Are Peloton Shoes Good for Wide Feet? [OR Not] Explained
Peloton shoes are a great choice for a lot of people, but if you have wide feet they might not be the best option. Peloton shoes come in two widths: regular and wide.
The main difference between these is that the front 2-3 inches on the outsoles on the regular width shoes are narrower than on the wide width.
Peloton shoes are designed with a slightly more pronounced foot, which can help you reduce overuse injuries when cycling. If your feet are too narrow on the regular width, you might be at risk of some of these injuries.
Peloton Shoes Sizing Guide – Regular vs Wide Width
- Regular Width: Women – 5 – 10, Men – 4 – 9
- Wide Width: Women – 10+ Men – 9+
The peloton cycling shoes are designed to be more pronounced with a slightly wider front area. If you have average sized feet, the regular width will probably fit perfectly fine for you. But if your foot is on the wider side, you might be better off with the wide width.
A lot of people who have wide feet say that the front area is still too narrow for them even with the wide width shoes. If you prefer to use toe clips instead of cycling shoes, your options are much better. For example, if you like these Shimano DXA Clips, they come in sizes 47-60 which covers a huge range of shoe sizes.
If you want to use the Peloton cycling shoes, but your feet are too wide for the regular width version, there is really nothing you can do beyond buying them and hoping they fit.
But if you have slightly narrower feet, it might be worth looking at some other options such as these Shimano road cycling shoes.
How do I know if I have wide feet?
There are a few simple tests you can take to figure out if your feet are wider than the regular width of Peloton shoes.
Sit on a chair and place your heels against a wall, with your legs extended in front of you. If the widest part of your foot is touching the wall, leave some space in between your heels, and your feet are wider than the regular width of a Peloton shoe.
If you have a hard time with this test, try taking off your socks and stepping on some paper. Draw around each foot, then measure the widest part from one line to another. If the distance between those lines is greater than 3″, you probably have wide feet.
What are the benefits of having a wider foot?
There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with having a narrow foot, and if you don’t experience any pain or discomfort it might not be worth paying extra for wide width shoes. But there is one advantage to having narrow feet: your feet won’t wear out as fast as compared to wide feet.
Plantar fasciitis is a common overuse injury that can be caused by too much strain on tendons and ligaments in the foot. This condition affects people with narrower feet more often than people with wider ones, although it can affect anyone at any time.
One of the main reasons is that narrow feet have less room for your toes, which can result in more friction and stress on the tendons.
What are some overuse injuries that I might experience with narrow feet?
Plantar fasciitis is a particularly common one, but there are several others:
- Achilles tendinitis – usually caused by a sudden increase in training, or by cycling in shoes without good support for the heel.
- Medial tibial stress syndrome – also known as shin splints, it can be caused by overuse of the foot when running, walking, or cycling. It usually happens when your knees are more inward than they should be.
- Iliotibial band syndrome – this is usually caused by an imbalance of the muscles that extend your knee. People with narrow feet often experience this problem, and it can get worse when you try to correct it yourself (by changing your biomechanics).
What should I do if my feet are too wide for Peloton shoes?
Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: get the wide width. It’s also good to take a look at how your cycling shoes are attached to the pedals–some pedal systems allow you to adjust how wide your feet are when they’re in the pedals, which can make up for some differences between regular and wide width shoes.
In any case, when you’re not sure if a shoe is going to be comfortable for you or not, always try it on! In the store, they might have a wide enough width for you, but it’s different when your feet are inside. Peloton shoes are cheaper than most cycling shoes (especially the custom ones), so there’s no need to worry too much about trying them out.
In general, it’s a good idea to visit a local bike shop and try on some different cycling shoes if you think you might have a different width than normal. You can start with regular width shoes, but keep in mind that the front 2-3 inches of Peloton shoes are narrower–so if you have feet wider than regular, it might be a better idea to shop for wide width shoes.
What if I have an extra wide foot?
If your feet are so wide that the regular width of Peloton shoes doesn’t fit you, there’s not enough room for your toes in between the front part of the shoe. There are several options available to help with this problem:
Buy cycling shoes designed for wider feet–they’re usually 10mm to 15mm wider in the front part.
Choose a pedal system that allows you to adjust how wide your feet are in the pedals. Make sure that when your heel is positioned in between your shoes, about 1cm of each shoe will be outside the pedal.
These might be options if your feet are especially wide, but there’s also a simple solution for this: Get the wide width.
It’s always a good idea to visit an actual bike store and try out different cycling shoes before buying them–some brands offer more than one width of their models, so you can see which one would work best for your feet.
If you still have questions or doubts about your feet being too wide: try to visit a local bike shop and try on cycling shoes. Remember that Peloton shoes are cheaper than most other cycling shoes (especially custom ones), so there’s no need to worry about trying them out.
We hope this blog has helped you understand the anatomy of your feet and how they function while exercising. Remember, there’s no wrong or right when it comes to your feet–just make sure you take the time and find a shoe that fits your footwell.
