Bont Cycling Shoes (Pros & Cons)

In this video, expert bike fitter Neill Stanbury provides his bike fitting perspective on Bont Cycling Shoes. The ones in question are the Vaypor S model and Cam Nicholls is a fan. But they're not for everyone, as Neill rightfully points out. Neill will discuss the bathtub construction, the general shape and the rigidity / stiffness of the shoe. While outlining what type of cyclist they're best suited for.

#bont #cycling #shoes

[gmjacobs]

Ended up getting some Bont riot+ a couple years back. I need a wide toe box but I don’t have any sticky-outy bits, so I absolutely love them. Most comfortable cycling shoe I’ve ever worn, but can understand that they aren’t for everyone.

[sirairness]

I just purchased those exact pair of Bonts. Love them but had to heat mold them Ended up using my heat gun for just a couple of "hot spots" around the areas you talked about. Worked better than throwing them in the oven.

[kevinfrost]

Been riding Vapors for last decade + in one or more variants. Happen to suit my feet. Echo everything Neill points out here exactly what you find. Now on my 4th pair, always a new spare set in the cupboard. Used for tens of thousands of miles, club, overseas tours, day to day. Point about big toe metatarsal very true, great real world knowledge 👏👏👏

[jaredjackson]

Absolutely love mine. Just had to find the right insole.

I skip the oven and use a heat gun in specific areas.

[sicbay]

I watched this video and I truly appreciated the deep dive into the Bont shoes. And then I bought some Riot+. I have Fred Flinstone feet and also Morten’s neuroma. I have a lot of foot numbness and serious pain. When the shoes came the width was there but holy hell the sole were hard as damn granite. I did 4 rounds of heat molding. My feet still hurt like hell! Then I did the Hail Mary last chance remedy (couldn’t return them after heat molding) of buying Solestar insoles. THEY WORKED. These shoes are now amazing. Wow. No pain or numbness.
So that’s my advice if your experience is like mine. Solestars.

[HoueSounds]

Bonts without good innersoles = bad.
Bonts with great innersole = best cycling shoes and rivals the lakes.

Note: I had to mould mine 3-4 times twice when I got them and then twice after about 200km after they broke in. 🤘 Happy riding

[amjeremy]

Hated Bonts after the first couple rides. My fifth metatarsal on my right foot would rub on the carbon bathtub even after baking and molding them to my feet. Had to reheat them up in the oven again and take a screwdriver handle to expand the carbon where my fifth metatarsal would rub. Not a problem with them since 👍

[jmmeares]

My first and only shoes are bont wide shoes and they've been very comfortable. I couldn't get my feet in the equivalent size normal width shoe.
Neil is spot on with his explanation, the only thing I'll add is on cold winter mornings I warm mine up in the oven to keep my feet toasty.

[aubreyxengland]

my feet are relatively crappy and unstable - so I found that wide Bonts to have helped with that immensely. Enough room for my feet to swell in hot conditions and still be supported throughout, unlike the comparatively narrow Giro’s I’ve struggled with for years. I have to echo Neill here and say that aftermarket insoles like G8’s don’t work as well in them.

[TheCyclingCardio]

I have that 5th metatarsal bump, and Lake works great for me…excellent review, more shoe brand review would be great 👍🏼

[kbesner]

Great vid, and describes my experiences with a few pair - don't work for me with a bunion, way too stiff. Only thing I would disagree with is the statement about them being lighter than other shoes. I did not find this to be the case with Vapors or Zeros. Same size shoe weighed the same as a mid-level shimano carbon soled shoe.

[vaughanayson]

Love my Bonts, best shoes I have ridden! Have 2x road shoes and about to buy some mtb Bonts. I have tried all the other big names with no luck on comfort
Run G8 insoles which work great

[MegaRobboz]

For whoever it might help: bought a pair of SIDI Drako 2 SRS, one of the most comfortable shoes I've worn but at the beginning they were the most uncomfortable pair of shoes I've ever worn. They are not quite like the bonts but still stiff all around. Turns out all that was needed was to file down the bumps where my feet tend to build up excess skin. Before figuring that out I was ready to throw them in the bin. Have a 10$ electric foot file that gets used every 3-4 weeks.

Granted not every lump and bump is excess skin of course. A bonus is also that every shoe is more comfortable now.

[global_nomad.]

just replaced my Giro Empires with a new model of Giro Empires....best fit I've had (also use heat moldable insoles...)had Sidi's for several years, but they always look a bit clumsy, tried Fizik's but never got on with them though love the style..its a big investment to try shoes so good to get this type of advice...

[renepauls]

Thank you Neill, I find your input very valuable! Could you do a video on stem length? How do I find out/feel for optimal arching of my back and elbow angle? ❤

[darrengee]

Having come from speed skating, I have a set of skates custom moulded to my lumpy odd sized feet and they are the most comfortable skates I own.
Don’t know if bont are offering full custom moulded cycling shoes?
I ride Specialized cycling shoes and they have been great.

[ciclomass]

I'm part of those who love em, got myself a pair of bont vaypor+ after couple years with a pair of Lake's CX 402 and the difference between width changed my life, also, indeed they are very stiff but that doesn't feel as bad as I tought it would, mainly because of fit being so confortable. However, it's good to note that the vaypor+ is focused on confort.

[stangoodvibes]

So coincidentally i happen to live about 100m from Bonts head office (Bont Rowing in Crows Nest, Sydney) and my Bont inners got sent there and i got a personal fitting of the inners into my Bont Riot+s from Bonts Director and shoe designer, Istvan. He made the same point - don't stick them in the oven until you've worn them for a good while and they should be comfy off the bat anyway - heating wont 'fix' an uncomfortable shoe, just make an already comfortable shoe a better fit

[christopherbaird]

It would be great if more companies would make really wide shoes. I haven't gotten my Bont shoes fitted with cleats yet, maybe they'll be terrible, but their Double Wide fit is the only one that will work with my feet. They seem to fit pretty well, if they don't once I'm on the bike with them it's back to flat pedals (that are too narrow, too).

[billhulley]

Been through CX shoes from Giro, Northwave and Lake. Had a pair of Vaypor Gs for a year and wouldn't go back. Must be lucky with my lumps and bumps. Still stick with Northwave for winter boots though, nothing beats them for getting through British winters.