Bont shoes

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MattSoutherden
Posts: 1376
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 7:22 pm
Location: London

by MattSoutherden

spud wrote:Question - will the heat molding really adjust the arches upward, or do most people rely on insoles to do that job? I am a little worried about supportive insoles such as the Specialized blue's, as they take up a fair bit of room, and my shoes tend to be tight in order to keep them snug side to side (somewhat narrow foot).


I have Sole ThinSport in mine. I have a pair of Spesh blue in my winter shoes. No way they fit in the Bont's

gumgardner wrote:Does anyone have the white Microfiber vaypors or A-1? I just returned the leather and all they have is the white microfibers. I'd like to see what they look like. I'd also like to know how they compare to the leather ones. I really don't know what microfiber is :noidea:


The microfibre, while still heat mouldable, is more resistant to stretching over time like leather.
Snacking on carrot sticks - Where did it all go so wrong?
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Finsbury Park CC

gumgardner
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Location: Pittsburgh

by gumgardner

Is that good or bad?

by Weenie


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ty-ro
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Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:15 pm

by ty-ro

So the microfiber is moldable while the leather is not?

gumgardner
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:47 pm
Location: Pittsburgh

by gumgardner

No they are both Moldable. The carbon sole gets molded, not the leather, microfiber

gumgardner
Posts: 3496
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:47 pm
Location: Pittsburgh

by gumgardner

The size 44 showed up today in the white microfiber vaypor. Its really nice. Not sure if I should keep them or wait a few weeks for the leather ones. I don't know if the leather is worth the extra cost. The microfiber look easy to keep clean. Is there a reason to get the leather? The leather didn't seem much more supple but I'm sure it would soften up. The microfiber would be super easy to keep it looking like they are always brand new. Are my feet going to overheat in the microfibers?

snorre
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2005 2:41 pm

by snorre

Hi all!

Been using my 2011 Vaypor's for a week now, and I have to say the feel of the shoes are amazing. The sole-stiffness is just exellent. But one thing is bothering me... The edge of the heel-cup is applying pressure on my achilles (right at it, not on the sides). I have tried to heat them up in the oven and pushing with my thumbs to try and mould them, but with no luck... I think the heel-cup is just too hard. To try and solve the problem, I've put some soft wrapping-paper (the sort which are wrapped around new bikes for transport purposes, for instance). This feels much better, but the wrapping-paper is getting "squeezed" and thin very quickly.....

My question is as follows: Do you have any suggestions to what I can wrap the inside of the heel-cup with, that will make it softer and be a good permanent solution??

Thanks!

nothingman
Posts: 61
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:44 pm

by nothingman

I've given up on Bont.

I have the A3, 2010 A2, and CTT1 at my house, and they all suck in their own way.

The A3's top velcro strap is pointless. It's doesn't give good compression, and it's inoperable with one hand, which means adjustments are impossible once you're on the bike.

The A2 is better is this regard, but the other things wrong with Bont are still there. The toe box just isn't right. It looks anatomically correct, but my 2009 Sworks is much better. Also, the carbon shell is unforgiving. I heated at 160F, nothing. Then 170F. Then 185F. Still nothing. The arch hasn't budged and toes are still not comfortable.

The CTT1's buckle system is awful. The more I tighten, the more the ratchet presses down on the top of my foot. The 2010 A2/A1 system seems way better. If it's any indication of the Vaypor, no thanks.

Bont really can't say that I didn't give them a shot. I have tried three models, and emailed them about my concerns. I spent about 30mins on the phone with Nestor Rodriguez, their USA director (I believe). Props to him for giving me a call, but it came about a week or more after my email. I don't think he handled my problem well at all. He kept telling me all the reasons Bont were awesome and I was wrong, instead of just accepting I didn't like the shoe. When I complained about the velcro system, he said two contradictory things. The first was to give it pro credibility: "well, Rashaan Bahati rides those straps." Good for Bahati, but that's not a reason for me to like a shoe I bought and am really unhappy with. The second was that they were "entry level." Listen, I know within a range of shoes some might not perform as well as others, but when you've made a cycling shoe that cannot be operated while clipped into pedals, whether on the road or trainer, without two hands, then you've got a full on design flaw. There's a reason the CTT3 has a ratchet and the A3 doesn't (because their velcro system sucks), and his claim of cost concerns doesn't stand up against the $10 difference between those two shoes.

Another example is when I said I like my shoes really tight, he told me to stop doing that because he himself wears them loose, again, I don't care what other people are doing. And he started telling me to go out and buy aftermarket insoles before asking whether I had tried any (I had bought two, and tried multiple others in the store), etc. No listening skills. It's like Bont thinks it knows better than it's customers about what they should want. I'm all for innovation and winning people over with new designs, but they've got some work to do and I think they could show a little more humility.

In summary, I think the molding is a gimmick, the last is no good, and the overall design is unrefined. For every pro they'll point to who's riding Bont, there's 10 others on so-called soft shoes like Sworks, Sidi, and Mavic who are winning major races without the need for a bathtub and endless molding.

