Bike fit, local bike shop, specifically specialized has a decent fit program with lower leg analysis and cleat setup for your shoes. Contact points are a big deal on a bike, totally worth it to even get your current shoes/cleats adjusted by a pro rather than jumping on new shoes.

Velcro has a tendency to loosen a bit during a ride, which is why it has generally been replaced by ratchets or BOAs in most road shoes. This is much more of an issue up by the ankle (which is why many shoes still use a velcro strap at the ball of the foot, where it's basically "set it and forget it").

Bontrager has a wide range of shoes and a 30-day unconditional return (https://www.trekbikes.com/...bontrager/guarantee/), so you could try some shoes and return them if they don't work. I mention this because you indicated that you generally "fit" those shoes (different companies shoes will suit different foot shapes [i.e. "lasts"]).

As the PP mentioned, try shoes on at a good shop that can help fit you. Mail order is a good option when you already know a brand works for you.

For a road shoe, look for a ratchet or BOA closure (BOA is much more common these days). Carbon soles are a "nice to have" and make the shoe marginally lighter and typically much stiffer than a reinforced nylon sole (note: this does NOT translate into increased pedaling efficiency....confirmed my numerous lab tests).

A solid road shoe (ex. Specialize Torch, or Bontrager Circuit) can be had in the $150ish range. Like most cycling stuff, you can spend a lot more ($400-$600 for pro-level shoes is not uncommon).

---

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Thanks! Super helpful. And thanks to KPP too :)