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Heat molding Bont sub 8
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A week or 2 ago I bought a pair of Bont sub 10 shoes off of bonktown. I get them, try them on, they feel like the right size, but they are FAR from comfortable. They feel like I imagine a pair of wooden clogs would feel. I haven't molded them yet.

Today, I picked up a pair of the sub 8's. ($129.00!) My question is, are the sub 8's going to be a better shoe overall? I will heat mold them when I get them, I guess I'm wondering if the initial board-like discomfort is just a Bont thing. Will they become my favorite shoes? Help me out!
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [fitzoffire] [ In reply to ]
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I got the A-one's and they were not very comfortable before i molded them. I took two tries to get them right but now they fit great. I think the sub10's are moldable aren't they?
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [fitzoffire] [ In reply to ]
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The sub 8 and sub 10s are equally moldable. I agree that they feel like the worst fitting shoes in the world before heat molding (not sure why they don't aim for an "average" fit and mold from there....might be the "bathtub" shape). It took me 3 times to get the sub 10s right (I have flat feet and had to push down the arch with a screwdriver handle while they were plyable).

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [fitzoffire] [ In reply to ]
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Wow smoking deal on those Sub 8's!

Yes they'll get better. molding will help but you'll just get used to the feel that your foot is not contacting a soft leather at the sides anymore, it's hard carbon. give them a few weeks then go back to your old shoes and see what you think. I dont ever want to ride anything else...I own 3 pairs of Bonts now.

Anyways, performance from a stiffness standpoint they are pretty much equal...super stiff. The Sub 10 is a fiberglass sole and it has a higher stack height so they are heavier and they will require you to ride with your saddle higher then when you use the Sub 8's. It's only a couple mm, but you'll probably notice it.

The other main difference between the two shoes is the upper material of the sub 10 vs the sub 8.

If you have hot spots or bunions and it's causing you pain around the carbon basket (outside edge of your foot) you can do a few things to fix that. Heat it up with a heat gun, on low, velcro straps away from it, after a minute or two take the handle end of a screw drive and force out just the area that is bothering you. Once it hardens that area will be pushed away so it wont irritate the foot anymore. The other tool you can use is this http://www.amazon.com/...etcher/dp/B000KPMBWU

you put one of the attachments in the area of your pain, heat that spot and tighten the shoe. As the carbon softens, it will be forced out in just that area. This is really only necessary for larger bunions.
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [GREG_n_SD] [ In reply to ]
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The inside material on the Bonts seems pretty bare. Do you always wear socks with them or are they comfortable "barefoot"?
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [ In reply to ]
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I believe that the idea with Bont shoes is that it's easier to use the weight of your body on your foot to push the carbon out than it is to push it in. This is apparently why they make the shoe so that it fits tight and you have to mold it to feel comfortable. The model comes from speed skating where racers typically wear boots that fit like a glove - only tighter...
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [ketaprop] [ In reply to ]
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I wear socks with my road shoes, have A1's and just got the Vaypors, but with race season approaching I've been using my Sub-9's more and going sockless. Before I had the sub-9 I actually used the A-1's a few times for triathlon just because I liked them so much and didn't have any issues. Definitely could see how it may bother some people though.
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [fitzoffire] [ In reply to ]
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I should have the sub 8's tomorrow. I will mold them and update the result. Good info!
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [fasterisbetter] [ In reply to ]
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I once stood in a set of Bont short track speedskates for the better part of a day (block chasing at a meet). Parts of my feet were numb for 3 days afterwards. Oh well, it was better than wearing my custom Marcheses - cycling socks actually made my feet colder, because they weren't made with enough extra room for them, and it reduced circulation to my feet.
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [GREG_n_SD] [ In reply to ]
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I received Bont sub 10s yesterday. The length of the shoes is fine but before molding the toebox is tight. I wouldn't want to wear them very long with a fit like this. The tight fit seems to be logical - as the molding process will push the sole out not pull anything in, but does experience fit with the theory? Will there be a noticeably roomier forefoot after molding?
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [fitzoffire] [ In reply to ]
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I got a pair of A-1s from a Bont dealer, who also rides in them. I don't think they're meant to fit tight around the toe-box; if anything, the opposite, the toe box is meant to have extra room. I definitely wouldn't ride them without an insole of some sort, I doubt that is Bont's intent (but don't know); what I do know is that of all of us that have been converted to Bonts by this shop - and 'converted' is right, they are the best shoes ever made, IMHO - also use orthotics of some sort, which obviously take up space as well as providing for a more comfortable floor for the foot.
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [JimSoucie] [ In reply to ]
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I'm tempted to buy the A-one or the Vaypor. How do you feel about them?

