Bike Guru is here to review on a cycling shoe which I have worn it for 15,000 km since I received it about a year ago. This product review is unbiased and I do not receive any commission from the bicycle shop.
The brand is Lake, model CX332. This is a high end model in the Lake cycling shoe line up.
Let me discuss more about this shoe in terms of its construction, sizing and performance.
Construction
- Carbon Fibre Soles
- BOA Lacing System
- Kangaroo Leather
- Moldable Heel Cups
Colours
It is available in three colours:
- Black
- White
- Chameleon Blue
Sizing
Lake has 3 sizing charts for all their cycling shoes in its line up:
- Race Last
- Competition Last
- Sport Last
Race Last is narrower fit compared to the others.
Widths
It is available in three widths:
- Standard
- Wide
- Extra Wide
In Lake CX332, I am using Size 43 Extra Wide.
Performance
Many cyclists are curious to put on their new gears immediately after purchasing it. One must note that any shoes in the market has to be seasoned in order to feel comfortable when wearing it.
“Good things must wait.”
Time taken to season the shoe took me approximately 10 rides.
When I first wore the CX332, my feet hurts as the leather is stiff. After 500km of riding with Lake CX332, the leather break in and felt very comfortable. Its leather is thicker than the other brands which I have used previously. This means that when you unintentionally fall, the friction between the road surface and the shoe will have lesser chance of bruising it.
- To lace up, push the boa inwards and turn it downwards till your foot is snug fit.
- To loosen slightly, turn it upwards to release little tension till your foot is snug fit.
- To unlace, pull the boa outwards and the lace will be fully loosen for removal of foot.
I like the feel of my foot enclosed in the CX332 because of the kangaroo leather. It is very soft and comfortable to wear it, especially when my ride distance exceeds 100km. I have used cycling shoes from many brands and somehow did not get this comfortable feeling.
Although it has a moldable heel cup, I strongly discourage you to heat mold the heel cup as the shape of the shoe may change depending on how much you heat it up. This is from my past experience.
Comfort level in both dry and wet conditions remains equal. In dry weather, the breathability of the kangaroo leather doesn’t make my feet sweat a lot compared to shoes made from PVC leather. In wet weather, the raindrops tend to repel away from the leather.
Overall, I like the comfort and design of the shoe after using it for 15,000 km. I strongly recommend you to get Lake CX332 as it is really good.
This shoe is sold at $465. The distributor for Lake cycling shoes in Singapore is The Bike Settlement.
