2020 BONTS: What shoes I run when I have the choice

[@mitchell87ification]

I would be really interested in seeing handle bar and hood setup. Dimensions and positions etc. Great content, thank you for sharing.

[@kristofpirc5458]

Andrew Mitchell agree, that would be useful to watch

[@finelytunedrideftr1932]

And bar tape, do you get to choose type of tape within the range? gel backed?

[@ashstaniland5879]

any content will do at the moment alex...

[@alexreynolds8163]

I love the geeky bike tech reviews. Would be interesting to hear from a pro how you get comfortable on the bike with doing so many K's. saddle and bib combo

[@menmyho]

I would be interested in hearing about your saddle choice and positioning. Any why some pros have unconventional setups.

[@davidide1525]

Thanks Alex, I also use Bont for road,gravel,and mtn. . After I had surgery to fuse my large metatarsal I couldn’t use most cycling shoes as the rise ( toe spring) you mention left an air space under my rigid foot. So if any cyclist has had this procedure, more common than it would seem, Bonts are a very flat shoe with loads of room. They are available in widths, and can be customized by the end user. Great shoes. Thanks again and keep them coming !

[@miguelsaez340]

Would you make a look around the tt helmets you had over time? Since you chose to take a different one to nationals and to worlds I wonder now in a new team and new sponsor what’s your choice

[@939Productions]

Could you do something on aero testing at home or out in the field. Or TT bike comfort. Love the videos!

[@justdoittom8431]

I love my bonts, two pair I’ve had love them. No hot spots at all, the fact you can oven them and mould them is very good.

[@MatthewChristie74]

Love to hear about saddle choice an setup. And saddle issues you may have had and how you solved them!

[@daveh4019]

Very interesting regading drilling the shoe , my set up is exactly same, Bont speedplay and a 3mm lift on my right shoes. thanks for the tip 😉

[@TheGinger1]

Great vid mate. That’s a huge drop. Can you do one about how your position has evolved over the year and what were the biggest gains you saw with the changes.

[@robertmuckle2985]

I got a pair of titanium SPs in 1991 and I only started to have some engagement issues last year. They are bullet proof and last! Any cyclist that doesn't use them in Crits isn't pedalling worry free around corners!

[@heiko6376]

Bont offers allready speedplay specific soles with 4 bolt mount, so you don't need the adapter. The quustion now is: Does the drilled option offers an even lower stack hight as the 4 bolt stock version???

[@jameshanranhan8959]

Smashing Video! Any chance you could talk through gear ratios and what you would typically run for training and racing? Keep it up! And thank you!

[@mattbettwy4069]

I was really intrigued when you talked about always using the rotating map when descending, so I'd love to see what data fields you use on your Wahoo (is it still Wahoo at Isreal Startup Nation?) for different types of rides. Not the data itself obviously, but it would be cool to see what data fields a pro thinks are most important to see on the bike

[@zacharymorford1846]

Totally agree. That would be really cool!

[@marshallemmett3313]

I love that you choose Speedplays! It was my choice when going clipless and I'll never look back. In terms of content, saddles. What you choose to ride (when you can), what you've liked, what you've disliked, you mentioned that you like to be on top of the saddle instead of in the saddle (describe what that means, maybe). Love the videos!

[@DonnyDonnMendoza]

Just wondering if you bothered “heat moulding” your Bonts? I tried it with my Bonts and it went from half-decent fit to perfect fit which is a big thing for me as I have ultra-fat fit (UK 14 width but UK 11.5 length lol).

[@mirceaandreighinea]

crank length - for next video ;-) major reason, and others too, why do you spin 170mm cranks. thank ya a lot for these tech videos!! i really appreciate these (tech) coming from pros like you ;-)

[@robertgillon6213]

Thanks as always Alex. What about a blog on a training ride. Routine before, take with and routine after the ride? Hope you and family stay safe

[@Sp3ktral22]

Great video Alex. Can you grab a set of your new race wheels and review those from the sofa too please? The production of your vids is looking really pro by the way. Love the graphics.

[@RichardMigneron]

Bont comes from the Speedskating world, that's why your shoes cover the side of the foot. To lower the stack height even more, you could have them made bespoke. What you do is : get a plaster cast over your foot (medical plaster), stand over your insole (in a plastic bag to protect it) for 20 mins or until the cast is dry enough not to deform, remove the cast (now you only care about the bottom part of the cast, so you can precut the top part of the cast to extract your foot), send both plaster casts to Bont and they will make the shoes with the integrated insoles ! No more adjusting of your insole in the shoes either. You could even have them put the 4 bolt system right at the factory. Maybe go see a store that specializes in Roller speedskating and that does the casts. That's what we do in the roller speedskating world.

[@theguzziman]

You've almost talked me into changing pedals!