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Miguel Andrade
http://mitano.blogspot.com
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [sirkilio] [ In reply to ]
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I only tried on the A-x models. The A-1s are just exceptional. Maybe not the lightest shoe, but almost certainly the stiffest, and yet also super comfortable. (I ride on Speedplays, and this shoe completely obsolesces concerns about surface area of cleat, IMHO). But they do _not_ fit or feel like anything else, so you gotta try 'em on. And per my previous, they really seem to want orthotics.

Oh, they're even easy to clean :D
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [rich_m] [ In reply to ]
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rrkid is right the toe box is meant to be wide. You may need a wider shoe.
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [rrkid] [ In reply to ]
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You've tempted even more!

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Miguel Andrade
http://mitano.blogspot.com
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [sirkilio] [ In reply to ]
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I have the A1 and the Vaypor and the Vaypor fit different. Some like them better than A1s I personally like them the same. The cosmetics of the vaypor are more apealing with less straps but performance is the same IRT stiffness. I think there's more vents in vaypors as well although venting in A1s was fine for me.
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [GREG_n_SD] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks!

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Miguel Andrade
http://mitano.blogspot.com
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [GREG_n_SD] [ In reply to ]
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Did you get a discount to buy the two?

----------
Miguel Andrade
http://mitano.blogspot.com
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [sirkilio] [ In reply to ]
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No I started out with the original A1's when they first hit the market, after using them a few months decided I couldnt ride my carbon soled shoe because after riding the Bonts I could feel the other tri shoe flexing so got the Sub 9 last summer, then crashed in the A1's this winter "ruining them" hence justifying the need for the Vaypors to my wife....The A1's are still good, just epoxied the damaged carbon area and use them when the weather is nasty out and dont want to get the Vaypors all dirty.
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [rrkid] [ In reply to ]
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rrkid wrote:
IMHO - also use orthotics of some sort, which obviously take up space as well as providing for a more comfortable floor for the foot.

If you can mold the shoe to your foot, why use orthotics?

-Bryan Journey
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [golfer17] [ In reply to ]
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golfer17 wrote:
rrkid wrote:
IMHO - also use orthotics of some sort, which obviously take up space as well as providing for a more comfortable floor for the foot.


If you can mold the shoe to your foot, why use orthotics?

Good question and common misconception about Bonts: the sole is a very rigid carbon fiber shell and is NOT moldable - only the upper is moldable.

(You also don't want to depend exclusively on a mold for an orthotic, at least if you need the orthotic to correct something, as I do, but that's a different issue.)
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [fitzoffire] [ In reply to ]
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I agree they feel awful the first time you try them on - I have the Sub 9's off bonktown. It took me two tries to heat-mold them, the trick is most ovens won't let you get down to 140-160degrees, so get a separate oven thermometer and leave the oven door cracked.

I knew they were molded properly when I heard a "whoosh" sound putting them on - vacuum fit. Mine actually fit much looser than my old shoes, but they are much more secure. I can ride them without closing the straps if I need to. They did initially rub the achilles, but mine have softened up. Hope this helps, good luck.
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [GREG_n_SD] [ In reply to ]
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Thank you. Much better after a couple of moldings.

Anyone cut off those bits where the upper closes? Don't seem to be needed and could improve the ventilation.
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [rich_m] [ In reply to ]
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I didn't but that's not a bad idea.
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Re: Heat molding Bont sub 8 [rich_m] [ In reply to ]
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I have a hard time getting a tight fit with them there. I was thinking of chopping that to make them close better.
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