Have you thought about having a hard molded carbon fine piece that matches the middle and using boa straps to hold it in place? The boa wires would hold it loosely and then you tighten it when your foot is in

I suppose that would work.

Are your plaster feet destroyed after one set? Seems like you would need to ruin them to get the shoes off.

Yes.

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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.

That would be nice, like the Hanseno's.

But that would require making another set of plaster feet.

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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.

I'm sure you could make a temp mold and make it a little larger then needed and pad it

So I tried my home made shoes in a local sprint 2 weeks ago (the strap-less version in earlier posts here). I left them clipped to the pedals in T1. Getting into them with cold wet bare feet was very easy. I don't know what if any performance effect they had on the bike (I don't race with power).

My legs felt GREAT coming off the bike and starting the run, unusual as I am a novice "runner". My feet were completely numb coming off the bike most likely from exposure (wet feet, uninsulated carbon fiber "shoes", 65F, 10% humidity, 45 minutes on the bike). My feet started waking up after about 15 - 20 minutes into the run, and by the end of the run I could tell my right big toe will be black.

I initially thought it must have banged against the front of the bike shoes while riding in aero with toes down (and no strap on shoes). So last week I attached straps to the shoes with rivets, and these prevent my feet from sliding forward. Time will tell if I like them or not.

Later I realized that my running shoes I raced in are a bit small and that my right big toe is a little longer than the left, so likely the black toe occurred as a combination of not feeling my feet while running and the big toe hitting the front of my running shoe.

Anyone out there making carbon shoes? How is it going? I am increasingly disappointed with the factory choices due to the narrow toe boxes (even the Bont's I'd have to heat mold the big toe area extensively), the massive toe spring, and the limited cleat placement fore-aft.

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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.

I'm working on some shoes. Currently in a fiberglass prototype stage although I'll start the construction of the carbon ones soon. Weighing in at 79g before buckle(s) and cleat mounting stuff. Hoping for under 150g all in for the fibreglass and under 100g for the carbon version but a lot of that will depend on how much the cleat mounting hardware ends up weighing.

Very nice!

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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.

Do you mind if I ask the method by which you carbon over the cleat plate and keep the bolt hole open/clean? Do you just put some dummy bolts in then work the fabric over/around them?

Yes, I stuck some dummy bolts into it, gently moved the CF cloth around the bolts.

The tricky part is getting good vacuum around the bolts, and I was not able to do that very well, so after it all set, I unscrewed the bolts, and the bottom of the cleat surface was lifted up around the bolt holes (so not completely flat, which may not matter if you screw on a 3hole LOOk cleat, but does matter for a speedplay), so I sanded it down flat and then reapplied some epoxy by brush so keep the CF from fraying.

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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.

Thanks! That's pretty much how I planned to do it I think. I haven't actually ventured as far as vacuum forming yet, just stuck on plain wet layup and as such my fibre/resin ratios (and weight) are probably total junk. I actually have a vacuum pump which I'll bust out at some point although part of my method currently isn't compatible with vacuum so I'm not sure I can gain much without some modifications.

Im going to try some M5 T-nuts and put them in a sliding frame, that way I can center the cleat where I want, whether in be mid foot or ball of the foot.

I was thinking of making these "sliding" channels and on a flat board first, making the bottom of the shoes flat and then gluing them in place and placing more layers of CF over top of the whole assembly to secure it into place better

Mine are on order and should be shipped out in 4 weeks or so. They will look just like the Team GB shoes that were revealed recently, except that the Boa closure will be in the typical spot on top of the shoe. Should last longer up there.

Can't wait to get my hand on, errr... feet in, them!

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Amateur recreational hobbyist cyclist
https://www.strava.com/athletes/337152
https://vimeo.com/user11846099

what made you go with a custom pair? do u have a hard time finding a pair that works

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Follow me on Twitter @CK21TRHC
I use what I love: ISM, Blue70, Trek, FLO

I have pretty narrow feet. I am on Sidi Wires now and even though Sidis run narrow, I have to really crank down the closures for efforts like sprints. And then when I do that, it creates hot spots and that doesn't feel so good. I've cranked down the heel retention screws on the Wires and my heel still moves around. Is it costing me power, at least in sprints? I don't know. But it's in my head. So I went with some customs. I actually started the process well before the Team GB shoes were announced and specified a design exactly like theirs (black on black, single Boa), except theirs they put on the sole for (presumably) better aerodynamics. It was nonetheless sorta cool to see the article come out and think "Yup, mine will be here in 4 weeks or so"

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Amateur recreational hobbyist cyclist
https://www.strava.com/athletes/337152
https://vimeo.com/user11846099

I have been experimenting which making my own carbon shoes due to foot problems. The difference with the custom ones is that everything about your foot is taken into consideration, any bony lumps wide joint widths bunions etc..... this means you essentially get a sock like fit and there will be minimal rubbing or discomfort on any lumps you may have. The shoes however will therefore look like your feet so if cosmetic appearance is important then think again!!

I have really wide feet and struggle to get cycling shoes to fit. Being from the UK where no-one does this type of bespoke footwear I made a pair myself and haven't looked back since. Fully bespoke carbon racers!!

Being an orthotist its a doddle making them however I do sympathize with people trying to be active as possible who have problems with their feet.

I know the thread is old, but out of curiousity do you know how much the total cost to make the pair of shoes was?

I’m making my own shoes right now. I’ve got just under $2k into it for everything - vacuum pump, catch pot, valves, gauges, lots of carbon fiber, sand paper, mold materials, etc. I could make 15-20 pairs of shoes with the materials I’ve bought (which knowing myself I probably will). So that’s what I would have paid for a custom pair but wanted to do it on my own.

Carbon fiber is about $30/yd. epoxy is about $100. You could probably get it done under $500 depending how you went about it.

Mine were $900. Considering it helped me solve a neuroma, it was easily the best $900 I’ve ever spent.

Mine were custom made with no heel for sprint/oly triathlons.

Hi, mine with all materials, new tools, etc cost around $500. Lots of time and elbow grease.

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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.