[@mjhsmith14]

Could you talk about the insoles you use?

[@j1y0ni]

I quite like the feel of the interface between Speedplay and Bont. It feels really direct and powerful. Unfortunately I use 2014 Bont Vaypors :(

[@billincolumbia]

Bont can also make shoes from a custom mold of your feet. They can accommodate different left foot / right foot off the shelf sizes too. They are great to work with. Oh, and they are heat moldable.

[@robertgale8694]

Enjoyable Alex 👌🏼 maybe go through your kit, helmet, etc

[@bleskiven]

I feel like you should hit up David Simmons for ultimate aero geekyness. He, like Bont makes inline speed skates, so the technique is much the same.

[@mrrambo12345ism]

Hi Alex, I use bonts also. You forgot to mention the heat mouldability of the shoes although mine are always good from the box. atb Julian. (Rambo).

[@RobFinch1971]

I'm curious how you test your TT positions for aero efficiency. In previous videos you seem to indicate that you tinker with it and experiment, with new TT bike to set up would be fascinated to see how you do it and if there is some scientific testing involved.

[@joshdiesel7124]

Would be keen to understand what you thought about when you determined your stack height for the extensions on your TT bike.

[@2WheeledMohawk]

I'm glad you mentioned about the knee issues when running cleats all the way forward. I ran (albeit briefly) and after 2 or 3 outdoor rides of 82 - 86 miles each I begin to get really sore knees. I genuinely couldn't believe such a small amount could make such a BIG difference. Safe so say, since then I've threw the cleats all the way back and have absolutely ZERO issues!

[@nickgyde2393]

Great and well deserved win in the Giro Alex. Awesome. You asked for questions about bikes. Determining stack height from the base bar, what are your thoughts?

[@petef15]

Stack height is a huge deal for mountain biking. I love running SPDs but compared to flats it lifts me up what feels like 10mm. Makes a big difference to confidence when descending.

[@cplgnarbucket1413]

I really love my Bonts. I'll never go back to another cycling shoe. I really enjoy the wide toebox as well as the stiffness. I feel you get really good direct per to the orders with these shoes. A+++

[@lukasttmaster]

Hi Alex, I would appreciate it if you could review that strange long saddle I spotted on the hour attempt announcement video. And the chainring as well.

[@pugmandan215]

It would be good to hear TT tips. I don't have a TT bike but have taken to going on the road and doing a circuit and seeing how hard I can push myself/how fast I can go. I'm guessing there is probably more I can do to get more speed by distributing my power at different times.

[@TheGinger1]

I was thinking on my commute to work: One of the advantages of running the cleats even further back (mid arch) would be that you’d be able to drop your saddle and bars further, assuming you come through BDC slightly plantar flexed (toe down). You could experiment with it on your 3 bolt shoes with the Speedplay fore/aft adjuster plate. It’s a heavy bit of kit but fine for experimenting with the set up while you’ve got some time off racing.

[@MrJaycobsen]

Love this kind of videos!

[@jonathanearnshaw428]

Really interesting video!! And yes more about your bike set-up would be good.

[@joerauch7021]

15 minutes about shoes and pedals? Yes please. Huge fan of Bonts.

[@dvoob]

Fellow member of the left side 3mm shim gang.

[@MrAlexdavison]

Really interesting thanks Alex. Echo what some one else said about getting comfortable on the bike? Do you do your own bike fitting and if so any tips on how we could do this at home?

[@mattkemp2749]

Saddle - angle, setback, why you choose it etc. Good content, thanks Alex.

[@Free_Ranger_CT110]

I'd be interested in some advice on smoothing pedal stroke & your thoughts on elliptical chainrings. Thanks Alex.

[@nicksidell4797]

Really enjoyed the video Alex, I had a pair of bont shoes once like them as I have got very wide feet and when I tried to mould them I just couldn’t get them to fit as well and wish I had left them alone, do you mould yours or are they okay straight out of the box for you?

[@Breezy.m16]

Nice insight, I had read that having the cleats further back feels better and it does but i didn't realise a lot were moving them all the way back, I have always thought Bont look a lot different than the rest and can understand how that bigger toe box would be comfy, I wouldn't mind a video on your favorite saddle and its position or brake lever position as i see some people position them like this / \ .

[@johngreen5893]

Great video Alex thanks. I would love to hear more about how you and other pro riders adjust for leg length differences. How you measure then how you adjust for it. Thanks

[@carlosflanders518]

fwiw - stack height of Look Keos: The Keo Blade Carbons ('Race pedals') are 14.8 mm stack height (according to Lookcycle). Keo 2 Max ('Gran Fondo') are 17.3 mm. I think it's fairer to compare top-end with top-end.

