satan (Jun 2, 2011)

I have really flat feet and bad issues with my metatarsal's dislocating and have found the Bont Vaypors to be the best shoes i have ever had.

the stiffness in the soles mean that my foot has no flex at all, which keeps me altogether!

maybe it is just an issue with the Zero's?

Boneman, have you spoken to BikePlus, they are a dealer here and may "have someone" that can help?


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## JimmyORCA (Mar 18, 2008)

How did you tie your laces? Was the lace provieded too long for your Zero?


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## NickNice (Aug 8, 2011)

I am in the process of buying a pair of Bonts. I originally went to the website to try the sizing wizard. I followed the instructions very carefully. I wear a size 10 street shoe, with a slightly wider foot than normal. I currently wear a size 44 Lake in a wide version, and it fits rather well. After I did the sizing wizard it said that a 44 wide is what I would need. I was told by the dealer to still come in and try them on. I was really surprised at the results. First, I tried a 44 regular (in fact they had no wides in stock so I only tried on regulars), and it was incredibly tight on the sides, but more surprising was that my toes were bunched up in front, they were too short. I then tried on the 44.5's and it was still much too tight in the sides and still surprisingly short. I then tried on the 45s, and the width was fine and the length was fine, in terms of where my toes were, but the heel seemed slightly long. It was snug fit though. I even tried them on with the same type of insole that I use. In the end, after much discussion with the dealer, who is also a bike fitter, we decided that 45 regulars are the way to go, and any concern over the heel could be molded. SO, I would definitely recommend anyone purchasing Bonts to definitely try them on. I would never in a million years think that I was anything but a 44. I have been wearing 44s in Adidas, Specializeds, Lakes. When I went back to the sizing wizard on the Bont website, I plugged in numbers increasing by one millimeter from my measurement that would get to a 45 regular and it was a centimeter difference. That seems to be quite a bit. I am looking forward to the shoes, and I am glad that I tried them on. My foot felt very snug, comfortably so, and I have heard nothing but great things about the ride (from people I know who have them). Just a warning to try them on first!


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## MShaw (Jun 7, 2003)

NickNice said:


> I am in the process of buying a pair of Bonts. I originally went to the website to try the sizing wizard. I followed the instructions very carefully. I wear a size 10 street shoe, with a slightly wider foot than normal. I currently wear a size 44 Lake in a wide version, and it fits rather well. After I did the sizing wizard it said that a 44 wide is what I would need. I was told by the dealer to still come in and try them on. I was really surprised at the results. First, I tried a 44 regular (in fact they had no wides in stock so I only tried on regulars), and it was incredibly tight on the sides, but more surprising was that my toes were bunched up in front, they were too short. I then tried on the 44.5's and it was still much too tight in the sides and still surprisingly short. I then tried on the 45s, and the width was fine and the length was fine, in terms of where my toes were, but the heel seemed slightly long. It was snug fit though. I even tried them on with the same type of insole that I use. In the end, after much discussion with the dealer, who is also a bike fitter, we decided that 45 regulars are the way to go, and any concern over the heel could be molded. SO, I would definitely recommend anyone purchasing Bonts to definitely try them on. I would never in a million years think that I was anything but a 44. I have been wearing 44s in Adidas, Specializeds, Lakes. When I went back to the sizing wizard on the Bont website, I plugged in numbers increasing by one millimeter from my measurement that would get to a 45 regular and it was a centimeter difference. That seems to be quite a bit. I am looking forward to the shoes, and I am glad that I tried them on. My foot felt very snug, comfortably so, and I have heard nothing but great things about the ride (from people I know who have them). Just a warning to try them on first!


Yeah, Bont's sizing was kinda whacky. They've gotten more into line with the rest of the shoe guys lately, but if you're getting some on closeout, try em first.

M


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

To the OP, the arch of a cycling shoe is supposed to feel somewhat intrusive when you stand in them (see Steve Hogg on arches and cycling), Did you try them on the bike after molding them? I have medium high arches and still use esoles footbeds with high arch support in my Bonts. I was riding with a few United Healthcare riders who wear Bonts, and their opinion was that the shoe was fairly neutral out of the box re arch support. If the Bont rep is still here, would be interesting to know how much arch support is designed in and how much it can be changed via molding. 

I found my Bonts took some time and a few molding sessions to get set up right, but they have become my favorite shoe. Now looking for an excuse to toss my mtb shoes and buy some bont xc.


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## zappafile123 (Oct 28, 2007)

stevesbike said:


> To the OP, the arch of a cycling shoe is supposed to feel somewhat intrusive when you stand in them (see Steve Hogg on arches and cycling), Did you try them on the bike after molding them? I have medium high arches and still use esoles footbeds with high arch support in my Bonts. I was riding with a few United Healthcare riders who wear Bonts, and their opinion was that the shoe was fairly neutral out of the box re arch support. If the Bont rep is still here, would be interesting to know how much arch support is designed in and how much it can be changed via molding.
> 
> I found my Bonts took some time and a few molding sessions to get set up right, but they have become my favorite shoe. Now looking for an excuse to toss my mtb shoes and buy some bont xc.


