Lake

MX238 Cycling Shoe - Men's

Lakes are my go-to shoe...

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Size Bought:

41.5

Height:

5' 8"

Weight:

153

Shoes are like saddles...obviously very personal choices given that they're just one of three contact points we have with our bikes. After decades of wearing Sidis (and my feet always going numb towards the end of longer rides), I began a search to find a cycling shoe that would allow my forefoot/toes to splay out a bit more (much like the running shoes/sneakers I was buying did...Keens, Altras, Topos). When I first got a pair of Lake's CX238s a few years ago, my riding enjoyment exponentially increased just from the comfort alone...was a bonus that Lake makes some good looking shoes as well. Fast forward to this fall/winter when I purchased a gravel bike, the list of potential shoes was a fairly short one...the MX238s (the ruggedized version of my CX238s). That being said, with my better half not always the most supportive of my hobby/habit, I was looking at some other options/brands to possibly save some money when picking up the needed accoutrements to go with the new bike (when I broke the news that I had ordered this latest bike, was informed that we now had to have our master bath redone). All feet are different so it's often hard to wade through all of the reviews...and with how much a solid pair of cycling shoes cost a negative review or two definitely makes you think twice...and despite the couple of negative reviews on the MX238s, decided to stick with my gut feeling and am happy that I did. The MX238 is a solid cycling shoe. They (probably more so their 'competition' last/foot form) work great on MY feet (YMMV) and I've never had any issues with heel slippage or the Boa wire causing any discomfort (I'm basing a lot of this on my experience with the CX238s, but so far, no issues with the MX238s either). When I first received this new pair of shoes, it took me several weeks to commit to them before I finally put the cleats on them (they just felt a little different from my road shoes)....but, after a few rides (admittedly all just on the trainer), I'm confident that in time they'll be just as awesome as my CX238s which after several seasons feel like an old comfortable pair of slippers (the leather uppers on a good many of Lake's shoes just get better with age). Just to talk a bit more about fit/sizing...as mentioned above, my feet can sometimes be a bit tough to buy shoes for. I'd been a fan of Sidis for a long time (almost three decades) but they started hurting my feet (along with any other shoe that was a bit snug on the forefoot). I don't have a wide foot nor does it take up a lot of volume (think vertical girth)....but, it definitely likes to have room to splay out these days. I don't have a lot of arch either...and while Lakes have some arch support, it's not as pronounced as some and still works for my flat feet. Lake makes several different lasts/foot forms so if considering one of their shoes, you definitely want to go to their website and research which one might work best for your foot shape. Their sizing guides are fairly intuitive and straight forward...I was able to get into my right 'Lake' size/last on the first try.

Heel slip is real

Familiarity:

I returned this product before using it

Bought these shoes and immediately experienced the heel slipping that I read about in other reviews. Ended up buying and keeping the MX333 instead which didn't have this issue as much. The lake sizing guide on their website worked well- I definitely recommend using it.

Best MTB shoe I’ve used

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Roomy, great power transfer to pedal and very comfortable. The wide version makes all the difference. I’d recommend it for normal width feet and bigger. Went up a half size and I love it

Love these shoes

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

I bought the MX238 size 43.5 Wide, with the recommendation of a bike fitter. I have bought many others that were too tight. Unlike the other reviews my foot and heel fit perfectly. My last shoes were 45 Shimano, they felt good, but when I placed my foot on the insert, it was more than an inch longer. This is bad for cleat and pedal placement. As the Brits and Irish say, Happy Days!

Runs true to size

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Size Bought:

43.5

This is the first pair of cycling shoes that fit me and fit me perfectly. They are so comfortable, even with the extremely stiff sole.

Great for wide feet, but...

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Size Bought:

41.5

Height:

5' 10"

Weight:

150

Great fit for wide feet, but the laces from the BOA closure closest to my ankle dig into the top of my foot causing discomfort. To get relief, I have to have just about zero tension in the laces which leads to the heel coming out of the shoe. The front BOA closure works fine and the laces don't cause any discomfort. With an old pair of Specialized S-Works shoes, I cut out the padding from the tongue of the shoes and put it under the tongue of the MX238s - the pain went away regardless of the tension I put into the BOA. Great! Now, I'd have to pay a cobbler to put more padding in the tongue of these shoes to make them wearable. Unfortunately, I did not discover this until putting the cleats on and riding for an hour. Wearing them around the house did not reveal the problem. Don't make the mistake I have made. The thin BOA laces will cut into your foot without adequate padding to disperse the tension from the cables.

Heal lift is real (ly bad)

I had hunted for a long time to find a MTB shoe to fit my EEE width forefoot and skinny heal/ankle and read a ton of great things about this shoe. When I first put them in my living room on I was so excited as they fit perfectly then I stood up and my heal almost came out of the back. I tried everything to fix it (different socks, tightening down the BOA) and nothing worked so I had to return them and keep searching.

Lakes: Please make a women's shoe!!

Familiarity:

I returned this product before using it

Size Bought:

41

Height:

5' 6"

Weight:

132

I love EVERTHING about this shoe, BUT although I wanted more forefoot room for my toe-warmers in winter riding... my foot, probably average for a size 41 shoe female, is still lower volume than most males. So...not only was my foot was moving around a bit, but the dreaded heel slip was also unacceptable, especially for a person used to older model SIDIs which fit like the proverbial glove. I would have purchased SIDIs again, but HATE their new Tech-NO closure system (Hello...I live in the northweat and those are NOT manageable when wearing long-fingered gloves)! LAKES: PLEASE MAKE SOME WOMEN'S MODELS!!

major heel slip

Familiarity:

I returned this product before using it

Size Bought:

43

First attempt: had to return these. the size information on the product page for competitive cyclist says size 44 equates to a 10. When the Lake shoes came they said size 44 and 11 on the box. They were too big of course. Edit - received the right size; 43. Fit is good, until you want to walk or pedal. The heel slip on these shoes is something I've never felt in a shoe; cycling or not. Should have listened to reviews on this page. The heel slip is real and too much.

Expensive Lesson

Familiarity:

I've used it several times

Size Bought:

46.5

Height:

5' 11"

Weight:

175

Unfortunately, these shoes are a fail for me. On the positive side, the construction seems high-quality, which was one of the reasons I bought the shoe. And the toe box is indeed appropriately sized for me. This was the main reason I bought the shoe. So many other manufactures make the toe box too small. However, the shoe simply will not hold my heel in place when riding. I measured my foot according the the Lake website guide, and it suggested a size 47 for me. I ordered and returned the 47 as it was too big. I normally wear a 12 to 12.5 in sneakers. The 46.5 feels good just standing in them. However, there is a severe lack of heel retention when riding. If I tighten the top boa REALLY tight it will stop, but then the the wire from the boa digs into the top of my foot and my circulation is cut off. I read a review on a MTB website that mentioned that slippage could be an issue, but also said it would go away by putting the shoes in the oven (Lake recommendation) and molding them to the back of the foot. I tried this, and it made zero difference. My old $150 specialized shoes with velco straps feel so much better than these. Will probably try to recoup some of my cost on these $300+ shoes by fire selling them, if I can. Very disappointed.