[@dantelobue]

This is an awesome video. Can you make one explaining your fits and aerodynamics. Fasenating to get a world tours thoughts on it

[@CritWhit]

On my way to become a BONT Pilot and excited about it. Riot+ coming, and the Vaypor S or ZERO +'s. Thx for sharing!!!

[@shekofriends]

Thank you for sharing means a lot and thinking of going back to B shoes again!

[@matthewwatt3650]

Great video mate as usual.

[@paulallen5865]

Great videos Alex, looking to have a play around with moving the cleats further back myself. If I go 5 mm further back, do I drop saddle height by 5 mm aswell, same goes for bars? Cheers Paul

[@TheEnzodu62]

Nice review on this shoes and how to set up cleats on !! "Experiencing" saddle sores this times so I would be interessed on your thoughts about saddles please ! Have nice sessions on Zwift ✌

[@karolk9734]

Time trial bike review showing up any time soon on the channel? Great video as always Alex :)

[@dhl0014]

will you wear all 4 at the same time, or use 1 pair until it's done and move on to the next? How long does that take ?

[@runeisaksen6781]

Wow, really interesting stuff. Just keep the videos coming. But isnt the Bont's on the heavy side? My Giro's wheigh in at 193g incl cleats. Anyway, shoes is preference and I get your points here. Very good video. :-)

[@Shamz2848]

Do you adjust left and right cleat the same in angle and q factor?

[@carlosflanders518]

Enjoyed the vid. Great to see an experienced rider go to town on his shoe/pedal setup. Would love to know what steps you took over the years to correct or change your shoe fit than enabled you to go to the shorter q-factor spindles. Was this for aero or for comfort/fatigue? I feel there is an opening for a shoe company to make a much more adjustable flat sole and that can get over the unnecessary curvature of current soles.

[@guiazevedoleite]

very tecnical. I quite enjoyed. Greetings from Bauru-São Paulo-Brazil.

[@ryanolson8295]

Great shoes for sure; wish they were lace up. What is your LLD? Mine is ~1.5 cm and I always struggle to figure out how much shimming to use. The general recommendation is 30% but I never make it pain-free indefinitely and often change it up.

[@jimhansen5395]

Love this video - thanks Alex!

[@lamponembo7265]

Hi Alex, how do you compensate for the curvature of the sole with the flatness of the speedplay cleat? sorry but i don't speak english ... i used google translate

[@maksimloginov9365]

Alex, what is a length of your cranks ?

[@normanzielke6108]

Nice video. Could you get the saddle even further down by using shorter cranks? I know that some Pro triathletes e.g. Joe Skipper use quite short cranks such as 165mm.

[@ilanpi]

I would think that the fore/aft position of the cleat will affect leg extension, especially if there's a big change. Have you considered changing saddle height when moving cleats backwards?

[@fenggao8620]

Hey Alex, I'm quite interested to hear about your opinion on carbon wheels, especially on ZIPP. How do they compare to other brands you've used and whether the NSW makes a big difference than the firecrest. Thank you!

[@danielmacdonald4005]

Thanks for the video - great content, especially as I have a pair of Bont's and I'm contemplating a shift to Lake due to the rigidity you mention really making the sides of my feet a bit sore. Not tried speedplay, do you think they adjust the comfort levels or pressure points when compared to traditional look/shimano cleat/pedal set up? cheers

[@william6171]

Another great video! :) Would love to see you go even more into gears. Do you find electronic shifting to be a huge benefit? Any relieability problems electronic shifting over the years? (thoughts and prayers to Sep Vanmarcke in Roubaix 2019) Are big jockey wheels the thing to do? What chain do you use? Ever used a waxed chain? Or race powder on top of the wax? Have you ever changed the position of your sprockets for a pancake-flat ITT? (this is what I mean, at 6:37 in the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHOym3eon6x9eqM) Have you ever chosen for bigger rings and bigger sprockets so the chain doesn't have to turn around as tight a radius? Sorry if I'm being too much of a tech nerd. Love the Channel, always great content and high production quality!

[@Lemond75]

Nice video Alex. Just wondered if you bother heat moulding the Bonts? I had a pair a few years ago, and agree with everything you’ve said about them being stiff, light and feeling more connected to the pedals. Despite following all of the instructions online, I couldn’t get the carbon to soften enough in the oven in order to mould them, so they were comfy, but never felt ‘slipper like’ as many people suggest.

[@alexmalone8002]

Try bumping the temperature up a little and just check every five minutes. They need to feel malleable in order to move with your feet inside them.

[@mirceaandreighinea]

LIGHTER - wouldn't be lighter to get the left shoe with same treatment as the right one and then place a 3mm shim? (since, this way, you get rid of the first 3 big bolts)

[@fabiolucano5800]

Would love to know what the Team Mechanics think about whether cutting the steerer flush with the stem or leaving a small stem spacer above stem and why?