Unfortunately I was not able to ride in the shoes or heat mold them - otherwise I would not have been able to return them... I did order a pair of narrow shoes - maybe they where too narrow? My feet are 94mm wide... But as I said, I couldnt really stand in the shoes because all of my body weight pressed into the sides of my feet which was pretty painful! Maybe if I didnt get the narrow fit and got the next size up they would work.... what do you reckon?


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

zappafile123 said:


> Unfortunately I was not able to ride in the shoes or heat mold them - otherwise I would not have been able to return them... I did order a pair of narrow shoes - maybe they where too narrow? My feet are 94mm wide... But as I said, I couldnt really stand in the shoes because all of my body weight pressed into the sides of my feet which was pretty painful! Maybe if I didnt get the narrow fit and got the next size up they would work.... what do you reckon?


if you're still looking for a shoe and don't have a good source locally to try them on, I'd suggest using one of the competitive cyclist sites (also realcyclist) which allow you to try the shoe for a while and return it if it doesn't work for you (comp cyclist has lifetime return now). A shoe that might work for you is the Giro since they are made with minimal arch in the last and come with a footbed with adjustable arch heights. You'd probably be a 43 in a GIro. 

Re the bonts, the width may have been an issue, but it sounds like the cost of getting it wrong again is pretty high.


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## zappafile123 (Oct 28, 2007)

stevesbike said:


> if you're still looking for a shoe and don't have a good source locally to try them on, I'd suggest using one of the competitive cyclist sites (also ) which allow you to try the shoe for a while and return it if it doesn't work for you (comp cyclist has lifetime return now). A shoe that might work for you is the Giro since they are made with minimal arch in the last and come with a footbed with adjustable arch heights. You'd probably be a 43 in a GIro.
> 
> Re the bonts, the width may have been an issue, but it sounds like the cost of getting it wrong again is pretty high.


I agree, the risk outweighs the potential benefit. I will stick with sidi I reckon - go for the 2013 ergo 3 wire vent - there appears to be sufficient novelty with that shoe over my ergo 2. In all honestly, the ergo 2 is a really nice shoe, it may not be as stiff as bonts, but I imagine that the difference isnt actually going to result in a performance benefit of any significance.


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## everything motorcycles (May 2, 2013)

Very interested in Bont. No U.S. phone support?



StevenN said:


> Dear All,
> Quick declaration, I work for Bont.
> In terms of the flat feet scenario. For starters anyone with issues such as flat feet should first try shoe pre ordering online. One of the aspects of our shoes which we market extensively is the fact that we build in structural arch support into our shoes to stop potential over pronation. If you have mildly flat feet or lower then normal arches this can be dealt with through heat molding. If you have flat feet, you would need to order a pair with flat arches which can be done without the expense of a full custom pair of shoes.
> In terms of full custom Zero's at 800 being too expensive, I think you will find that our pricing for full custom shoes is actually lower then most other custom shoes brands. In terms of what you get for full custom, it includes having a casting made of your feet which is then shipped to our factory where our master shoe makers create a shoe last that exactly replicates every aspect of your feet.That same master builder then hand makes every aspect of the shoes using the finest materials available.
> In terms of the comment re heat, a more normal comment from most is that their ventilation is so good that in winter they ar quite cold.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

everything motorcycles said:


> Very interested in Bont. No U.S. phone support?


I am a Bont fan. Email Glenn Koshi at [email protected]. Tell him PBL from NJ sent you. He will get you exactly what you need and it will be perfect.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

deleted


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## Blackbeerthepirate (Apr 26, 2011)

ddozzoyo said:


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> 
> Почему мы?
> •6 лет опыта размещения SEO-статей и PR-статей;
> ...


^^THIS^^

I have flat feet too. Carnacs work best for me, followed by Sidis and PI.


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## leadout_kv (Feb 7, 2011)

First, imho buying a pair of shoes is about as specific to sizing as I/anyone can get. I will only buy shoes in person, in a store, where I can try multiple pairs of shoes on. I'm just asking for a disaster to happen if I attempt to buy shoes online. my .02

Also, when I did try on new road shoes in my lbs I narrowed down my choices to a specific Bont shoe and a Shimano shoe. Both pairs felt great to my feet and the Bont's were a bit cheaper. So, I went with the Bonts and am very satisfied with the purchase.

Each person is different from wide feet to narrow feet to flat feet to short feet and anything in between. Do yourself a favor and spend time in your favorite lbs and try on shoes in person.


