In The Know Cycling

There’s a narrative of late that too many past-our-thirties enthusiasts ride pro-style race bikes that don’t fit properly without adding a chimney of headset spacers, giving a race bike a foolish look and deadening its responsiveness.

Instead, we should ride all-road bikes, formerly known as endurance bikes, that require less modification, look more natural, provide greater comfort on longer rides over typical variable road surfaces, and cost less.

I reached a similar conclusion, happily so, after testing the Lake CX239, the company’s newest shoe with its Competition last. It’s a supremely comfortable shoe with ample room across the forefoot and in the toe box. At the same time, it provides enough heel hold and sole stiffness to ensure you feel in control of a high-performance road shoe.

A STANDARD-SIZED, ENTHUSIAST’S FIT

My experience with the Lake CX332, the predecessor to its current CX333 and top Race last shoe, left me wanting more, both literally and figuratively. In its Regular width, the model’s toe box, forefoot, and heel cup are narrower, and it has less overall volume than most modern race shoes. Its soft leather upper, while very handsome, feels too relaxed for the race-stiff outsole performance-fit characteristics of the rest of the shoe.

Lake has always been known as one of the few bike shoe brands that offers a full range of wide sizes for its top models. However, since I have a middle-of-the-bell-curve D-width foot, switching to a wide model for more forefoot and toe box room would likely also mean a wider heel cup, where I want to feel securely locked in.

For my feet, the Lake CX239 seems a fitting compromise (pun intended) between its CX333 and the expertise gained in designing shoes for riders with wide feet, while still providing a performance fit in the heel.

A VERSATILE SHOE

The CX239’s situational range is impressive. When its BOA Li2 dials are cranked down, the power transfer matches that of the best road shoes I’ve tested.

And, if you ease off on the dials a bit, the room in your forefoot and toe box areas, along with the supple, not-too-thin, not-too-thick leather, makes for a comfortable ride. You still get a secure heel cup and well-distributed closure tension through the top, down, and bottom quadrants of your pedal stroke.

There’s also enough room to wear these shoes with thick fall or winter socks, yet the uppers feature plenty of pen-hole-sized vents to keep them comfortable on all but the warmest summer days.

On both sides of your forefoot, the leather is cut out and replaced with stretchy mesh fabric panels. This provides extra room if you need it while wearing thicker socks or if you have bunions. The panels also allow for enhanced cooling.

It’s essential to get good aftermarket insoles for the Lake CX239 to enjoy all of the versatility and comfort I’ve described. The insoles that come with these, as with most bike shoes, aren’t supportive enough.

However, you’ll need a slightly wider insole than the Body Geometry ones I use. The shape of the forefoot and toe areas isn’t as wide as the shoes in those regions, leaving a few millimeters uncovered and causing some misalignment. I’m still searching for a better solution and may end up opting for a custom insole as part of my long-term testing.

A WIDE LOOK

Key elements of the Lake CX239 make it appear almost like clogs, looking wider than it actually feels for my comfortable feet inside.

Each shoe features a flap that tucks under the upper on the shoe’s outer side. Two high-quality BOA Li2 dials and three wire guides are positioned relatively far apart across the uppers.

The wire guides are aligned as if they are just beyond where the inside edge of the uppers would be if the shoes had tongues. Additionally, the pen holes in the centers of the uppers enhance the illusion that the shoes have tongues.

Finally, the toe area of the shoes seems more rounded than the usual oval shape of road bike shoes.

A wide look, as well as a wide forefoot and toe box

All of this results in overly wide, boxy-looking shoes. In my opinion, it’s not the most attractive shape. The leather looks like (and is) quality material, which offsets some of the shoes’ less appealing aesthetics.

FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE

Three additional performance features of road bike shoes are worth highlighting on the Lake CX239.

First, while the BOA Li2 closure system has become an expected standard on top-tier road shoes, it’s only as effective in tensioning the shoe and preventing hot spots as the placement of the dials and guides by the shoe designer.

Lake has nailed the BOA placement on the CX239. Additionally, there is a generous layer of padding on the underside of the flap to evenly distribute the tension across the midfoot.

Heel protection is smartly integrated into the shoes rather than as an outside plastic cap

Secondly, robust impact protection is discreetly integrated within the upper at the toe and stitched inside a scuff-resistant, suede-like fabric around the heel. This is a welcome departure, both functionally and aesthetically, from the external, plastic-looking moldings attached to the front and rear of some other shoes.

Finally, the 100% carbon fiber outsoles on the Lake CX239 are wide, avoiding the hourglass shape that some shoes adopt to save weight and reduce material costs. It seems only appropriate that shoes with a wide fit and aesthetic elements should also feature a wide outsole.

The toe pad is also quite wide, while the heel pad is standard size and has worn down quickly during my testing. Both pads are replaceable.

At 304 grams for a size EU43.5 shoe, the CX239 is heavier than most, comparable to top shoes from Sidi and Northwave that I’ve also reviewed. This is not surprising, considering Lake’s volume, leather upper, full-size carbon outsole, and excellent build quality. Even with about 50 grams more than other options, it does not significantly impact performance.

The Lake CX239 comes in white or black, regular or wide widths, and half sizes for US$350 or $315 or 10% off from BTD (BikeTiresDirect) with code ITK10.

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See how these shoes compare to others in my review of The Best Road Cycling Shoes.

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Thanks, and enjoy your rides safely! Cheers, Steve