[@leedorney]

Tell us how you set your bike up and your idealogy behind it ? I'd like to know that please Alex 😉

[@riggsa02]

Hi Alex. Loving your videos. I just got a pair off my friend . When all of the information says snug fit. Do you mind me asking how close to the top of the shoe is your foot. The ones I got, my foot is right up to the top. Is that too tight on these shoes? Thanks again. I know it might sound stupid but just hoping that the shoe is not too small for me.

[@matthewvelo]

Great vid mate. Hope you're holding up okay.

[@morgan18821]

Do you get to choose tire size, is it standard for the team? Is psi and option or also standard? Last but not at all least tire brand must be a sponsor correct 👍🏻✌🏻love the videos.

[@abstractgroove160]

I love Speedplay. But the cost and faff of replacing the cleats every 9 months when the retention spring breaks just wasn't worth it. I'm back on Look pedals now. A shame as I really do prefer Speedplay.

[@garyfodden5034]

I thought BONT had an option to spec shoes specifically for speedplay pedals? maybe not any more?

[@djcharlou100]

Gary fodden agree I have those much cleaner I wonder why he didn’t go that way

[@alexmalone8002]

@@djcharlou100 they sure do. Special order.

[@asabehan3358]

Enjoyed that Al, although was hoping you was going to explain how you adjust them. I too cycle like a duck so have to have the +4mm Dura-ace. I didn’t realise Speed play are four bolt, are there many brands that accommodate them as standard?

[@alexmalone8002]

Bont make a special order four-hole sole for Zero+ and Vaypor S.

[@andresdelacruz4800]

I bought a pair of Bonts Vaypor S last year and about a month after that, bont posted a pic on their Facebook saying that now you can order speedplay specific bonts 🤦‍♂️. I was thinking about drilling the holes my self but now I will check watt shop, thanks for the tip! How long have you been using the drilled shoes? Any issues?

[@grahamwestwater8585]

Could do a video on , a day in the life of Alex and your typical diet

[@mikejames172]

Tell us your riding experiences with the Factor One thanks 👍

[@noahfontaine7832]

Would you recommend using zero aero pedals instead of zero pedals for road racing? Is it much harder to get clipped in with aero pedals compared to standard speedplays?

[@TheJackKWhitehouse]

Yeah but how often are you clipping in? 🤔. The hassle for maybe once or twice a ride

[@elijahkwon422]

Jack Whitehouse especially when racing only once at the start, but if you are training it’s much more.

[@morgan18821]

Just watching your videos of going up and down the Stelvio, how does that compare to Alpe d’huez👍🏻✌🏻

[@Mat_cp]

How do the shoes perform in the rain? I didn’t see any vents in the sole, do you get big pools around your feet when it’s raining ?

[@axelkvarnstrom1826]

Regarding cleat position, shouldn't putting the cleat far back have the same effect as lowering stack height, as in you can lower seat height because your leg becomes shorter?

[@kerrgreg]

how about the features you like the most on the factor bike(s) ?

[@chazpilks]

So, out of the box, not ideal for Speedplay without the drilling, but ok for Look, Shimano etc.? Or based on a bike fit to advise?

[@kevinwallace9168]

You can buy some models with the 4 holes from the factory.

[@besenwagen8542]

Are you using any (custom) insoles?

[@tuurimunkki]

Could you do a review of your aero and TT bike?

[@CooperSkooper]

Did you put them in the oven

[@tarmacmick]

What shoes did you wear at worlds?

[@troycollett8540]

Did it take you long to get used to speedplay again?

[@BarePotato]

Are you going to heat mold the shoe?

[@alexbilionis2378]

who drilled the shoes?

[@paulsheehan8565]

Hi Alex, are these shoes made from a custom last of your feet, or are they a stock size we can buy?

[@alexmalone8002]

Stock sizing Paul. Check out bontcycling.com

[@RudiDwiHartanto]

Do you ever chat with adam about making your own shoes Alex?

[@gabrielmesaric253]

when are you going to be on watts occuring?

[@KoenMiseur]

I have tried Bont shoes but the carbon curls up on the side and because I have wide feet the give alot of pressure even after I did the "custom molding" with my oven it didn't help.

[@alexmalone8002]

You'd be surprised how many people are better suited to wide sizing. Use the size chart next time you're considering a pair.

[@bstaplet]

Get wide fit. Technically I would fit standard but tried the wide and just feels better. Can't see any downside to be honest

[@IanB17]

Are those shoes commercially available? I’ve never seen them advertised here in the UK 🇬🇧

[@cplgnarbucket1413]

They should be able to ship to the UK. Check out bontcycling.com

[@IanB17]

@@cplgnarbucket1413 Cheers!