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## mick_tissa (Aug 26, 2008)

I must agree with your comments, I did unfortunately purchase a pair of Bonts A3 online and they where way to tight, I did use the Bont sizing tool but you really need to try them on before purchasing. I have always worn a 44 shoe and with the Bont sizing tool it shows up as size 43? ( I measured up as 266 x 105).
I did sell the size 43 online and then proceeded to buy the same shoe in a 44, initially they felt to be a great fit but after 100km in them they are still to small as I am getting pins and needles in my foot, I need to have a wider fit? 
I must say the shoes are a high quality product, but I will be going in to a store next time.


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## everything motorcycles (May 2, 2013)

I'm a relative newbie to hi performance shoes and clip in...been using for onlly several years between MTB and Road. I have had all sorts of foot issues with now most of them resolved. I think the most important thing that has helped resolved them were several trips to my podiatrist. But mostly, I went to a designated wider shoe. I'm using for road, Sidi WIDES have been extremely helpful. My Spesh MTB shoes are quite broken in and wide as well. I really didn't realize that the narrowness was even causing me such discomfort. I like snug, tight fitting stuff usually, but once going to the wider shoes most ailments are gone! Since I'm not racing, and not too competitive on the road with 'other' riders, comfort has to be first. You may want to consider a simple brand: Something that you don't have to jump through so many hoops for. Competitive Cyclist was great. Great pricing, great exchange policy. Sidi ALSO is F*ed up with their sizing...only to realize, my normal 41.5's are the same for them despite being mislead several times regarding their sizing. Same with Spesh. Just try the WIDE version! HOpe this helps.



mick_tissa said:


> I must agree with your comments, I did unfortunately purchase a pair of Bonts A3 online and they where way to tight, I did use the Bont sizing tool but you really need to try them on before purchasing. I have always worn a 44 shoe and with the Bont sizing tool it shows up as size 43? ( I measured up as 266 x 105).
> I did sell the size 43 online and then proceeded to buy the same shoe in a 44, initially they felt to be a great fit but after 100km in them they are still to small as I am getting pins and needles in my foot, I need to have a wider fit?
> I must say the shoes are a high quality product, but I will be going in to a store next time.


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## mick_tissa (Aug 26, 2008)

Thanks for that Motorcycles, I will take that on board. It's funny that after my weekend ride my wife has booked an appointment with a podiatrist who happens to be a good friend of her's. I hope see will be able to help me out as well, plus I will have a look at the Competitive Cyclist web site. Cheers


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## everything motorcycles (May 2, 2013)

Just realized however, I actually have normal to slightly high arches...I see where this thread said something about flat footed. I don't remember exactly what my Pod did, but he basically said it was a pain nerve that served very little function. He shot me up over the course of about a month and I'm relatively pain free. I'm still riding on a size 42 Wide because my 41.5 aren't yet available off b/o yet. Good luck.


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## arlobike (May 3, 2015)

This is an old thread, but since it ranks highly in a search for "bont shoe sizing," I wanted to add a few things I've learned about it. I don't think my feet are particularly flat; at least, I've never had to pay attention to the arches with any other cycling, hiking or day-to-day shoe that I've owned. When I outgrew an old pair of Sidis, I decided to try something new and ordered a pair of Bont Riots.

1) These shoes were true to my normal shoe size. The Bont size wizard came back 1-2 sizes smaller than I normally wear, but I think that would result in a snug fit with no space beyond the toes. For a more standard fit with some space beyond the toes, I'd recommend starting with the size you normally wear.

2) The arch support is not adjustable through heat molding. As soon as I put these shoes on, the arch support seemed uncomfortably high, pressing into the bottom of my foot to a distracting degree. But I figured that was the point of the heat molding, so I gave it a try, but the feeling didn't change. I tried a second round of heat molding, this time attempting to adjust the arch support immediately after removing the shoes from the oven, but they wouldn't budge. After that, I emailed Bont and they replied that this part of the shoe is not adjustable.

3) The arch support doesn't feel significantly different when riding compared to standing. Another post in this thread suggested that since the shoes are optimized for riding, they might feel unnatural standing, which makes sense. So I went ahead and mounted a cleat on one shoe, and wore my old shoe on the other foot, and tested it on a turbo trainer. The difference between the two shoes was unmistakable. On my old shoe, I wasn't conscious of the fit at all. On the Bont shoe, I couldn't ignore that arch support digging into my foot. I was pretty sure that was going to be distracting on a real ride, so at that point I gave up on the Riots.

Bottom line: Try the shoes on, but if the arch support doesn't feel right, don't bother with heat-molding or riding in them.

Bonus fact: After removing the shoes from the oven, they were cool enough to put my feet into in about 30 seconds. However, the mount of the buckle is bare metal inside the shoe, and that gets very hot, so be careful not to touch it when inserting the insoles or putting the shoe on.


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