Just my $.02. If you love 'em, God bless ya. But I'm back to my beat up old Specialized's with the upper pulling away from the chipped-away carbon sole that I was setting personal power records on back in November and December.

cswi9367
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Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:40 pm

by cswi9367

nothingman:
you like red, i like blue. there is NEVER going to be an item that everyone can agree upon. especially in shoes, saddles, bibs, etc.

the only thing i think you have said that is incorrect is the quality of Bonts last. their lasts are very nice. and the molding does work, it takes time and effort.

i come from SWorks, and they are a great shoe, though, they dont last more than a season, which is sad.

best luck

EGreenberg87
Posts: 42
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 5:00 am
Location: New York, NY

by EGreenberg87

Finally brought my leather A-One's out on the road today, got a little drier in NYC. The feel is great and the leather looks amazing and is so supple. I have a question, anyone know when the Premium Vapors and leather vaypors will be available? I'm dying to get them!

Privateer
Posts: 360
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:28 pm

by Privateer

I agree with both cswi9367 & nothingman: to each thier own, but Bont's ain't for me.

I have a pair of A1s that just don't work for me. Numb painful feet. They're the second pair that I tried, after I moulded the first pair so many times that the glue all started to give way.

Bont replaced them under warrenty and I went up a size to see if maybe that was the issue, but after moulding them once it was clear that they just weren't going to work for me.

Anyone want a pair of first generation white microfibre A1s? Moulded once and worn once, size 43.

gumgardner
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:47 pm
Location: Pittsburgh

by gumgardner

The leather vaypors are out. I had a pair that I returned bc they were too small. Now I have a pair of the microfibers to check the size. Not sure if I'll return them for the leather or just keep them.

garth
Posts: 87
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2009 5:19 pm
Location: Los Angeles

by garth

I just bought a pair of A-One cycling shoes. I followed the heating instructions to a tee and used a digital thermometer to be exact. When I pulled both shoes out of the oven after 15 minutes, the resin on the left shoe sole appeared cloudy around the arch and heel area. I still put them on and attempted to mold the shoes but the cloudiness is still there after cooling.

Is this a defect?

Johnny Rad
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Location: Zion

by Johnny Rad

For what it's worth (and it might not be much so...), here's what I learned today when comparing my old Sidi's to new Bont A-1's.

Background
I previously wore Sidi 5 Mega size 43, but they "fatted" out over two seasons and became too loose.
I'm currently wearing Sidi 6.6 (non-Lite model) size 43 and they were comfortably tight the first season and great the second.

Impression of Bont A-1's
I tried on Bont A-1's today in both size 42 and 42.5. Interestingly, I felt very little in the way of size differences between the two shoes. In both cases, my little toes bumped into the end of the shoe ... just a bit less in the 42.5 size. The nice guy helping me today wears Bont A-1's in size 42.5 and let me try his shoes. There's a tremendous difference in a well-worn, already molded shoe! My toes didn't bump into anything and they generally felt much better. However, the fit on the Bont is TIGHT all the way around. In an earlier post, someone wrote that the opposite of Bonts are "soft" shoes like Sidi and Specialized, etc. I know what that means now. The "soft" Sidi gently holds my foot whereas the Bont is a rigid animal from top to bottom and side to side.

I didn't spring for the Bont's, yet. The "tight" fit is really odd and left me undecided. I'm off to try a set of Specialized S-Works shoes next. We'll see what happens. Maybe it'll just be a set of inserts for my "old" Sidi's to replace the silly thin OEM ones!

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LouisN
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Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:44 am
Location: Canada

by LouisN

I suggest this topic shoud be divided in two :

Topic No1 title: I hate Bont shoes

Topic No2 title: The "I like my Bont's" topic

It's becoming more and more a Bont bashing contest here...

It would be interesting to hear how many people bought Bont shoes online, without putting their feet in the shoes at first, make their mind on the different "feel" of this "special" (from what I read) fitting shoe...

I can't help but read every comment, and although I know wisdom tells me "don't believe the crap that's written on forums" :wink: , can't help but feeling nervous now that I ordered a pair of A-1's... :|


Louis :)

+1

cswi9367 wrote:nothingman:
you like red, i like blue. there is NEVER going to be an item that everyone can agree upon. especially in shoes, saddles, bibs, etc.

the only thing i think you have said that is incorrect is the quality of Bonts last. their lasts are very nice. and the molding does work, it takes time and effort.

i come from SWorks, and they are a great shoe, though, they dont last more than a season, which is sad.

best luck

gumgardner
Posts: 3496
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:47 pm
Location: Pittsburgh

by gumgardner

Johnny Rad wrote:I didn't spring for the Bont's, yet. The "tight" fit is really odd and left me undecided. I'm off to try a set of Specialized S-Works shoes next. We'll see what happens. Maybe it'll just be a set of inserts for my "old" Sidi's to replace the silly thin OEM ones!


That tightness is a nice feature. I swear I could use mine without having to buccal the straps. The problem with my sidi's is that I have to crank the straps down and then I pressure underneath the straps. I can run the Bont's with light strap pressure. It's a very secure fit. When they fit, it feels like a custom build right out of the box.

by Weenie


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